Pictorial frontis. & many full-page woodcuts. 32; 32 folding leaves. Two vols. 8vo, orig. patterned wrappers, orig. woodblock title labels on upper covers (labels a little rubbed & defective), new stitching. Osaka: Kawachiya Tasuke et al., Preface dated 1827.

First edition of this richly illustrated work on the theory of Japanese garden design. Akisato (fl. 1780-1814), travelled with his artists throughout the country in order to accurately record the landmarks, writing the first detailed accounts of early Japan; his books were immediate best sellers. In his earlier works, he had described many of the most important gardens of Japan; in this work he describes the... More

99 pp. 8vo, attractive antique calf-backed paste-paper boards, spine gilt, red morocco lettering-piece on spine. Paris: Joullain, 1778.

The uncommon sale catalogue, fully priced throughout, of a noteworthy collection, devoted primarily to Italian art and sculpture. Bourlat de Montredon (?-1777), was an influential amateur and collector who resided in Constantinople for forty years.

The catalogue thoroughly describes 695 lots, many of which are composed of numerous items. Lots 579-671 are Bourlat de Montredon’s impressive group of books of prints, mostly focused on the architecture and decorative arts of Italy, including a number of works by Piranesi. The descriptions offer occasional notes on... More

Lithograph frontis. port. of the collector. 2 p.l., 14, [2], 166 pp. 8vo, attractive antique half-calf paste-paper boards, red morocco lettering-piece on spine, spine gilt. Paris: J.S. Merlin, 1824.

The uncommon sale catalogue of Hurtault (1765-1824), Architecte du roi, member of the Institut, and inspector general of public works, who conducted significant restorations of the Tuileries and Fontainebleau. He was especially interested in English architecture — demonstrated by the numerous British books in his collection — and designed several gardens in the English style, including one at Fontainebleau.

This was one of the finest professional libraries of architecture of the early 19th century and its... More

1 p.l., 288 pp. Large 8vo, orig. printed wrappers bound-in cont. dark green half-morocco, cloth sides, spine gilt, t.e.g. London: 1874.

A handsome copy, ruled in red with prices in a contemporary hand. Tite was a noted architect whose principal work was the remodeling of the Royal Stock Exchange (1844). He was a strenuous opponent of the Neo-Gothic style as practiced by Sir George Gilbert Scott (see D.N.B.). “Among the contemporaries of Henry Huth was a notable bibliophile, the enthusiastic architect Sir William Tite (1798-1873), whose fine and valuable library brought nearly 20,000 pounds, a large sum for the early... More

Engraved frontis., numerous engravings in the text, & 58 mostly folding engraved plates. 2 p.l., xxxviii, [10], 408, [40] pp. Large thick 4to, cont. cat’s paw polished calf, spine nicely gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. Paris: P.J. Mariette, 1750.

First published in 1691 and revised by Le Blond in the early 18th century, the Cours d’Architecture was totally revised and enlarged with new designs of buildings and ornaments by Mariette in 1738. Our edition of 1750 was the one most familiar to architects of the mid-18th century; it “was the standard work for architects…This book included a life of Vignola, a description... More

2 p.l., 124 pp. Large 8vo, cont. red cloth-backed marbled boards, spine gilt. [Paris]: Rapilly, [1891].

[with]:

(—). Catalogue de Dessins anciens, Architecture, Décoration, Ameublement, Orfèvrerie…Dont la Vente aura lieu…les samedi 21, lundi 23, mardi 24, mercredi 25 février 1891… 4 p.l., 104 pp. 8vo, orig. printed wrappers (spine slightly defective). [Paris]: M. Delestre & S. Mayer, [1891]. More

[Klein-Schwechat: 1881].

An elaborate album of photographs of drawings of the celebrated brewery at Klein-Schwechat, founded in 1632, and today one of the leading breweries of Austria, producing a lager, a light smooth premium beer called Hopfenperle, and a super-premium called Steffl. The album was prepared for the renowned Viennese brewer August Deiglmayer (1827-83), who was at that time, managing director of the brewery and one of the great innovators of 19th century brewing. Deiglmayer spent much of his professional career at the Klein-Schwechat brewery.

The drawings were executed at the request of Georg Wieninger (1832-87), scion of the Schärding family of... More

Ten folding engraved plates. viii, 368 pp. Large 4to, orig. paste-paper wrappers (a bit frayed), printed paper label on spine, uncut. Paris: Bachelier, 1821.

First collected edition and quite scarce on the market. “Coulomb’s collected memoirs on mechanics. The first of these deals with simple machines and won the Academy prize of 1779. The second is a study of friction at pivots, and the third deals with torsion and the elasticity of metal wire. In the fourth memoir Coulomb discusses man’s ability to perform work, quoting Daniel Bernoulli and d’Alembert. The fifth memoir is devoted to windmills and the force of their... More

83 engraved plates. xxvii, 100 pp.; 175 pp.; 61, [2] pp. Three parts in one vol. Large 4to, cont. sheep-backed marbled boards (headcap & one corner a little worn), flat spine gilt, red leather lettering piece on spine. [Paris]: l’Auteur, la Veuve Hérissant, & T. Barrois, 1782.

Final and best edition of one of the standard introductory textbooks of architecture of the time; it went through four earlier editions (with different titles) in 1762, 1766, 1768, and 1773. Dupuis (1733-92), was a practicing architect who wrote several other works on various aspects of the subject. He served as architect to the Elector of Cologne for many years.

Very nice copy. More

Two double-page plates & 80 engravings in the text. 8 p.l., 196, [16] pp. Folio, orig. carta rustica (covers a little soiled & spotted, first few leaves a little dampstained in outer lower corner). Rome: G.F. Buagni, 1696.

First edition and a fine fresh copy of this finely illustrated work on baroque hydraulics. Fontana (1638-1714), was the most important Roman architect of his generation.

This book “emerges from an actual design problem. The practical source for this theoretical work was the project for the raising of the water level of Lake Bracciano, necessary since the second fountain in Saint Peter’s square, built by Bernini under... More

Many fine full-page woodcuts. 56; 51; 42 folding leaves. Three vols. Large 4to (337 x 260 mm.), orig. yellow wrappers, orig. block-printed title labels on upper covers (labels a bit frayed), new stitching (a little loose). [China]: from title-page in trans.: “woodblocks owned by Yi xue xuan, 1801.”

An important and uncommon large-format edition of the “first of all Chinese encyclopaedias, containing so much botanical and zoological terminology.”–Needham, Science and Civilisation in China, Vol. 6, Part 1: Botany, p. 191. This edition of the Er Ya contains the enlargements and commentary of Guo Pu (276-324), considered “the greatest commentator of the Erh Ya” (Needham, p. 188).

Guo, Chinese historian, poet, and writer, is best known as one of China’s foremost commentators of ancient texts and was a notable natural historian. Considered the most learned man of his age, he was also the first to define feng shui. Today, his edition of the Er Ya is considered to be authoritative and definitive, and without his glosses and commentaries, large portions of this text would be unintelligible. More

36 folding black & white woodcut plates. 88 folding leaves. 8vo (265 x 166 mm.), orig. pink wrappers, orig. block-printed title label, printed on yellow silk, on upper cover, early (?) stitching. [Beijing: Wu ying dian [the Imperial Printing House], Preface dated 1711, Afterword dated 1712, completed 1713?].

First edition, Manchu issue, of this famous and beautifully illustrated book, ordered by and overseen by Kangxi (1654-1722), Emperor of China. It was printed in 400 copies on superior paper, 200 in Manchu and 200 in Chinese. The book is a collection of poems written about 36 remarkable sites, which include gardens, landscapes, and buildings at the emperor’s summer palace, a.... More