Duhamel du monceau

1759 · L6KATGIQRNBC — The Hague: Ottho van Thol; Amsterdam Gerrit de Groot 1759. Contemporary half red roan marbled sides. Large 4to. With the title page printed in red and black with an engraved view of a shipyard engraved frontispiece view of a shipyard after the original by Jacob van Schley 1715-1779 9 charming engravings also by J. van Schley after the originals in the French edition showing various scenes of shipbuilding and 24 large plates on 23 folding sheets and 7 folding leaves with letterpress tables pp. 117-130. Rare first edition of the Dutch translation of the Éléments de l’architecture navale; ou traité practique de la construction des vaisseaux Paris 1752 by H.L. Duhamel du Monceau the first manual for students of naval engineering written by the founder of the School for naval engineering and architecture at the Louvre 1751. A re-issue of the translation appeared in 1759.After a successful career in the French Navy in 1739 he was appointed Inspector of the French navy Henri-Louis Duhamel du Monceau 1700-1782 became one of the most important shipwrights during the early years of French naval construction. When he wrote his well-organized manual he relied “on the organization of basic concepts and stressed respect for rational inquiry into limits of everyday building techniques. He sought to replace routine with best practice.” James Pritchard “From shipwright to naval constructor” in: Technology and culture 28:1 p.16.With the owner's inscription of Th. Zwanenburg Maassluis on the front paste-down. Roan frayed otherwise in good condition.l Cat. NHSM II p. 748; STCN 2 copies; cf. Bierens de Haan 1895 1759 issue; Polak 2859 French ed. Ottho van Thol; Amsterdam, Gerrit de Groot, unknown