engineering
35_attachement_catalogue
35_attachement_catalogue
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Contemporary illustrations<br />
of the Trollhätte Canal<br />
19. SKJÖLDEBR A ND, Anders Frederik. Description des cataractes<br />
et du canal de Trollhätta en Suède; avec un précis historique.<br />
Stockholm, Charles Delén, 1804. 4º. With an aquatint title-page and 12<br />
aquatint plates, including 1 map, all drawn and engraved by the author.<br />
Contemporary grey-blue wrappers. € 850<br />
First and only edition in the original French, of a richly illustrated description of<br />
the waterfall, locks and canal near Trollhättan in Sweden. Although spectacular,<br />
the waterfalls were a great obstacle in the transport of wood from Lake Vänern<br />
in the interior of Sweden, to the port of Gothenburg. To navigate the cataracts<br />
a canal was cut through solid rock. At the opening in 1800, eight locks could<br />
raise and lower a ship 32 meters, making it finally possible to sail past Trollhättan<br />
without reloading goods on horse-carts. The waterfall, canal and sluices became,<br />
and still are, a popular destination for tourists, providing a market for this description<br />
written and illustrated by count Anders Skjöldebrand (1757–1834). The book<br />
describes the countryside, culture and feats of <strong>engineering</strong> near Tröllhattan,<br />
starting with the etymology of the city’s name and ending with a critique of the<br />
current state of the <strong>engineering</strong> works. A table gives the amount that passed the<br />
sluices in 1800–1802.<br />
Browned and foxed throughout, especially the plates, with waterstains at the top<br />
and bottom corners. Spine tattered, with the final gathering and back cover partly<br />
loose; otherwise a good copy.<br />
Brunet V, col. 408; Myren, “Det äldre Trollhättan i konsten”, Historia och Historier om “Stranna” XI, pp. 3–32.