engineering

Richly illustrated work on hydraulics, with 100 engraved double-page plates
20. STR A DA, Jacobus de [and Benjamin BR A MER]. Künstliche Abriss allerhandt Wasserkünsten auch Wind- Ross- Handt- unnnd
Wasser-Mühlen, beneben schönen und nutzlichen Pompen, und andern Machinen, damit das Wasser in die höhe zu erheben, auch lustige
Brunnen dergleichen vor diesem nie gesehen worden.
Frankfurt am Main, Gerhardo Grevenbruch, 1618. 2 parts in 1 volume. Small 2º (29.5 × 18.5 cm). With 2 engraved title-pages by Matthias Merian,
2 large engraved coats of arms and 100 double-page plates. Contemporary vellum, rebacked. € 8500
Reissue of the first edition of a richly illustrated work on all
aspects of water techniques and hydraulics, with illustrations
by Jacobus de Strada (1507–1588). The work was brought to the
attention of the publisher by his son Octavius de Strada (1550–
1612) and first published posthumously in 1617. De Strada was
active in many fields: he worked as an architect, painter, art
collector, author, publisher, etc, and, judging from the present
work, was technically gifted. He gives a clear exposition of
pumping engines, watermills and all sorts of water-powered
machines, accompanied by short descriptions and an introduction
by the German architect and mathematician Benjamin
Bramer (1588–1652). Due to its delay in publication, some of
De Strada’s designs lost its innovativeness. Nevertheless, De
Strada’s designs appear to be unique and independent of those
by his contemporary, the Italian engineer Augostino Ramelli
(1531–1610), who published around 100 designs of water-raising
machines in his Le diverse et artificiose machine..., 1588.
Some occasional leaves and plates slightly browned, plates with
only a few small spots and some occasional marginal thumbing,
a few plates with waterstains. Binding rebacked, as noted, sides
with only a few small spots, otherwise in very good condition.
GVK (5 copies); VD17 23:645678U (1 copy); Wellcome 1035.