Collection of documents formed of 33 original contemporary silver halide print photographs, a reproduction of a press clipping from La Voix du Nord and three mimeographed technical plans, united in a black binder with a label with the inscription «Production Report «press» – press-forming of the ½ spheres of Ct Cousteau's diving saucer – February 1964.» Handwritten title page.
Signed, handwritten presentation: «Avec les amitiés du reporter photographe Wallemme Raoul» «With love from the photojournalist Wallemme Raoul.»
Very beautiful and unique collection, testifying to the genius of the making of the Deep Star 4000, a diving saucer invented by Commander Cousteau.
The reproduction of the press clipping glued at the beginning of our collection explains: «The French Office for Underwater Research in Marseille will build, on behalf of an American firm, a diving saucer, the ‘S.P. 4000,' which can descend to a depth of 4000 metres. This machine, whose full-scale model has just been produced, must be completed in May 1964. It will be able to carry out its first trials the following month, before leaving for the United States where
it take the name ‘Deep Star.'»
In 1964, the French Office for Underwater Research, led by Commander Cousteau, entrusted the company Arbel de Douai with the work of forming the hemispheres in Vasco Jet 90 steel intended for the manufacture of the diving saucer «S.P. 4000.» The 33 photographs collected in this album of internal archives recount all the stages of this conception. We see the metalworkers at work, dressed in suits worthy of science-fiction; the last shot immortalised the team posing proudly in front of photojournalist Raoul Wallemme's camera.
It is the American company Westinghouse Corp who, under Cousteau's leadership and the French Office for Underwater Research, will manufacture the submersible. For certification purposes, the Vasco sphere manufactured by the Douai workshops will not be used by the American firm, who will prefer another model used by the US Navy. It will finally be used on another machine, the S.P. 3000 or Cyana. «In September 1971, a trial dive, luckily without crew, went wrong. Cyana, hanging on a cable and weighted with a heavy weight, is submersed off Sicily to a depth of 3 200m. A shackle opens, releasing the cable. The saucer remains unable to move, a few metres from the bottom. The sinking point is immediately marked by an ultrasonic beacon that can only beep for one month. A race against the clock begins: it is necessary to rearm the Archimède and urgently equip it with shears inspired by a charcutier's ham slicer! Fourteen days after the sinking, while the beacon still emits weakly, the Archimède finds the Cyana and cuts the cable that holds it prisoner. It was the deepest ever successful rescue!» (Ifremer website).
The Cyana carried out more than 1 300 dives from Ifremer's different oceanographic vessels (Jean Charcot, Le Suroît, Le Noroît, Nadir, L'Atalante) and opportunity vessels (Castor, Ravello).
Superb and unique testimony of French metalworking know-how at the service of Commander Cousteau and the pioneers of oceanography.
Second edition statement, after the first published in 1762, with 14 folding tables (most copies announcing only 13). 4 pages of catalogue in fine. Author's preface for this new corrected and expanded edition.
Contemporary full marbled brown sheep binding. Raised band spine with ornaments. Red morocco title label, black morocco volume label. Headcap of volume I torn off, damage to that of volume II. A lack at the tail of volume II. Corners very blunted and stripped. Set very rubbed.
Red stamp on title page: Bibliothèque de M. Héricart de Thury, Conseiller d'état.
Treatise on mineralogy based on Wallerius's system and Linné's classification, with the mechanical properties and uses of each mineral, a geography of minerals, a vocabulary and a lexicon. One of the first systematic mineralogy handbooks.
Complete first edition in six volumes, illustrated with decorative headpieces.
Contemporary bindings in full marbled brown calf, spines with six raised bands decorated with red morocco title and volume labels, fleurons and double gilt frame fillets, triple fillets stamped in blind framing the boards, double gilt fillets on the leading edges, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, all edges marbled. Title pages in red and black. Headcaps worn, title labels of volumes 1, 3, 4 and 6 and volume labels of volumes 4, 5 and 6 missing, some lacks to the compartments, leather split at the joint of the first volume, joints of other volumes often slightly cracked at head or foot, boards and leading edges rubbed, some corners slightly bumped. Endpapers cut at outer margins, some bookworm damage to leaves mainly in lower margins, intermediate title pages of volume 5 and volume 2 detached but present.
Good copy.
New edition, illustrated with 14 plates, most folding.
Contemporary full brown marbled calf binding. Decorated spine with raised bands. Red morocco title label, and black wax volume label. 2 corners slightly bumped. Rubbing. Good copy.
Notable articles in each of the mentioned sections include: Experiments to determine if the strength of ropes exceeds the sum of the strengths of the threads composing these same ropes, by M. de Réaumur. Observations on the vegetation of truffles, by M. Geoffroy. Observations on fecal matter, by M. Homberg. Remarks on certain colors, by M. de La Hire. Rules and remarks for the construction of equalities, by M. Rolle. On different ways in which several species of sea animals attach themselves to sand, by M. de Réaumur. New experiments on the dilation of air, by M. Maraldi. Description of a new purple dye, by M. de Réaumur. Observations on the structure & use of the principal parts of flowers, by M. Geoffroy. Description of the flowers and seeds of various succulents, by M. de Réaumur. Various astronomical observations.
Illustrated edition with 16 folding plates, 8 per volume.
Contemporary full marbled brown calf bindings. Raised band spines with gilt ornaments. Red morocco title-labels, and black wax volume labels. Small lack to head of volume I. One corner slightly bumped. Rubbing. Last errata leaf frayed at margin. Good copies.
Notable articles to be retained in each of the mentioned sections include the following: On beam resistance by M. Parent. On conchoids in general by M. de La Hire. Observations on coral analysis by M. Geoffroy. Reflections on magnetic variations by M. Houssaye. General method for finding an infinity of new curved lines by M. Réaumur. Physical explanation of the vertical and natural direction of plants by M. de La Hire. Method for describing large arcs of conic sections, by M. de La Hire. Conjectures on the position of the island of Meroë, by M. Delisle. Numerous astronomical observations by Cassini, Maraldi...
First edition.
Contemporary limp parchment binding. Smooth, unlettered spine. Brown stains on both boards, more extensive on the upper board. Binding detached from upper board. Tears to the lower margin of leaf li.
Complete set of navigation tables (latitudes, moon, winds, ports...), with 64 pages explaining these tables.
First edition of this treatise, published following the four volumes whose editorial dates run from 1782 for the first volume to 1788 for the last, namely the Traité de l'aimant, which is therefore often missing from the series.
Contemporary full red morocco binding. Spine with raised bands richly decorated. Title and volume labels in black morocco. Triple fillet frame on covers. Roulette on leading edges and board-edges. Gilt edges. Domino paper with gilt stars. Corners rubbed.
Very handsome copy, perfectly bound in a master binding, very fresh.
The Traité de l'aimant is the last work published during the author's lifetime and closes the Histoire naturelle whose edition spanned fifty years, and which enjoyed success comparable to Diderot and d'Alembert's Encyclopédie. The treatise proper is followed by numerous tables of observations on the inclination of the magnetic needle (with the names of travelers and navigators), in the southern and northern hemispheres, according to different latitudes... The treatise begins with an exposition of magnetic and electric forces.
The rare first edition. Printed in two columns. Vignette of a sphere on the title page. 14 in-text figures and diagrams and numerous tables, notably a calendar of the position of the stars and zodiac figures, tables of latitudes and longitudes.
Contemporary limp vellum binding with flaps. Smooth spine unlettered. Traces of ties. Split to upper joint at head over two centimeters. Various stains. Lacking the first endleaf before the title. Lower right corner of title page missing. Brown stain to lower right corner from leaf 14 to leaf 32.
Commentary by Georg Henisch on the treatise of the sphere by Proclus, the celebrated Neo-Platonic philosopher of the 5th century. The first part is a Latin translation, with the Greek text on the left, of the treatise of the sphere. This astronomical treatise follows Ptolemy's system and studies the theory of the five climatic zones, seeking to clearly explain astronomical phenomena.
First collected edition of these two works, originally published at Oxford in 1701 (Physica) and 1718 (Astronomia) respectively, illustrated with a title vignette, 12 folding plates for physics (experiments, diagrams, geometry), 29 for astronomy, and 6 for trigonometry, numbered I to XLVII.
Contemporary marbled brown sheep binding. Spine with raised bands richly decorated. Red morocco title label. Worn binding. Headcaps torn away. Joints split at head and foot, along two compartments for the upper joint. Corners heavily bumped. Paper more or less browned.
Treatise and manual of astronomy and physics with various short treatises, including one on trigonometry. The physics treatise is based on the Newtonian physics lessons that Keill gave at Oxford. A Scottish mathematician and defender of Newton's work, this Oxford professor was one of the first to teach physics and astronomy according to mathematics. The cartographic plates of the Moon were made following the works of Hevelius, Riccioli, Langren who each in their own way catalogued and observed the lunar relief.
Second edition, rare, after the first of 1789.
Contemporary pamphlet, in pink paper. Title label. Spine cracked. Fine copy in condition as issued, uncut.
This treatise on volcanology concerning the volcanoes of Auvergne is important for the evolution of this science, still young at the time. The author studies precisely how volcanoes changed the landscape, cataloguing lava flows and their effects; tracing centuries of geology, when the sea bordered the volcanoes... Manuscript and bibliographic note in pencil at the bottom of the title page.
French first edition and first translation into vernacular after the original Latin, which had appeared in the Elementa physiologica in 8 volumes, published from 1757 to 1766.
Full speckled blonde calf bindings. Raised band spines with ornamentation. Red morocco title and volume labels. Head caps worn, same for the foot cap of volume 2. Two corners bumped on volume 2. Volume label of volume 1 missing. Some leaves yellowed.
Important study devoted to the phenomena of generation, fertilization and embryology, with a description of sexual organs and their function. By establishing a state of contemporary knowledge, Haller refutes certain previously established theses, notably that of Malpighi, and establishes new ones, clarifying the way in which new individuals come into the world.
New edition, after the first, rare, published in 1784.
In original wrappers. Title page with marginal dampstain and soiling.
Linguet (1736-1794) French writer, lawyer and journalist, he wrote numerous works in various fields, particularly law and political philosophy, his positions and his talents as a polemicist would lead to his imprisonment and eventual execution by guillotine. It was during a period of incarceration that Linguet conceived this work, the fruit of earlier research. Linguet bases himself essentially on Newton to develop his own reflections in the field.
