Descripción
Is viii + 214 pp + approbation. Condition of this scarce first edition is fair-good antiquarian. It is an octavo measuring 5" x 8" bound in what appears to be original figured calf with marbled edges. The spine and front cover of the leather appear to have suffered a scorching in a few spots - you can see the dark areas on the photos. Joints cracking and tender as is common for bindings of this era. Original marbled endpapers, nice headers and tail pieces, pagination is viii + 214 pp + approbation and the plate at the rear, as called for. Inside back covers has some old notations in pencil, some foxing as normal, but otherwise clean and unmarked. Folding plate. This is the first edition of a scarce work written by Perret, a master cutler, a maker of knives and surgical instruments for the greatest surgeons of the time and written for the "artists and workers" who used steel in their work. Accordingly, it is very technical work, with information such as "cast steel cannot be used for objects that need to be welded to iron, as it can only be united to other steel and even then care is required if it is to succeed". Jean-Jacques Perret was born in 1730 in Beziers, France, son of a cutler, his adventure with cutlery started at the very young age of 12. After learning the trade Perret got involved with surgeons and his specialty quickly began towards surgical instruments. Of course razors were a big part of surgical instruments at this point in history and Perret not only made razors but is credited by some historians in the field as being the "father of the safety razor". His "La pogonotomie" or "the art of shaving oneself" contains the safety razor precusor. In 1771 he wrote another book "L'Art du Coutelier" or the art of the cutler, the most important work on cutlery at the time, which goes into all phase of cutlery from metal choice to forging, grinding, etc. This 1779 work looks at the basic material used in knives, swords, razors, etc. - steel. In it his examines the different qualities of the metal, its uses, its forging and the tempering process. With a marvelous large folding engraved plate. A nice if somewhat eccentric copy of this unusual first edition of an important work on steel, its uses, forging and tempering, from one of the most important cutlers of the 18th century. Memoire Sur L'Acier, Dans Lequel on Traite Des Differentes Qualities De Ce Metal, De La Forge, Du Bon Employ & De La Trempe. Ouvrage Couronne' Par La Societe Des Arts De Geneve, Le 19 December 1771; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 214 pages. N° de ref. del artículo 11121
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