A Paris, Chez Gabriel Martin, Jean Baptiste Coignard, Hippolyte-Louis Guerin, 1735, 3 first volumes (of 7), in-quarto 19.5 X 25.5 cm - 7.7 x 10 inches), viii - 2 ff. - 215 pp. - 1f.(blank), v - 1f. - 192 pp. - 1 f. (blank), v - 1f. - 207 pp. - 1f (blank), full calf granit patterned calf (small slit on tue upper part of 3 joints and split on a other on 12 cm (4.7 inches) but without gravity and wears on some corners), spine raised on 5 bands decorated with hatched fillets, 4 compartments gilt tooled, 2 compartments with gilt lettered red morocco labels, around sides framing of tripple blind stamped fillets, gilt double fillets along the leading edges, red edges.
First edition and the first three volumes of this impressive publication on the machines and inventions developped in France from 1666 to 1777 (here from 1666 to 1719) and examined and approved by the Academy. There are all kind of elevators, clocks, maritime and military engineering but also harpsichords and organ with bellows, machine to draw the lotteries, horns and armchair for deaf, sophisticated tents, sedan-chairs, coach, sand yacht, artificial fountains etc. Very fresh inside and nice binding. Full complete of the 214 plates (most folding) which must contain these volumes. Cft. Poggendorff, I, 838.