- LARGE FOLIO WITH 122 LARGE ENGRAVED PLATES - IN EFFECT, A DETAILED BLUE-PRINT FOR A SINGLE, GRANDLY-APPOINTED COUNTRY HOUSE -

MANDAR (Charles François, French architect and professor at l’École des Ponts et Chaussées, 1757-1844)

Étude d'Architecture Civile, ou plans, élevations, coupe et détails nécessaires pour élever, distribuer, et décorer une maison et ses dépendances, publiés pour l'instruction des élèves de l'École Royale des Ponts et Chaussées...  Nouvelle édition gravée en taille-douce corrigée et augmentée de vingt planches... 

(Paris): chez Carilian-Goeury, 1826. Second ('nouvelle') edition (first published for private circulation in 1818). [iv], 113, [1] p., with 122 fine full-page engraved plates. Contemporary half-calf over marbled boards, rebacked. Ex-libris the Danish Military Academy (Hærens Officersskole), with its stamps and shelf location, and de-accession stamp. Large folio (54cm x 38cm). Heavy volume, weighing over 10kg with packaging.

Very Good condition. Spine repaired and refurbished. A bit of wear at corners and edges of boards. Occasional light foxing (primarily limited to the margins and in no way intrusive. Last plate (122) seemingly printed on a different colour paper, or age-toned. Danish Military Academy stamps and shelf location to front pastedown, half title and title. De-accession stamp dated 1992. Please ask if you require a more detailed condition report, or view gallery images.

Second edition, considerably enlarged, of the book that Mandar first produced as a teaching aid for his students at the École Royal des Ponts et Chausées in 1818, in 250 copies only for private circulation, which in turn went back to a project for a pavilion first envisaged in 1792.

The plates in this second (and only other) edition have been engraved rather than continuing in the more progressive lithographic method used in the first edition, and treat with the various aspects of the architecture, garden and hydraulics and the dependencies.

Both the 1818 publication and this enlarged publication take as their subject both the exterior and interior design and construction of a single country house - but in this expanded version some of the plates give considerably more detail (particularly in the decorative aspects - Messrs Percier and Fontaine are credited with their help on the decoration - and some construction details) and the order has at points been rearranged.

Also, although still concentrating on one house, the scope has been expanded to include material concerning the garden, orangery, ice house and 'fabriques' not previously included. All is looked at in elaborate detail, and it includes some surprising details such as a flush toilet and casement window openings. 

Finally, although the earlier edition was complete with no descriptive letterpress other than the minimum contained within the plates, there are over one hundred pages of letterpress description and detail to accompany the plates.

NUC locates three copies (Library of Congress, New York and Boston Public Libraries). BAL Early Printed Books 4004.