Author: STRADA, Jacobus de [and Benjamin BRAMER].
Title: Künstliche Abriss allerhandt Wasserkünsten auch Wind- Ross- Handt- unnd 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 folio (29.5 x 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.
Description: [10], 16; 18 pp.Reissue of the first edition of a richly illustrated work on all aspects of waterworks 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 clear expositions on 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 delayed publication, some of De Strada's designs were not as innovative as they were when he wrote. De Strada's designs nevertheless 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-pumping 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 water stains. Binding rebacked, as noted, sides with only a few small spots, otherwise in very good condition.l GVK (5 copies); VD17 23:645678U (1 copy); Wellcome 1035.

Keywords: [E51AD6E3D609] SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY|[E51AD6E3D609] SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY -> [82640FCA07D5] Technology|