Theatrum pontificale, oder Schau-platz der Brücken und Brücken-baues [...].

Folio: [16]-153-[5] pp.; 60 pl. (the whole vol.: light damp stain at top, browning in text, some spotting).

Contemp. calf (rubbed & soiled, corners bumped), gilt spine with 6 raised bands (rubbed, joints splitting), brown leather title label, red edges, marbl. endpapers. Good copy.

First edition of this important manual on bridge architecture by Jacob Leupold (1674-1727), German physicist, scientist, mathematician, engineer and early inventor of an air pump. Ill. with 60 full-page engr. pl. (numb. I-LVII + IIA, XVIA, XLA) depicting hanging and folding bridges, lift bridges, bridge constructions i.a. at Dresden, Prague, Regensburg, London, bridges in China, Bärenburg, 4 pl. with diving bells and helmets, underwater clothing, etc.
Bound with: Id. - Theatrum Arithmetico-geometricum, das ist: Schau-platz Rechen- und Mess-kunst [...]. Ibid., 1762. [14]-200-[4] pp. Illustrated with 45 full-page engr. pl. (numb. I-XLIII + XXb, XXIb; pl. III with a volvelle) depicting ancient finger counting, calculators (i.a. the ones invented by Leibniz and Poleni), other instruments used for mathematics, geometry, optics, physics, etc.
And with: Id. - Theatri machinarum supplementum, das ist: Zusatz zum Schau-platz der Machinen und Instrumenten [...] nebst einem allgemeinen vollständigen Register [...] über die [...] acht Theile des Theatri Machinarum. Leipzig, B.Chr. Breitkopf, 1739. [12]-100-[4]-[92] pp. First edition. The 92 pp. register at the end is a general table of the whole "Theatrum machinarum". Illustrated with 36 full-page engr. pl. (numb. I-XL, 4 folding which each carry 2 pl. numbers), showing various mechanical devices, instruments for measuring, waterworks and other "modern" inventions and apparatuses.
In all, our volume contains three parts of the famous "Theatrum machinarum" of Leupold, the first systematic treatment of mechanical engineering and one of the most impressive large format technological publications of the 18th century. Our part 1 and 3 are part 7 and 10 of the first ed. (1724-1739). Our part 2 is an edition of part 8 (1st ed. 1727). Each part is complete in itself, totalling 141 impressive, finely engraved full-page plates. A full set of the "Theatrum machinarum" is extr. rare, the parts are more often found separately than together, as is the case with our copy. Each part with French title and some woodcut initials, ill. in text, head- and endpieces, title pages printed in red and black. Entirely printed in gothic type.
Ref. Berlin Kat. 3553 (1), 1792 (3), Cp. 1733 (2, 1st ed.). - Brunet III:1033. - VD18.