THE "L'ALLARD FRANCAIS"

(ALLARD, C.). - THE "L'ALLARD FRANCAIS".

L'Art de Batir les Vaisseaux, et d'en perfectionner la Construction; de les Garnier de leurs Apparaux, les mettre en Funin, les Manoeuvrer, &c. avec la Coupe d'un Vaisseau du Premier Rang, les Devis de plusieurs Sortes de Vaisseaux... outre les Pavillons de divers Etats, le tout tiré des meilleurs Auteurs Hollandais, comme Witsen, van Eyk, Allard, &c. Tome Premier - (Second) + (Suite to Tome Second:) Les Pavillons, ou Banniéres, que la plûpart des Nations Arborent en Mer,... (dated 1718). 2 Vols. (in 3 Parts).

Amsterdam, David Mortier, 1719-18.

4to. Contemp. full calf. Spine defective, lacking leather at upper and lower compartment and frontcover detached from spine. Front free endpaper gone. The first two title-pages printed in red/black and both with an engraved vignette with a portrait of Erasmus. (4),82;(2),94;(2),24,(12) pp. Vol I: 1 large folded engraved plate and 1 textengraving. - Vol. II: 34 textengravings (1/2-page a. full-page) + 21 engraved plates (4 large and folded). - "Les Pavillons": 90 engraved plates of flags. The first flag "Pavillon de George I" is handcoloured. (Last printed leaf numbered 101 because the 90 engraved plates is counted as pages !). Complete. Light marginal browning, a few leaves with small closed tears.

A classic on shipbuilding, finely illustrated with construction drawings and nautical instruments and equipment.
It is the first edition in French of Allard's "Nieuwe Hollandse Scheeps-bouw", first published in 1695. Polak notes that, though known as 'L'Allard français', it was more than a straightforward translation, being augmented with chapters by Witsen and van Eyk, and with plates representing vessels and nautical instruments as well as the flags of the maritime nations.

Order-nr.: 51669