Lot 563: JOUSSE, Mathurin (1607-ca1692). Le Theatre de l'Art de Charpentier . La Flèche: Georges Griveau, 1627.

JOUSSE, Mathurin (1607-ca1692). Le Theatre de l'Art de Charpentier. La Flèche: Georges Griveau, 1627. 2 parts in 1 volume, 2o (309 x 201 mm). Engraved title, 89 woodcut illustrations numbered I-CXXV, including 12 double-page in the first part, and 7 unnumbered woodcut illustrations including 2 full-page in the second part (final illustration with chip and associated tear on fore-margin), woodcut initials and head- and tail-pieces. (Small hole on L1 slightly affecting woodcut, S2 with some breaks across image from the press, small hole on Z3 slightly affecting a few letters and illustration on verso, some very minor pale marginal dampstaining to some upper margins.) Contemporary English ruled calf (joints starting). Provenance: Etienne Tahureau (marginalia); Alexander Trotter (bookplate); Kenney (bookplate); acquired from Marlborough Rare Books, 1973. VERY RARE FIRST EDITION of Jousse's manual on timber-frame construction, with his brief treatise on the orders of columns based on Vignola's work included at end (as it is often found). This copy has occasional marginalia in the hand of Etienne Tahureau. Little is known of the author, who published a treatise on locks and metalwork at Griveau's press in 1627 (see below), and a work on stereotomy in 1635. He may have been connected with the Jesuit college at La Flèche, possibly as its architect. Berlin Kat. 2533 (lacking architectural treatise); Fowler 161 (1751 edition); Brunet III:581 (1659 edition). [Bound with:] JOUSSE, Mathurin. La fidelle ouverture de l'art de serrurier ou, L'on void les principauix preceptes, desseings et figures touchant les experiences, et operations manuelles dudict art ensemble un petit traicté de diverses trempes. La Fléche: Georges Griveau, 1627. 2o. Engraved allegorical title, 65 numbered woodcut and engraved illustrations (some full-page) one full-page unnumbered woodcut, several unnumbered woodcut or etched illustrations, ornamental head-pieces and initials. (Some very pale dampstaining to some upper margins.) VERY RARE FIRST EDITION of Jousse's elaborately illustrated dissertation on locksmithing, a wonderful source-book of baroque ornamentation. "Very few technical treatises qualify as contributions to the history of art. La fidèle ouverture is one of the elect" (Besterman). The illustrations show designs for locks, keys, key plates, door knockers and larger items: window grills, well-heads, a self-propelled chair for invalids and perhaps the first known depiction of prosthetic devices. Berlin Kat. 1333; Besterman Old Art Books 50; Hofer 26; Rothschild 267.

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