[Rarebooks] fs: 1719 Book of Fantastic Inventions, Turnings

[Joslin Hall Rare Books, ABAA]

One of the 17th Century's
Most Celebrated and Fantastic Cabinets-

Nicholas Grollier de Serviere.

"Recueil d'Ouvrages Curieux de Mathematique et de Mecanique, ou Description 
du Cabinet de Monsieur Grollier de Serviere..."

Lyon; David Forey: 1719.

A descriptive and illustrated catalog of the marvelous and curious 
mechanical models and ivory turnings constructed by Nicholas Grollier de 
Serviere, a soldier, turner, inventor and the author's father. Nicolas 
Grollier de Serviere (1596-1689), a descendant of Jean Grolier, was indeed 
a multi-talented man. In his youth he was a soldier and engineer, serving 
in Flanders, Germany, Italy and Constantinople. As a military engineer he 
specialized in moveable bridges and other such inventions, and when he 
retired to his estates in Lyon he constructed numerous fantastic models, 
which included floating bridges, water pumps, fantastical regulator clocks, 
his famous "reading wheel" machine, artistic machinery for rendering 
perspectives, and all sorts of other devices. His "Cabinet" fast became a 
wonder to be visited by, among others, Louis XIV, as well as a host of 
politicians, scholars, and other inventors and craftsmen.

In addition to being a skilled model-maker, de Serviere was also amongst 
the leading turners of his time, constructing inexplicably intricate and 
unlikely forms in ivory on the turning lathe. After his death his son, the 
Grand-Prieur de l'Abbaye de Savigny, kept the Cabinet up and published this 
volume dedicated to illustrating and describing its objects. Amongst those 
who visited and marveled was the young Monk Charles Plumier, who wrote the 
first book on the subject of turning, "L'Art du Tourner", in 1701.

The plates in this book begin with examples of de Serviere's intricate 
workmanship on the lathe, starting with a plate of very delicate and 
intricately carved ivories, followed by "pieces excentriques", a series of 
Escher-esque carved balls within balls and sharp, pointy things sticking 
out of carved balls, followed by more spheres within spheres, and then some 
marvelously turned and carved "pieces hors du rond", wooden tower-like 
pieces of great ingenuity and delicacy; these are followed by a plate of 
carved rosettes.  But this is more than a book of lathe-work (interesting 
as that may be).

The second section illustrates a series of ingenious clockworks invented by 
de Serviere, many with an elaborate series of rails winding down the frame; 
there are also clocks with carved serpents, an hourglass, and one with 
Atlas holding up the Earth.

The third section features elaborate machinery invented or envisioned by de 
Serviere, such as devices for raising water from streams, watermills, water 
wheels, and other water-related apparatus, including several paddle-wheeled 
boats; there follows a group of bridges, including pontoon bridges and 
other sectional works; there are also gates and portable ladders for 
military use. Interestingly, in retirement Grollier de Serviere did not 
limit his tinkering to miniatures- he constructed a full-sized pile-driver 
in his gardens, powered by a water-wheel held steady by two boats.

The book ends with some ingenious plans for furniture, including the 
reading "wheel", where the sitter sits in front of a ferris-wheel device of 
shelves, on each of which is an open book; a wheeled chair; a portable 
screen device for accurately sketching buildings, and something having to 
do with lamps which looks fairly lethal. As a collection of designs and 
inventions, the Cabinet of Nicholas Grollier de Serviere is as 
awe-inspiring and fantastic today as it was in 1719, and it remains an 
important record of the work of one of the 17th century's most accomplished 
turners. The book was reissued in 1733 and 1751.

Hardcover.  7.5"x10", (28) + 101 + (8) pages, plus 85 copperplate 
engravings (numbered 1-88; nos. 39, 48 and 76 were never issued); with 
several woodcut head and tailpieces and decorative vignettes in the text; 
title page printed in red and black. Bound in old full calf with 
appropriate wear, with a new spine label; hinges tight and apart from some 
minor soiling and several minor marginal dampstains, a very nice, wide 
margined and clean copy.  [20741]    $3,000

Illustrations- <http://www.joslinhall.com/g-20741.htm>

JOSLIN HALL RARE BOOKS, ABAA
Fine books of the 16th-20th centuries
on the decorative and fine arts & design

Post Office Box 239
Northampton, Massachusetts 01060 USA
telephone (413) 247-5080

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