Traité théorique et pratique sur l’art de faire et d’appliquer les vernis; sur les différens genres de peinture par impression et en décoration, ainsi que sur les couleurs simples et composées: accompagné de nouvelles observations sur le copal; de notes historiques sur la nature des matières et sur les procédés mis en usage par les compositeurs des couleurs et de vernis, et par les peintres vernisseurs et décorateurs, &c. &c. &c. Geneva, Magnet, 1803.
First Edition, Fine Paper Copy. Two volumes, 8vo, (198 x 124 mm), pp. [iv], xlviii, 326, [1] errata, [1] blank; [iv], 351, [1] errata, woodcut device on each title, with five etched plates (four folding) in vol. 1 and a folding printed table in vol. 2, printed on thick, blue tinted paper, in contemporary mottled calf, flat spines attractively gilt in compartments, with orange and black lettering pieces, a circular numbering piece in contrasting orange on the black label, lettered and numbered in gilt, with red sprinkled carmine edges, liberally applied leading to the partial closure of a couple of pages, a little rubbed at extremities but a handsome set, with the bookplate of the Bibliothèque de Mr. de Barante on the pastedowns.
A lovely fine-paper copy of this important illustrated work on varnishes. Pierre François Tingry was a Geneva pharmacist who worked in minerology, botany and applied chemistry and is credited with the discovery of Epsom salts. His detailed work on varnishes and their application became a standard text book, was translated into both English and German in 1804, and saw several reprints of the French text. ‘A comprehensive treatise on the preparation and use of varnishes, paints and colors. Tingry gives descriptions and results of his many experiments and, in general, supplies the principles and operations which were missing in Jean Félix Watin’s L’art de faire et d’employer le vernis, Paris 1772, to which there are frequent references.’ (Cole 1287 describing the English edition.)
Printed on thick, light blue paper, this copy is suitably bound in an attractive and well-executed contemporary binding with mottled boards, contrasting orange and black spine labels and stylish gilding. This fine paper copy feels significantly more luxurious than the standard issue. The British Library copy, which is on thinner, white paper, measures a total combined thickness for the text block of both volumes of 38.5mm compared to our a total thickness of 51 mm in the present copy (BL 18.5 & 20 mm vs. 26 & 25 mm), being about a third thicker than the ordinary copies.
Neville II, p. 558.