LEPAUTE Jean-André Traité d’horlogerie, contenant tout ce qui est necessaire pour bien connoitre et pour regler les Pendules et les Montres, la Description des Pieces d’Horlogerie les plus utiles, des repétitions, des équations, des Pendules à une roue, &c. celle du nouvel échapement, un Traité des engrenages, avec plusieurs Tables… Dédié à Monsieur le Marquis de Marigny.

Tardy, p. 159 ; Poggendorff, I, 1429 ; Polak, 5797.

First edition of the most important work by the watchmaker Jean-André Lepaute (1720-1787).

Active in Paris since 1740, Lepaute acquired rapidly a reputation and received orders for the construction of most of the large official clocks in the city. He was the inventor of a new type of pendulum and improved largely the mechanics of the clocks. His ability to produce high quality pieces resulted in many orders from European observatories.

The 17 engraved plates show the different mechanisms used in clock making.

Fine, broad margined copy, well bound at the time.

From the library of G. Peyroutet (signature on the half-title).