|
In French
The
editor of this "Anchor File" * has been most
fortunately collected for us here the most
outstanding 18th-c. texts and illustrations of
anchors. The paper read by Réaumur to the
Academy in July 1723 gives an excellent description
of the forging techniques that produced anchors
from forging practices at the beginning of the
century. The notes and comments added by Duhamel du
Monceau in 1760 or thereabouts inform us of the
progress and developments in forging techniques in
the period.
Six plates appended to the first selection
illustrate the authors' text and numerous tables
give the proportions and measurements of anchors
from 100 to 6,000 pounds.
Thirteen superbly engraved plates with legends
comprise the article on "The Smithing of Anchors"
from Diderot and d'Alembert's Encyclopedia. These
plates visually guide us through the successive
stages of the manufacture of anchors and furnish
complete details of an 18th-c. forge.
Two tables on the proportions of anchors from 1,000
to 8,000 pounds complete the documentation. This
work collects all basic and necessary information
on anchors in the classical period. It is an
edition of the finest quality, elegantly printed
and tastefully bound.
* Our friend Dr. Santi Mazini of
San Remo.
|
