John Holwell — A Sure Guide to the Practical Surveyor

London, W. Godbid for Christopher Hussey, 1678. First edition. Leather. A vanishingly scarce seventeenth century manual on practical surveying by John Holwell, illustrated with folding plates, the first and only edition of this work. The first and only edition of this very scarce workIllustrated with ten folding plates, and one plate. One of the folding plates is in duplicate, with the same plate facing pages 122 and 132. Collated, bound without 2 of the 12 plates called for but with a duplicate folding plate in what appears to be a printing error.An essential seventeenth century textbook on surveying, an impressive work in two parts. In essence the first part focuses on grounds, whereas the second focuses on cities. Compiled by John Holwell, an astrologer and mathematician, who assisted in surveying London after the 1666 Great Fire, and also assisted Ogilby by in his road surveys of England and Wales.Pages 261 to 292 contain on a wealth of mathematical tables, including a table of logarithm numbers, from one to one-thousand. Register runs as: A6, B-V8, X2. In a modern calf binding, with renewed endpapers. Externally, smart, with only a few light marks. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are very lightly age-toned and generally clean. Small tide mark to the margin of pages 67 to 76, larger tide mark to the margin from pages 175 to 208, and 225 to the rear endpaper. Small patch of worming from page 175 to the rear endpaper, maringally affecting the text and folding plates. Very Good . Ill.: Not Stated. Very Good .