B chapter.indd - Charles Babbage Institute - University of Minnesota

Erwin Tomash Library
Bullet, Pierre Burkhardt, Heinrich Friedrich Karl Ludwig
B 288
Bullet, Pierre (1639–1716)
Traite de l’usage du pantometre, instrument
geometrique, propre à prendre toutes sortes d’angles,
mezurer les distances accessibles & inaccessibles,
arpenter & diviser toutes sortes de figures, & c.
Year: 1675
Place: Paris
Publisher: André Pralard
Edition: 1st
Language: French
Figures: engraved half title; woodcut device on title; woodcut
initials and headpieces; engraved coat of arms printed
on verso of title; 25 full-page engraved illustrations
printed in text.
Binding: contemporary sprinkled leather; gilt spine with raised
bands
Pagination: pp. [xxii], 26,187, [5]
Collation: a 8 e 4 i 8 o 4 AB–PQ 8,4
Size: 157x185 mm
Pierre Bullet was a prominent architect and engineer. He
was responsible for a number of works in Paris, including
the rebuilding of the Quay le Peletier in 1673. In 1676,
he published, with Nicolas-François Blondel, a plan of
Paris showing all of its buildings.
It seems likely that during his survey of Paris, Bullet
created the pantometre instrument described in this
work. It was not unlike many such devices of its day—
basically three rods hinged together or, like this one,
one rod capable of sliding on another (see entries for
Pantometre, B 288
Danfree, 1597, and Bürgi, 1684). Bullet indicates that
this version could be purchased from the stock of the
instrument maker Lemaire in Paris. The work is well
illustrated, showing the instrument in use for the usual
types of problems: finding heights of towers, depths of
wells, breadths of rivers, etc.
The unusual collation results from the original printed
sheets having been cut in two unequal portions that were
separately signed before being bound.
Illustrations available:
Title page
Pantometre instrument
Instrument in use
[Burgi, Joost (1552–1632)]
See Bramer, Benjamin; Dritter Theil oder Anhang
eines Berichts von M. Johsten Burgi, 1684.
Journal cover, B 289
B 289
Burkhardt, Heinrich Friedrich Karl Ludwig (1861–
1914)
Wie man vor Zeiten rechnete
Year: 1905
Place: Leipzig
Publisher: B. G. Teubner
Edition: offprint
Language: German
Binding: original paper wrappers
Pagination: pp. 9–20
Size: 247x162 mm
Burkhardt was a major figure in the manufacture
of mechanical calculating machines. His factory in
225