Berthoud - Horlogerie - 1763

BERTHOUD AND THE SECRET ARCHITECTURE OF THE CLOCK BETWEEN SCIENCE, NAVIGATION AND POWER
This volume of Essai sur l’Horlogerie by Ferdinand Berthoud, published in Paris in 1763, represents one of the absolute peaks of technical-scientific literature on clockmaking in the eighteenth century. It is not merely a treatise, but a true system of time: Berthoud, horloger of the king and a central figure in the European competition for determining longitude, here builds a rigorous synthesis between mathematical theory, physical experimentation, and mechanical application. The volume delves into the functioning of gears, oscillations, and motive forces, complementing the text with an extraordinary corpus of engraved plates that disassemble and reassemble the clock as a perfect machine. The work fully situates itself within the Enlightenment context, where control of time coincides with control of space, of navigation, and ultimately of power.
MARKET VALUE
Examples of Essai sur l’Horlogerie (1763), complete with the engraved plates, generally range from 600 to 1,500 euros on the antiquarian market, with higher prices for copies in very fresh condition and complete with all the folding plates; the state of the binding, here rather worn but original, and the presence of the 19 plates significantly affect the valuation, keeping it in a middle-to-high range.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
Second volume. Contemporary full leather binding, boards and spine with signs of wear, title in gold. The volume is accompanied by 19 fold-out copperplate engravings, depicting clockmaking mechanisms, gears, escapements, machines, and devices for measuring time. Paper shows physiological yellowing and some browning. In ancient books, with a multi-century history, some imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description. Pages: 2nn; 8; 452.
FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
Essai sur l’Horlogerie. Tome Second.
Paris, J. Cl. Jombert; Musier; Ch. J. Panckoucke, 1763.
Ferdinand Berthoud.
CONTEX T AND SIGNIFICANCE
Berthoud’s work sits at the center of the great scientific challenge of the eighteenth century: determining longitude at sea. In this context, the clock becomes a geopolitical instrument as well as a technical one. The second volume deepens the more complex aspects of calculating oscillations, transmitting motion, and constructing the mechanisms, offering practical solutions based on experiments. The engraved plates constitute a true atlas of clockmaking mechanics, allowing precise visualization of every component. The work dialogues with contemporary English figures (Harrison) and French counterparts, placing itself in an international network of scientific innovation. culturally, it represents one of the moments when technique becomes systematic and codified knowledge.
BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Ferdinand Berthoud (1727–1807) was one of the most important clockmakers of the eighteenth century, appointed horloger du roi and a member of the Académie des Sciences. A specialist in building marine chronometers, he contributed decisively to solving the longitude problem. His theoretical works enjoyed wide diffusion and deeply influenced the development of modern clockmaking.
PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
Essai sur l’Horlogerie was published in multiple volumes between 1763 and the following years, quickly becoming a reference text for clockmakers, scientists, and navigators. Printed in Paris by leading publishers such as Jombert and Panckoucke, the treatise achieved broad diffusion in Europe. Complete copies with plates are now particularly sought after, as these were often separated or dispersed over time.
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
ICCU/OPAC SBN: to be verified (Berthoud, Essai sur l’Horlogerie, Paris 1763, tome II)
WorldCat: Berthoud, Essai sur l’Horlogerie, 1763, vol. II
Brunet, Manuel du libraire, I, col. 822 (Berthoud)
Graesse, Trésor de livres rares, I, p. 361
Houzeau & Lancaster, Bibliographie générale de l’astronomie, col. 4070–4075 (Berthoud)
Daumas, Les instruments scientifiques aux XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles, pp. 210–220