CHOMEL, Noël and Jacques Alexandre de CHALMOT.
Algemeen huishoudelijk-, natuur-, zedekundig- en konst- woordenboek, vervattende veele middelen om zijn goed te vermeerderen en zijne gezondheid te behouden...
Leiden, Johannes Le Mair; Leeuwarden, Jacques Alexandre de Chalmot, 1778 (colophon: 1768-1777). 16 volumes. 4to. With an allegorical frontispiece in volume 1, and a total of 153 folding copper engravings in the 16 volumes, and a woodcut vignette at the end of volumes 1, 8-11, 13 and 15. With: CHALMOT, Jacques Alexandre de. Vervolg op M. Noël Chomel. Algemeen huishoudelyk-, natuur-, zedenkundig - en konst- woordenboek.
Kampen, J. A. de Chalmot; Amsterdam, J. Yntema, 1786-1793.
Contemporary uniform half calf and sprinkled paper sides. XXXVII, [1 blank], 565, [1 blank]; 566-1194; [2], 1195-1902; [2], 1903-2502; [2], 2503-3170; [2], 3173-3761, [3]; [2], 3763-4370; VIII, 1-749; [3], 750-1495, [1]; [3], 1498-2284, [4]; [3], 2290-3031, [1]; [3], 3034-3823, [1]; [3], 3826-4540; [3], 4542-528
€ 8,500
A rare untrimmed and complete set of the most popular domestic encyclopaedia of the 18th century, uniformly bound. This second edition is considerably enlarged and expanded: it is more than twice the size of the first edition, has 9000 more pages and 73 more plates. Furthermore, a continuation was written, called Vervolg op M. Noël Chomel, which added a further 9 volumes to the already hefty work.
The encyclopaedia was originally published in French by Noël Chomel (1632-1712) as Dictionnaire oeconomique (1709). Chomel was an agronomist, entrusted with the domestic management of the possessions of the abbey at Vincennes, where he acquired all the knowledge necessary to write his encyclopaedia. The first Dutch version of the encyclopaedia, translated and edited by Jacques Alexandre de Chalmot (?-1801), was published in 1743. The second edition appeared between 1768-1777 and was published a second time in 1778. Chalmot, who was also the author of the Vervolg, lists the sources he has used to complement Chomel's text in the introduction: for instance the works of Linnaeus, Houttuyn, Merian, Van Leeuwenhoek, Swammerdam, Bufon, Lobel, Dodonaeus en Knoop. He also mentions the cooperation of Prof. Petrus Camper, who has contributed many articles.
Interestingly, the Dutch edition also became popular in Japan. In the 18th century, the Japanese came into contact with Western-European science via a Dutch trading post on the island of Deshima. Parts of the encyclopaedia were translated into Japanese between 1811 and 1845, under the title Koshei Shimpen.
A small portion of the sprinkled paper on the front board of volume 11 has scraped off. Volume 15 has a small stain on the front. Volume 5 and 7 are missing the "bericht aan den boekbinder". Overall, the set is in very good condition, with only slight traces of use. Sijs, N. van der, Verantwoording van de digitale uitgave van huishoudelyk woordenboek door Noël Chomel; STCN 21514368X (ad 1) and 156926164 (ad 2); cf. Brunet 6287; Goodman, The Dutch impact on Japan (1640-1853), p. 129-130; Thiébaud, Bibl. des ouvr. fr. sur la chasse, pp. 202-4.
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