[METRIC SYSTEM]. [HAY, Ren-Just, editor (1743-1822)]. Instruction sur les mesures dduites de la grandeur de lat terre, uniformes pour toute la rpublique, et sur les calculs relatifs leur division dcimale. Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, An II [1793-94]. 8o (196 x 126 mm). Without the single leaf containing figures 1-6 (present in the British Library copy). Contemporary marbled calf, spine gilt. Provenance: Lepold Vincentz (signature). FIRST EDITION of one of the three introductory works to the metric system published in 1793/94 by the Temporary Commission on Republican Weights and Measures. Norman 1499. [Bound with:] Trait des progressions par addition ... prcd par un discours sur la ncessit d'un nouveau systme de calcul. Troisime dition. Paris: Nyon le jeune and Desenne, 1795. 8o. Folding letterpress tables and one folding woodcut diagram. -- Instruction sur les mesures ... Paris: Chez Lepetit, An II [1793/94]. 8o (217 x 143 mm). Engraved plate. Original plain violet wrappers, uncut. Another issue(?) of the first work above, with the statement: "cette dition est la seule qui, comme celle de l'Imprimerie nationale excutive, t revue par l'Auteur." Norman 1500. -- Instruction sur les mesures ... Tours: the heirs of Auguste Vauquer, An II [1793/94]. 8o (216 x 138 mm). 3 folding engraved plates. Original mottled wrappers, uncut. Tours reprint of the Paris first edition. Norman 1501. -- Instruction sur les mesures ... Macon: Saphoux, An II [1793/94]. 8o (212 x 139 mm). 3 folding engraved plates. Original plum wrappers (front cover loose); cloth folding case. Dibner 113; Norman 1502. -- Instruction sur les mesures ... Caen: Imprimerie nationale, chez G. le Roy, An II [1793/94]. 2 engraved folding plates, including one as frontispiece. Modern half cloth. Provenance: G. Allix (ink stamp on title-page). -- Instruction abrge sur les mesures dduites de la grandeur de la terre, uniformes pour toute la Rpublique ... Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, An II [1793/94]. 3 engraved plates. (Some stains.) Original mottled wrappers, uncut. FIRST EDITION of the second of the three introductions to the metric system issued by the Temporary Commission on Republican Weights and Measures. It is a shorter and more elementary presentation, restricted to the practical applications of ordinary life. Norman 1504.In 1790 the French National Assembly appointed a commission to select a fundamental unit of length to replace the various regional systems then in use. It was decided that the fundamental unit of length should be derived from a dimension of the earth: one ten-million part of a quadrant of the earth's meridian extending between Dunkirk and Barcelona (see lot 660). The Constituent Assembly set up a general commission of weights and measures to carry these proposals into effect and in 1795 a law was passed introducing the metric system into France with provisional standards. (6)

[METRIC SYSTEM]. [HAY, Ren-Just, editor (1743-1822)]. Instruction sur les mesures dduites de la grandeur de lat terre, uniformes pour toute la rpublique, et sur les calculs relatifs leur division dcimale. Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, An II [1793-94]. 8o (196 x 126 mm). Without the single leaf containing figures 1-6 (present in the British Library copy). Contemporary marbled calf, spine gilt. Provenance: Lepold Vincentz (signature). FIRST EDITION of one of the three introductory works to the metric system published in 1793/94 by the Temporary Commission on Republican Weights and Measures. Norman 1499. [Bound with:] Trait des progressions par addition ... prcd par un discours sur la ncessit d'un nouveau systme de calcul. Troisime dition. Paris: Nyon le jeune and Desenne, 1795. 8o. Folding letterpress tables and one folding woodcut diagram. -- Instruction sur les mesures ... Paris: Chez Lepetit, An II [1793/94]. 8o (217 x 143 mm). Engraved plate. Original plain violet wrappers, uncut. Another issue(?) of the first work above, with the statement: "cette dition est la seule qui, comme celle de l'Imprimerie nationale excutive, t revue par l'Auteur." Norman 1500. -- Instruction sur les mesures ... Tours: the heirs of Auguste Vauquer, An II [1793/94]. 8o (216 x 138 mm). 3 folding engraved plates. Original mottled wrappers, uncut. Tours reprint of the Paris first edition. Norman 1501. -- Instruction sur les mesures ... Macon: Saphoux, An II [1793/94]. 8o (212 x 139 mm). 3 folding engraved plates. Original plum wrappers (front cover loose); cloth folding case. Dibner 113; Norman 1502. -- Instruction sur les mesures ... Caen: Imprimerie nationale, chez G. le Roy, An II [1793/94]. 2 engraved folding plates, including one as frontispiece. Modern half cloth. Provenance: G. Allix (ink stamp on title-page). -- Instruction abrge sur les mesures dduites de la grandeur de la terre, uniformes pour toute la Rpublique ... Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, An II [1793/94]. 3 engraved plates. (Some stains.) Original mottled wrappers, uncut. FIRST EDITION of the second of the three introductions to the metric system issued by the Temporary Commission on Republican Weights and Measures. It is a shorter and more elementary presentation, restricted to the practical applications of ordinary life. Norman 1504. In 1790 the French National Assembly appointed a commission to select a fundamental unit of length to replace the various regional systems then in use. It was decided that the fundamental unit of length should be derived from a dimension of the earth: one ten-million part of a quadrant of the earth's meridian extending between Dunkirk and Barcelona (see lot 660). The Constituent Assembly set up a general commission of weights and measures to carry these proposals into effect and in 1795 a law was passed introducing the metric system into France with provisional standards. (6)

Details

[METRIC SYSTEM]. [HAY, Ren-Just, editor (1743-1822)]. Instruction sur les mesures dduites de la grandeur de lat terre, uniformes pour toute la rpublique, et sur les calculs relatifs leur division dcimale. Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, An II [1793-94]. 8o (196 x 126 mm). Without the single leaf containing figures 1-6 (present in the British Library copy). Contemporary marbled calf, spine gilt. Provenance: Lepold Vincentz (signature). FIRST EDITION of one of the three introductory works to the metric system published in 1793/94 by the Temporary Commission on Republican Weights and Measures. Norman 1499. [Bound with:] Trait des progressions par addition ... prcd par un discours sur la ncessit d'un nouveau systme de calcul. Troisime dition. Paris: Nyon le jeune and Desenne, 1795. 8o. Folding letterpress tables and one folding woodcut diagram. -- Instruction sur les mesures ... Paris: Chez Lepetit, An II [1793/94]. 8o (217 x 143 mm). Engraved plate. Original plain violet wrappers, uncut. Another issue(?) of the first work above, with the statement: "cette dition est la seule qui, comme celle de l'Imprimerie nationale excutive, t revue par l'Auteur." Norman 1500. -- Instruction sur les mesures ... Tours: the heirs of Auguste Vauquer, An II [1793/94]. 8o (216 x 138 mm). 3 folding engraved plates. Original mottled wrappers, uncut. Tours reprint of the Paris first edition. Norman 1501. -- Instruction sur les mesures ... Macon: Saphoux, An II [1793/94]. 8o (212 x 139 mm). 3 folding engraved plates. Original plum wrappers (front cover loose); cloth folding case. Dibner 113; Norman 1502. -- Instruction sur les mesures ... Caen: Imprimerie nationale, chez G. le Roy, An II [1793/94]. 2 engraved folding plates, including one as frontispiece. Modern half cloth. Provenance: G. Allix (ink stamp on title-page). -- Instruction abrge sur les mesures dduites de la grandeur de la terre, uniformes pour toute la Rpublique ... Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, An II [1793/94]. 3 engraved plates. (Some stains.) Original mottled wrappers, uncut. FIRST EDITION of the second of the three introductions to the metric system issued by the Temporary Commission on Republican Weights and Measures. It is a shorter and more elementary presentation, restricted to the practical applications of ordinary life. Norman 1504.

In 1790 the French National Assembly appointed a commission to select a fundamental unit of length to replace the various regional systems then in use. It was decided that the fundamental unit of length should be derived from a dimension of the earth: one ten-million part of a quadrant of the earth's meridian extending between Dunkirk and Barcelona (see lot 660). The Constituent Assembly set up a general commission of weights and measures to carry these proposals into effect and in 1795 a law was passed introducing the metric system into France with provisional standards. (6)