Verbruggen, Jan.

[Caption title:] Extract uyt de Resolution van de Edele Mog. Heeren Raaden van Staate der Vereenigde Nederlanden.

s.l., s.n. [19 October 1770].

Folio (328 x 210 mm.). 22, [2 blank]p. and FOUR LARGE FOLDING ENGRAVED PLATES OF ACTUAL-SIZE CANNON (Jakob van der Schley; 494/662 x 571/934 mm.; platemarks 339/413 x 457/862 mm.).

Contemporary marbled paper over stiff paper boards (mild staining, rubbed, spine perished), heart-shaped paper label with a manuscript title on front cover.

            This official government report documents the proofing of twenty-nine 12-pounder bronze cannon, all cast by Jan Verbruggen, who from 1755-1770 oversaw the Dutch state foundry at The Hague. Verbruggen obtained his position by claiming mastery of a new horizontal boring method. However, his former employees told authorities that Verbruggen secretly repaired cracks, cavities and holes, rather than recasting defective weapons. Captains du Pont and Musly examined Verbruggen’s ordnance and here itemize over 1900 screws, patches and plugs they found. They detail their methods, such as scrubbing the exteriors with sand and acid to reveal surface repairs and sawing to look for internal fixes. The impressive engravings show the defects and repairs in three particularly egregious cases.
        Verbruggen resigned, and the British hired him and his son as master founders at the Royal Brass Foundry at Woolwich. Together, they modernized the foundry and produced over one hundred guns per year during the American Revolutionary War. The National Museum of American History displays a Verbruggen cannon the British surrendered at Saratoga in 1777. I have not located a copy of this book outside of Europe. In good condition (three of the plates with small splits at the folds), most outer edges uncut.

Item #12418

Price: $3,600.00