‎CHAPTAL, J(ean)-A(ntoine) (comte de Chanteloup) (1756-1832):‎
‎Élémens de chimie. En 3 volumes.‎

‎Montpellier, Jean-François Picot, 1790, in-8°, CX (110 p.) + 259 p. / 443 p. / 460 p., ex. signature de J.A. Chaptal sur titre du 3e volume, reliures en cuir, dos ornés, charnières avec des galeries de vers, bon exemplaire propre.‎

Reference : 32541aaf

‎Première édition d'un ouvrage signé du ‘père de la chaptalisation’ (ou chaptalisage, l'action d'ajouter du sucre au moût de raisin avant la fermentation, une opération tout à fait licite).“Chaptal's popular elementary textbook of chemistry in which he develops the general principles. He adopts Lavoisier's oxygen theory ... (and) proposes that the name azote should be changed to nitrogene” (Cole).“Chaptal made few original contributions to pure chemistry, but he was one of the greatest chemical manufacturers of his age. He was always ready to apply the lessons of the chemistry laboratory to the factory. Chaptal wrote as an industrialist with great practical experience, whose concern with the fundamental understanding of nature was subordinate to his interest in controlling chemical reactions. Chaptal's voice was an important and influential one in advocating the introduction of science into the old craft procedures.” (DSB).“Chaptal a laissé un grand nombre d'ouvrages, qui tous se font remarquer par l'élégance du style, par une méthode rigoureuse et une grande clarté. Il est peu de parties essentielles de l'économie domestique, de l'agriculture et des arts qui n'aient fixé son attention, qu'il n'ait cherché à améliorer et sur lesquelles il n'ait publié des traités pleins d'intérêt et d'aperçus nouveaux” (Hoefer).First edition of this work by the ‘father of the chaptalisation’ (the action of adding sugar to grape juice before its fermentation, an entirely legal operation). Some marginal browning to first and last leaves, else a fine copy in contemporary calf with 2 contrasting title-pieces, spine gilt, some traces of use.“Chaptal studied chemistry at Montpellier. In 1781 the States of Languedoc founded a chair of chemistry for him at the famous school of medicine in Montpellier, where he taught the doctrines of Lavoisier. The capital he acquired by the death of a wealthy uncle, he employed in the establishment of chemical works for the manufacture of mineral acids, alum, white-lead, soda and other substances. During the Revolution he undertook, in 1793, the management of the salpetre works of Grenelle. After the coup d'état of the 18th of Brumaire (November 9, 1799) he was made a councillor of State by the First Consul, and succeeded Lucien Bonaparte as minister of the interior, in which capacity he established a chemical manufactory near Paris, a school of arts, and a society of industries; he also reorganized the hospitals and introduced the metric system of weights and mesures. On Napoleon's return from Elba, he was made director-general of commerce and manufactures and a minister of state. He contributed largely to the development of modern industry by the application of the science of chemistry to technical ends” (Encyclopaedia Brittanica). Roller-G. I/223; Cole 255; Duveen 129; Neu 876; Quérard II/130; Hoefer NBG IX/706-709; Dictionary of Scientific Biography III/198-203. image disp.‎