‎MICHAEL COLEMAN.‎
‎FILER DROIT.‎

‎Décret qui accorde un prix d'un million à l'inventeur de la meilleure machine à filer le lin. 7 mai 1810. (Manuscript copy on paper of the Depot des Lois). 2 pp. 4to. - (Bound with:) AMPERE, J.J. M. Philippe de Girard. (Corbeil, Typ. de Créte), no date (around 1845). 16 pp. 8vo. - (Bound with:) INVENTION de la filature méchanique du lin. Notice chronologique. (Drop-head title). (Paris, Imprimerie de Guiraudet et Jouaust), no date (1851). 24 pp. 4to. - (Bound with:) RAPPORT et loi avant pour objet d'accorder aux héritiers de Philippe de Girard inventeur de la filature méchanique du lin, une Pension A titre de récompense nationale. Paris, Typographie Panckoucke, 1853. 13, (1) pp. 8vo. - (Bound with:) DUPIN, Ch. Rapport fait Au nom de la Commission chargée d'examiner le projet de loi qui confère, à titre de récompense nationale, des pensions aux héritiers de feu Philippe de Girard, inventeur de la filature méchanique du lin. (Drop-head title). (Paris, Imprimerie du Senat et du Corps legislatif, no date (1853?). 14 pp. 8vo. - (Bound with:) RECLAMATION d'un million et les intérêts par Madame la Comtesse de Vernède de Corneillan, née de Girard, Nièce et Héritière de M. le Chevalier Philippe de Girard, Inventeur de la filature méchanique du lin (1856). Paris, Imprimerie de Guiraudet et Jouaust, 1856. (4), 71, (1) pp. 4to. - (Bound with:) TRES RESPECTUEUX recours à sa Majesté l'Empereur soumettant à son èquité souveraine les erreurs de dates et de faits source et base de la décision du Conseil d'État contre le droit de Madame la Comtesse de Vernède de Corneillan, née de Girard, Nièce et héritière de M. le Chevalier Philippe de Girard, Inventeur de la filature mécanique du lin. (1860).‎

‎Paris, Imprimerie de Ch. Jouaust, (1860). 7 pieces in 1 volume. 2 pp.; 16 pp.; 24 pp.; 13, (1) pp.; 14 pp.; (4), 71, (1) pp.; 40 pp. 4to. Modern half morocco, marbled boards, spine lettered in gilt. Not in Siegelaub, Bibliographica Textilia historiae; Hoefer, vol. xx, cols. 668-678; Dictionnaire de Biographie Française, vol. 16, cols 168-170. Philippe de Girard invented the machine for spinning linen along principles still valid today. He was awarded a million francs by Napoléon and, in anticipation started three factories. But due to political circumstances and the fact that Napoléon did not keep his promise, his factories, very succesful from the start, faced soon ruin and de Girard was imprisoned. Ruined and betrayed by two collaborators, he accepted an invitation by the Austrian government. He again set up a factory and was again succesful. When de Girard was awarded the gold medal given by the Société d'encouragement pour l'Industrie nationale, he returned to France. Despite his brilliant discoveries (de Girard was the inventor of many more novelties) and the intervention on his behalf by journalists, politicians and intellectuals, the government refused to give him any financial help or reward. De Girard died in 1845 and his niece continued to find a way to get the money once awarded to de Girard. Also Charles Dupin appealed to the government, but all to no avail. - A few pieces have contemporary underlining and handwritten notes and comments in the margins, three texts have been bound with their original, printed covers, the last text has a handwritten dedication to Monsieur Gudin or Godin by the Comtesse Vernède de Corneillan, née de Girard. ‎