[CHEMISTRY]. CHAPTAL, Jean-Antoine (1756-1832),... - Lot 212 - Coutau-Bégarie

Lot 212
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[CHEMISTRY]. CHAPTAL, Jean-Antoine (1756-1832),... - Lot 212 - Coutau-Bégarie
[CHEMISTRY]. CHAPTAL, Jean-Antoine (1756-1832), Count of Chanteloup, French chemist, physician and politician. Set of 7 documents. -L.A.S. addressed to a collector of minerals. S.l.n.d. 2 pp. in-4. Chaptal assures his correspondent that "the samples have left since yesterday well conditioned in a solidly built case". The said mineralogical samples (5 in all) are then described: "white lead crystallized like rock crystal", "cubes of galena in a quartz rock [...]", "a pyrite in beautiful stalactite formed by infiltration [...]". Chaptal specifies that he hid from M. De Joubert the samples he sent him and comments on the white leads of the Treasurer of the Languedoc States, owner of a very famous natural history cabinet in his time. Finally, he encloses "a copy of his work to send to Mr de Buffon". -L.A.S. to Claude-Pierre Molard (1759-1837), administrator of the Vaucanson machinery depository. Paris, s.d. 1 p. in-8. Printed letterhead. Chaptal recommends to the mechanic M. Corvetto, "who would like to provide his homeland, Genoa, with mechanical models for cotton spinning". Luigi Emmanuele Corvetto (1756-1821) will become a count of Empire and then a minister under Louis XVIII. On the reverse side, probably in Molard's hand, a request for several machines addressed to the director "of the works of art and trade in Châlons", in particular for two mule-jenny [sic], recently invented in England, to spin cotton. -P.A.S from LEROUX, director of the Grenelle powder factory, with autograph apostille signed by Chaptal. [Paris] Grenelle, 29 fructidor year II [15 September 1794]. 1 p. in-4 oblong. Handwritten header "Mort aux tyrans / Poudrerie de Grenelle". Glued on a strong black paper, folds. Rare testimony of what is still today the most deadly industrial accident in France, collected only a few days after the tragedy. "I, the undersigned [Leroux] director of the said powder factory, certify that the citizen Da[...] was working at the lattelier of the citizen - at the time of the explosion of the 14th of the present. Leroux director". Autograph apostille signed by Chaptal "seen by us member of the agency the 14 vendémiaire, year three of the Republic one and indivisible" with its stamp Agence des Salpêtres et des Poudres. The powder factory established during the Revolution at the Château de Grenelle (now Place Dupleix, Paris 15eme) exploded on August 31, 1794, causing the death of nearly 1500 people according to Chaptal himself. The explosion caused a lot of damage, destroying the surrounding buildings and blowing out the stained glass windows of the Parisian churches even on the right bank. -L.A.S. addressed to Samuel Bentham. Paris, January 12, 1820. 1 p. 1/4 in-4. Address on the back of the second sheet. Scattered ink. "[...] The Seine is icy, which has not been seen since 1784. I approve your project to settle in the surroundings of Pézenas; it is the most beautiful climate I know and Mr. Reboul will be able to direct you in your purchases [...]". Henri Paul Irénée Reboul (1763-1839), French chemist and geologist, himself born in Pézenas. Sir Samuel Bentham (1757-1831), English architect and engineer, father of many innovations in shipbuilding. He was the brother of the philosopher Jeremy Bentham and the father of Georges Bentham, a famous botanist. - L.A.S., P.A. and P.S. Paris or S.l., year 13 and n.d. 1 p. and 2 ½ p. Chaptal orders, among other things, velvet and gold cloth, from the Senate.
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