Wine - OEnology - Lot 197

Wine - OEnology ROZIER (François) - de VANNE - MUNIER De la fermentation des vins, et de la meilleure manière de faire l'eau-de-vie: mémoires qui ont concouru pour le prix proposé en 1766, par la société Royale d'agriculture de Limoges, pour l'année 1767. Lyon, Frères Périsse, 1770. In-8: 2f., 266pp. 1f. illustrated with 3 folding plates in fine accompanying Etienne Munier's memoir. Contemporary green calf, ornate smooth spine rubbed, headpieces torn off, rubbing and sunning, upper board detached, central arms with the motto "Honi soit qui mal y pense", surmounted by a ducal crown, gilt frieze framing the boards, corners dulled. Binding to be restored. Rare first edition. In 1766, the Royal Agricultural Society of Limoges organized a competition on the question: "What is the most advantageous way of burning or distilling wines, relative to the quantity and quality of brandy? Abbé ROZIER, a forerunner in many fields of agriculture and oenology, treated the question as an experienced connoisseur, and his dissertation, unanimously judged worthy of the first prize, was published jointly with those presented by De VANNES (pages 143-191), and by MUNIER (193-266). Provenance: Printed bookplate with a coat of arms bearing the motto "God send grace", possibly from the British Crichton family.