Manuel des marins ; ou Explication des termes de marine

First edition.
Contemporary full mottled calf, spine with five raised bands richly gilt in compartments with floral tools and a red morocco title label, gilt roll tooling to board edges and caps, all edges red. Lower corner of upper board slightly bumped, two leaves lightly adhered at the inner margin at the beginning of the volume, not affecting the text; otherwise a handsome copy.
The terms are arranged alphabetically, though the author notes in his preface that his work should not be considered a dictionary but rather a naval encyclopedia intended not only for the "man of the sea," but also for maritime traders and policymakers.
Jacques-Pierre Bourdé de Villehuet (1732–1789), born into a family of seafarers, served with the French East India Company and authored numerous works on navigation.
A well-preserved copy attractively bound in contemporary calf.