JOUSSE (Mathurin). La Fidelle ouverture de l'art de Serrurier, où l'on void les principaulx preceptes, desseings, et figures touchant les expériences et operations manuelles dudict art. Ensemble un petit traicté de diverses trempes. La Flèche, Georges Griveau, 1627. Small folio, red morocco, decorated in the style of Du Seuil, spine decorated (pastiche binding). Rare first edition of the first major treatise devoted exclusively to the art of locksmithing and blacksmithing. This major work in the history of the decorative arts is also one of the finest French Baroque books, and the first large illustrated book of its kind. It came off the presses of Georges Griveau, a printer in La Flèche, Anjou, where the master locksmith Mathurin Jousse l'aîné (c.1575-1645) lived. In his text, the author expresses surprise that nothing had yet been published on the subject: "I'm surprised that, given the need for it in the public interest, no one that I know of has yet managed to write anything about it". On 20 March 1626, Jousse received the privilege of printing his work for ten years. To accompany his text, 67 engravings were produced, 39 on copper and the rest on wood. "The engravings depict keys with elegant symmetrical scrolls, finely chiselled and openwork, safety fittings, locks known as vertevelles, tirouërs, parts with heraldic or floral shapes used to move the bolt, escutcheons decorated with chimeras with birds' beaks and rams' heads, and knockers, buckles decorated with leaves. One plate shows for the first time a file-cutting tool. A good copy in modern imitation binding. Engraved title soiled, restored and rebacked, light spotting and some foxing, restorations without damage to the text on ff. B3, C2, D2, G4 and N6. BAL, II, 1639 - Berlin Kat., 1333 - Guilmard, I, pp. 42-43, n°26 - Besterman, Old Art Books, 50.