Frederick Chapman: ‘Naval Architecture War Vessels’, Circa 1770

Frederick Chapman: ‘Naval Architecture War Vessels’, circa 1770, 50 engraved plates of various sizes depicting naval diagrams (numbered I-XXVI), four signed ‘F. Ringheim’ and one each ‘E. Henning’ and ‘K.R.’, many folding, contemporary half calf, the spine with the title ‘Chapman Naval Architecture War Vessels’. Swedish, circa 1770. Frederick Henry Chapman (1721-1808) was a Swedish shipbuilder, scientist, naval officer and manager of the Karlskrona shipyard for 11 years. Enjoying considerable support from King Gustav III, he is deemed to be first person to apply scientific methods to shipbuilding and his books ‘Architectura Navalis Mercatoria’ (1768), and ‘Treatise on Shipbuilding’ (1775) are considered to be pioneering works. They were intended for an international audience, available with text and measurements in Swedish, French and English.