Shave Yourself!
PERRET, Jean-Jacques.
La pogonotomie, ou l’art d’apprendre à se raser soi-même, avec la manière de connoître toutes sortes de pierres propres à affiler tous les outils ou instrumens; et les moyens de préparer les cuirs pour repasser les rasoirs, la manière d’en faire des très-bons; suivi d’une observation importante sur la saignée ... Brussels, Benoît Le Francq, 1803.
8vo, pp. xiiii, [2], 102, [2], with two folding copper-engraved plates at the end; woodcut ornament to title-page, woodcut head- and tailpieces; first quire slightly loose, light dampstaining at head of plates; a very good uncut copy in contemporary paste-paper wrappers; somewhat worn with a few small chips, restorations to spine.
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La pogonotomie, ou l’art d’apprendre à se raser soi-même, avec la manière de connoître toutes sortes de pierres propres à affiler tous les outils ou instrumens; et les moyens de préparer les cuirs pour repasser les rasoirs, la manière d’en faire des très-bons; suivi d’une observation importante sur la saignée ...
Rare Brussels edition (first Paris 1769) of this work on shaving by the distinguished French cutler and surgical instrument maker Jean-Jacques Perret, illustrated with two plates showing razors and a bearded man.
In his preface Perret (1730–1784) strongly advocates shaving oneself rather than using a public barber, on grounds of hygiene – he gives a somewhat stomach-turning description of the risks of infection if you happen to follow someone suffering from spots in the barber’s queue. In addition to giving detailed instructions on shaving technique, La pogonotomie provides advice on sharpening and caring for razors, and soaping one’s beard; chapters on the nature of hair and its growth, and on bloodletting are also included.
No copies of this edition traced in the US and only one in the UK (Rylands).