XL Aniversario Instituto Eduardo Torroja 1974 Numbered Illustrated First Edition
 
Title & Bibliographic Details
XL ANIVERSARIO DE LA FUNDACION DEL INSTITUTO EDUARDO TORROJA DE LA CONSTRUCCION Y DEL CEMENTO
Madrid, 1974.
Edition: First edition, 1974. Numbered edition of 2,000 copies, this being no. 1294.
A commemorative volume marking the fortieth anniversary of the foundation of the Instituto Eduardo Torroja de la Construcción y del Cemento, produced as a limited numbered edition of 2,000 copies. Written in Spanish.
The volume was completed and printed on 23 October 1974 at the Talleres de Artes Gráficas MAG, Madrid. The printer's statement records a print run of 2,000 numbered copies and names those who collaborated in its production.
ISBN 84-7292-115-8. Depósito Legal M. 34379-1974.
This copy is number 1294, as recorded on the small original edition label attached to the rear of the front free endpaper.
 
Historical & Institutional Context
Published to commemorate forty years of the Instituto Eduardo Torroja, this volume provides a retrospective of one of Spain's important institutions devoted to construction, engineering and building materials.
The text looks back over the Institute's first forty years, from its origins as an institution concerned with construction and building, through its subsequent development and its adoption of the name of the distinguished Spanish engineer Eduardo Torroja in 1961.
The contents include sections devoted to figures associated with the Institute, including Arredondo Verdú, Bassegoda Musté, Calderón y Montero Ríos, García Ormaechea, Lora Tamayo, Nadal Aixalá, Oñate Gil, Palomar Collado and Pérez Olea, with an introduction by Gonzalo Echegaray Comba.
The book is particularly interesting as a record of the Institute at a significant moment in its history, celebrating its first four decades and documenting the people and work associated with its development.
 
Francisco Arredondo y Verdú Association
An especially interesting feature of this copy is the original business card of Francisco Arredondo y Verdú, loosely inserted within the book.
The card identifies Arredondo y Verdú as:
Prof. Dr. Ingeniero de Caminos, Canales y Puertos
Director del Instituto Eduardo Torroja de la Construcción y del Cemento
His name also appears within the volume itself.
This creates a particularly interesting contemporary association between the book and one of the Institute's senior figures. Arredondo y Verdú was a prominent Spanish civil engineer and academic who was appointed Professor at the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos in 1966. Contemporary records also identify him as Director of the Instituto Eduardo Torroja.
The surviving business card therefore adds a personal and institutional dimension to an already significant commemorative publication.
 
Illustrations
The volume is illustrated with numerous full-page illustrations, including illustrations facing pages 7, 23, 42, 60, 66, 75, 85, 97, 123, 137 and 155.
There is also a map on page 52.
 
Binding & Exterior
The book is bound in the publisher's decorative imitation vellum-style binding over boards, with a mottled appearance and lettering to the front board. The rear board bears the title XL ANIVERSARIO.
This is an attractive and distinctive binding characteristic of the commemorative production. The binding remains intact and robust, with only light signs of age and use, including very small marks.
Interior Condition
A particularly noteworthy feature of this copy is the number of uncut gatherings remaining throughout the volume. Many sections have never been opened, including portions around the title and contents pages. This strongly suggests that the book has seen little, if any, use.
The unopened gatherings naturally make complete inspection of every page difficult, but the accessible pages are exceptionally neat for their age. There are only occasional very light creases or small marks and no page tears.
The pastedowns and free endpapers are decoratively printed with lettering. There are no ownership inscriptions or annotations in the text.
All pages are secure and tightly bound. No pages are missing.
 
Numbered Edition
This is a limited numbered edition of 2,000 copies, with the present copy numbered 1294.
The numbered-edition label remains attached to the rear of the front free endpaper and reads:
“EDICION NUMERADA Volumen No. 1294”
 
Physical Details
169 pages.
Approximately 27 × 18.8 × 2.1 cm.
Approximately 737 grams.
 
Rarity & Collector Notes
The book is best described as Scarce in the English-language antiquarian market, rather than claiming that it is rare.
The edition was limited to 2,000 numbered copies and surviving examples do appear in the Spanish second-hand book trade. However, comparatively few appear to be offered internationally, and examples with substantial numbers of unopened gatherings are particularly appealing.
The present copy has several features that distinguish it from an ordinary used example: it is numbered 1294 of 2,000, retains numerous unopened gatherings, is in very neat condition, and includes the contemporary business card of Francisco Arredondo y Verdú, whose name and institutional role are directly connected with the subject of the volume.
This combination makes it an appealing copy for collectors of Spanish architectural and engineering history, the history of construction and cement technology, and material relating to the Instituto Eduardo Torroja.