Manuscript notebook of drawings by the renowned civil engineer and bridge designer J.A.L. Waddell (1854-1938) from his final year of study at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1875.

Oblong quarto, 7.75 x 10.5 inches. Provisionally bound without covers; possibly once in plain wraps, now in loose mylar wrap, housed in a hardshell portfolio case. A total of 39 leaves, including a manuscript title page for each of three sections: Descriptive Geometry (20 plates), Colored Topography (6 plates), and Shades & Shadows (10 plates). In Very Good condition with light general soil and occasional spotting; only technical plate no. 4 has significant discoloration in the image area (possibly from some erasing agent). Overall a bit fragile from the lack of cover with a few shallow nicks at the bottom corner of the last few pages from bumping. A small hole in the lower right appears on the pages, presumed part of a system for maintaining consistent registration on a drafting board. 

The studies in color topography are striking for their modern abstract qualities and quietness in juxtaposition to the lively technical drawings, full of dynamic energy and intention. The manuscript represents the conclusion of Waddell’s studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he earned his first of many degrees in civil engineering. The school’s initials and his degree year are indicated on the first page; the technical plates are each signed by Waddell in the lower corner.

Waddell was a Canadian-American civil engineer whose innovations in movable structures led him to be one of the most prolific and celebrated bridge designers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. His work was particularly integral to the expansion of the railways and he can be credited with thousands of structures around the world, including a large number in Japan. He published extensively, earning awards for his writings on economic and material aspects of bridge engineering. He also took a special interest in both the scope of education for engineers and their development as members of society. He was a highly regarded member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and Western Society of Engineers, among a long list of organizations and honors to his credit. He was also well-regarded for a “splendid walrus-like mustache.” (See: Weingardt, Richard G. “John Alexander Low Waddell: Genius of moveable bridges.” Structure Magazine, Feb. 2007, pp. 61-64.)