Journal of the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Vol 8 (third series) vol 38 overall, July-December 1844, with text illustrations. 430, 8 pp., and one folding plate. Half-calf, with raised bands. Ex-library, with some scuffing on the spine and leather cover tips nearly obscuring the gilt-stamped title. The boards are detached, though binding still tight; also a few stamps on the title page. Text is Good and crisp; binding is FAIR at best. $250
Cundell, George S. [1798-1882, and one of four brothers who together made an impact in the early history of photography] “Extracts from an Article on the Practice of the Calotype Process of Photography”, pp 43-51 (in the July 1844 issue), an extract from his major paper in the Philosophical Magazine printed two months earlier (vol. .xxiv., No. 160. May, 1844) this being one of the processes earliest appearance in print in the U.S. (The essence of the article is very much a DYI/How-to instructional.)
- “George Cundell’s process was a significant step forward in making the Calotype accessible to the Amateur photographer. He was referred to as “Most Worthy Master” by the great engineer of the day James Nasmyth. And indeed his instructions were still being cited well into the 1850s. One contemporary quoted in Humphrey’s Journal in 1856 that “Amateurs date their success from the time Mr Cundell published. His comprehensive instructions were printed in the London, Edinburgh and Dublin Philosophical magazine in May 1844 “.—from the Papers, Shadows and Light website.
Another photographic item in the volume:
“Robert Hunt, “Energiatype, a New Photographic Process”, 283-285, a ferrotype, and an early alternative process, (from the London Rep. Pat. Inventions).
Also:
“Mr. Bain’s Electric Printing Telegraph”, pp 61-65;
H.M. Denham, “Description and Structure of the Wyre (Seward) Lighthouse…” pp 3-4 AND “Specification of the above Screw Pile Light-house…”, pg 5, with two plates accompanying the two short reports);
And two short papers on the newly-implemented modern screw propeller:
“Remarks on the Screw Propeller”, September 1844, pp 145-154;
“Account of some Experiments on a Vessel called “the Liverpool Screw”, fitted with Grantham’s Engine and Woodcroft’s Screw Propeller…from the Minutes of the Proceedings of the Inst of Civil Engineers), pp 86-101.
Plus:
“Report on the Explosion of the Gun on Board the Steam Frigate ‘Princeton’”, pp 206-216;
G.W. Hughes, “Extracts from a report…Relative to the Working of Copper Ore”, pp 31-43, 124-133, 194-202, 261-267 (including a section on Cornish pumps, concluded);
Scoles, J.J. “On the Pyramids of Egypt”, pp 6-12, 81-85;
“The Dipleidoscope” (a transit instrument);
And last but hardly the least:
John Leonard, “Report on the Atmospheric Railway”, pp 361-367 (from the Civil Engineers and Architects Journal), this being a stationary engine that would move rail cars in a pressurized tube).
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