Journal of the Franklin Institute of the State of Pennsylvania, devoted to the Mechanical Arts, Manufactures, General Science, and the Recording of American and other Patented Inventions, 1828-1920 —assorted volumes with major and minor contributions in physics and chemistry, and also in many in the earliest phases of tech fields like photography, telegraphy, television, recorded sound, and etc.
This is a running list with material added every week—so far there are about 60 volumes in the list of 200+ volumes to come.
1828
John James Audubon, “Notes on the Rattlesnake”, pp 32-37. (Audubon would later paint a ferocious scene of a rattlesnake attacking a Mockingbird nest with the Mockingbirds viciously protecting themselves.) In: Journal of the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, 1828; volume 2 (new series) and volume 6 overall, with text illustrations and four plates, 430, 8, pp. Half-calf, with raised bands. Ex-library, boards detached, spine worn and chipped, also a few stamps on the title page, and a library card pocket at the rear endpaper. The text though is in VG condition. Overall: Fair condition. $125
Michael Faraday, “Directions for bending, blowing, and cutting of glass, for chemical and other purposes. Extracted from Chemical Manipulation”, pp 92-99, 145-150, 217-222, 301-306, 361-367 (concluded).
“Prognostics of the Weather”, indicators of the coming of weather found in nature and their interpretation. For example, we are told of how the certain actions of ants and asses predict the coming weather, as with human aches and pains; these are followed by dozens of examples. pp 99- 107, 175-184 (concluded);
“History of the Telegraph”, pp 51-54;
Wonder description (with illustration) from the patent section of “Mrs. Siebe’s tap for cutting hollow screws”
And many others.
1829
Journal of the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, 1829; volume 3 (new series) and volume 7 overall, with text illustrations and four plates, 438pp Half-calf, with raised bands. Ex-library, with some scuffing on the spine; also a few stamps on the title page, and a library card pocket at the rear endpaper. Good/Very Good. $145
Cumberland, “On the Origins of Air Balloons” pp 20-24.
“On improvements in Marbling the edges of Books and Paper”, pp 246-249, (from the French, which also has been reprinted in limited editions);
Followed by:
“On Morocco Leather Dressing”, pp 250-254 and 297-302;
“An Historical Account of Lithography...” pp 279-282 and 302-306;
George Cayley, “On the Natural Zero, according to Fahrenheit's Scale”, pp 389-392;
William Howard, “Specification of a patent for an improved Rail-way Carriage”, pp66-68, with three copper plate engravings;
“Observations upon Rail-roads, and the Adaptation of Carriages in such as are curvilinear”, pp 68-70
Mark Watt, “Abstract of a Memoir...on the Principles of Attraction and Repulsion in the Lunar Rays”, pp 24-29
“On the Natural History of the Honey Bee”, pp 36-42 and pp 81-92;
“An Account of the Fire of St. Elmo”, pp 111-113;
“Observations on the connexion of Mechanical Skill, with the highest attainments in Science...”, pp 153-159, and
“On the Rotary Steam Engine”, pp 179-184;
And of higher interest:
John Fleming, “On the Value of the Evidence from the Animal Kingdom, tending to prove the Arctic Regions formerly enjoyed a milder climate than at present”, pp 382-389 (or rather the “insufficiency” of evidence that is).
And here we go:
“Innocuous Nature of Putrid Exhalations”, p. 35
“On the Art of the Liquorist”, pp 369-375
“On the Spontaneous Combustion of the Human Body”, pp 31-34.