Il Codice S.IV.5 della Biblioteca Comunale degl'Intronati di Siena. Introduction by Carlo Maccagni. Approx. 100 facsimile drawings, 403pp., thick 4to, cloth, board slipcase; (slightly rubbed). Genova: IBM Italia, (1986). More about Disegni di Macchine
Denmark Hill, Surrey: 1880. 1 page, 6.75 x 4.5 inches, Denmark Hill, Surrey, September 6, 1880, inviting the recipient to visit his estate, in full: "I enclose my card which if presented at the Lodge will secure you a walk through the grounds and erneries. I fear the beauty of the season is over but such as it is you are welcomed to see it." Two horizontal folds; very good condition. English inventor whose steel making process would become the... More about Autographed Letter Signed on personal letterhead
Bernal, Argentina: 1924. 1 page, 5 x 8.25 inches, Berrnal, Argentina, June, 1924 -- translated in full: "The radio will one day be able to transport human ideas to the ends of the earth. Bernal June 1924, C. Braggio." Very good condition. Argentinean inventor who developed a booster to increase the range of two-way radios. He set the world distance record for two-way radio communication in 1924 with a relay between Argentina and China. This is essentially a manuscript souvenir... More about Autographed Note Signed in Spanish
Autograph quote signed "Edouard Branly", 8vo. 1 page, c. 1900, in French, four lines including: "il faut se contenter du temps present, sait - on l'avenir ce que sear l'avenir?" ("One must be happy with the moment, what do we know about the future?") Condition: two minor spots along the left margin (far from text), otherwise very good. French physicist and inventor involved in the early development of wireless telegraphy. More about Autograph Quote Signed
New York: American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 1924. Edited by Lucien Scaife. Frontispiece portrait, illustrated in black and white. 262 pages (some very minimal foxing), 8vo, green cloth (some light scratches to back cover). A very good(+) copy. "Dr. Brashear... is recognized as one of the most notable makers of optical lenses and surfaces..." Publisher's presentation slip tipped in and letter laid in to Mr. Edward Dean Adams. More about John A. Brashear: The Autobiography of a Man who Loved the Stars
London: Morgan & Morgan, 1971. Introduction by Rudolf Ringslake. Illustrated in black and white. 235 pages, small 8vo, gilt stamped brown cloth, dust wrapper. London: Morgan & Morgan, 1971. A fine copy in a near fine dust wrapper. Facsimilie of the 1856 edition, published by John Murray. More about The Stereoscope: Its History, Theory, and Construction
Albany: Fort Orange, 1946. Foreword by Dr. Karl T. Compton. Illustrated. 324 pages, 8vo, green cloth. Albany: Fort Orange Press, (1946). Second edition. A very good(+) copy. More about Willis Rodney Whitney: Pioneer of Industrial Research
New York: American Heritage, 1970. Interpretive text by Ralph K. Andrist. Numerous b/w illus., 352pp., Folio, red cloth, d.w. New York: American Heritage, (1970). A near fine copy in very good dust wrapper. More about Looking Forward: Life in the Twentieth Century as Predicted in the Pages of American Magazines...
New York: Scribner, 1940. Illustrated. Thick 8vo, blue cloth. New York: Scribner, 1940. First Edition. Very good (+). More about Engines of Democracy: Inventions and Society in Mature America
Geneva, NY: 1823. Original detailed autographed manuscript signed, folio, 10 pages (front and back), 13 x 8 inches, Geneva, New York, May 20, 1823 -- an extensive draft describing an invention that was called "a machine for hulking and cleaning clover seed," a device that was granted a patent by the United States Government on March 18, 1824. Burrall explains in detail that his innovation is unique because previous models wasted much of the seed, worked slowly, and ran at... More about Autographed Manuscript Signed
1964. 2 pages, 11 x 8.5 inches, an excerpt from "Of Leaders and Leadership," circa 1964, in small part: "For our method of electing a President is crude in the extreme. Pre-convention juggling with local political bigwigs is obscure (often, one fears, on a low plane), and it, and the travel and speechmaking, cost millions, the sources of which are sometimes questionable. Our national conventions are at best ludicrous, and at worst scandalous. They are conducted by delegates, chosen ofttimes... More about Souvenir Typescript Signed
Hartford: National Navy League of the United States, 1912. Frontis. 50pp. 8vo, original pr. wrs., ex-lib. (Hartford): Admiral Bunce Section, Hartford, Conn., No. 42 of the National Navy League of the United States, 1912. More about John Fitch; The first in the World's History to Invent and apply Steam Propulsion of Vessels...
Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1973. Illustrated. 777 pages. Thick 4to., red cloth boards. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, (1973). A very good(+) copy. More about Scientific Papers of Arthur Holly Compton: X-Ray and Other Studies
New York: 1927. 1 page, 11 x 8.5 inches, 1040 Lexington Avenue, New York City, docketed in pencil January 1927 to Jim [Hastings], touching base after a lapse of communication, in full: "It has taken a week for your letter to follow me to my new home here at 1040 Lexington Avenue -- don%u2019t forget the new address. Wish I could join your table at the Explorer's Club Dinner but I am at George Putnam's table already. As soon as... More about Rare typed letter signed "Coop"
New Jersey: Astragal Press, 1993. Illustrated in black and white. 420 pages (lightly foxed on page edges, interior clean and free of foxing) brown pictorial wrappers. New Jersey: Astragal Press, 1993. A near fine copy. More about American Machinist's Tools: An Illustrated Directory of Patents
Chicago: Wilcox and Follet, 1950. Illustrated. 502 pages. 4to, stamped worn blue cloth, mylar-wrapped chipped and edge-worn pictorial wrapper. Ex-library: stamp on end page, embossment on title page. First edition. Chicago: Wilcox & Follet, 1950. A very good copy in a good wrapper. Scarce. Signed by the author on title page. More about Father of Radio
Bolton: Dobson & Barlow, 1927. Illustrated. 147 pages. Green lettered boards, slightly bumped, some light wear at top of spine. Bolton: Dobson and Barlow, 1927. A very good copy. More about Samuel Cropmton: The Inventor of the Spinning Mule
1857. 1 page, 10 x 8 inches, no place, August 8, 1857. Rare and early autographed letter signed by the Swedish-born American engineer and inventor of advances in ship-building, regarding his "caloric" (steam) engine invention, in part: "...Of course we cannot test our obion system unless we have a boat that will float in open water and, if we fail, you then meant, a tight boat to put the caloric engine into..." Blind-stamped in the upper left corner. Blue wax-crayon... More about Autographed Letter Signed about his "caloric" engine invention
New York: Little Brown, 2004. Many color and b/w Illus. 496pp. 4to, 1/2 black cloth, d.w. New York: Little Brown, (2004). Book Club Edition. Very good. More about They Made America; From the Steam Engine to the Search Engine: Two Centuries of Innovators
Boston: 1852. Partial unsigned manuscript consisting of four pages, 9.75 x 7.75 inches, labeled "2" through "5," of a more extensive document, all in the hand of Moses G. Farmer from 1852-1853, discussing the earliest trial-runs of the first ever Electric Fire Alarm System implemented in Boston. Though placed into service on April 28th 1852, Farmer's notes (in diary form) start on June 21st, assessing the system while constantly citing ways to improve his new invention, in very small part... More about Historically Important Manuscript about early Firefighting alarm technology
New York: Coward-McCann, 1940. Frontis. vi + 362pp., 8vo, cloth. New York: Coward-McCann, 1940. A very good copy. New York: Coward-McCann, 1940. A very good copy. More about Fessenden: Builder of Tomorrows
London: John Murray, 2004. Illus. 444pp. 8vo, gray cloth, d.w. (London): John Murray, (2004). Very good. More about Conquerors of Time; Exploration and Invention in the Age of Daring
Chicago: 1947. 1 page, 11 x 8.5 inches, Chicago, January 13, 1947, to Dr. Walter Ransom Baker, electrical engineer who contributed greatly to the development of radio and television, in full: "I am deeply gratified to read what you say in the January issue of Radio-Craft [enclosed pages] regarding my work in the electronic field, a field to which you have, yourself, contributed so generously." Some discoloration throughout the body of the letter due to the previous enclosure of a.... More about Typed Letter Signed on scarce "American Television Laboratories" letterhead
Bath: Adams and Dart, 1970. Introduction by Stanley D. Chapman. xiv + 299 pages, 8vo, cloth, d.w.; dust wrapper price clipped. Bath: Adams and Dart, (1970). Near fine in very good dust wrapper. More about Life and Times of Samuel Crompton
Seattle: Superior Publishing Co. Illustrated in black and white. 175 pages, 4to, marbled boards, dust wrapper, dust wrapper (edgeworn & price-clipped). First edition. A very good(+) copy in a very good(-) dust wrapper. More about Edison Album: A Pictorial Biography of Thomas Alva Edison
Hello. The Richard Lower (Tractatus de Corde) has arrived and it is a nice copy. Thanks for getting the minor restorations done and sending this so promptly.
I thought you'd find this interesting: I learned of Argosy by reading a bit of "bad" publicity in the book "Used and Rare" by Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone; no doubt you're familiar with it. (It was unfortunate that the authors had to grind their ax in print in what was an otherwise enjoyable book.) But I had never heard of Argosy before and my curiosity was piqued, so negative comments notwithstanding, I decided to pay a brief visit to the store. I reserved a book (long sought-after) ahead of time because I knew I'd be on an extremely tight schedule with several stops to make in just a few hours' time. Calling to reserve the book was a pleasant, very efficient experience, with a prompt return call to confirm availability. When I stopped in to purchase the book, the greeting (by one of the sisters, I'm not sure which) was extremely pleasant, the service so prompt and also she informed me of a signed letter by the subject I was interested in (unfortunately, I was unable to purchase the letter that day). I found the photo of Lawrence Olivier and Vivien Leigh as Caesar (or Antony?) and Cleopatra which hangs over the register very interesting-- had seen it before in a book. My only disappointment was that I was unable to actually spend time in the store-- it looked so inviting! But I will make it a point to spend time there on my next visit. So you see, even bad publicity can be very beneficial! Thank you for an enjoyable, if brief, experience!