[William Thomson] “Photography Under Water”, one longish paragraph reporting on the May 1856 announcement in London Mechanics Magazine of the first underwater photographic adventure—and this only 17 years after the announcement of Daguerre’s invention. Found in the August issue of: Journal of the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Vol 32 (third series), volume 62 (overall), August-December 1856, 447 pp.,with text illustrations.  Half-calf, with raised bands. Ex-library, with some scuffing on the spine; also a few stamps on the title page. Nice copy.  $250

From the article on Thomson:

“The camera was placed in a box with a plate-glass front, and a movable shutter to be drawn up when the camera was sunk to the bottom. The camera being focused in this box on land for objects in the foreground, at about ten yards, or other suitable distance, was let down from a boat to the bottom of the sea, carrying with it the collodion plate, prepared in the ordinary way. When at the bottom the shutter of the box was raised, and the plate was thus exposed for about ten minutes. The box was then drawn into the boat, and the image developed in the usual manner. A view was thus taken of the rocks and weeds lying.in the bottom of the bay. Mr. Thompson anticipates that it will be a ready and inexpensive means of arriving at a knowledge of the condition of piers, of bridges, piles, structures, and locks under water.

Also in this volume:

Sanderson, “Mr. Bessemer’s Discovery”, pp 273-5 (from the London Mechanics Magazine).

“Experiments on Iron made by Mr. Bessemer’s Process”, pp 349-351.

Howson, “Description of H. & W. Brown’s Ice Boat”, (with three drawings, a design for a boat to break up ice and clear a channel).

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.

“Why Laws are Made to Prevent Unauthorized of Air-Ships over Foreign Territory”, in Illustrated London News, February 22, 1913, the two-page illustration on pp 240-241 in the issue of pp 229-264, with a “supplement” section of 9pp. 15.75” x 16.25”, illustrated throughout with drawings and photos. Removed from a larger bound volume, with signs of the extraction showing along spine. Fantastic image! $95