One vol. of text: xv, 672 pp., one folding leaf (“224bis”), & one large folding printed table (“660bis”). 8vo, cont. green morocco-backed marbled boards, spine gilt. Atlas: One leaf of title, one leaf of index of plates, & 42 double-page photolithographed plates. Large 4to, binding as above. Paris: J. Baudry, 1875.

Second edition, “entièrement revue et corrigée.” Alcan (1811-77), was professor of textiles at the Conservatoire national des Arts et Métiers in Paris. He wrote a series of books on various technical aspects of the textile industry.

This is his main work on cotton and the cotton industry, which became a standard... More

Engraved allegorical frontis. & seven large folding engraved plates. 8 p.l. (incl. frontis. & half-title), 80, [2], 56 pp., one leaf of errata. Large 4to, cont. vellum over boards. Milan: per M.A. Pandolfo Malatesta, 1718.

First edition of this rare and finely illustrated work on a new type of plough developed by the Marchese Borro (1672-1760), mathematician, mechanician, soldier, and poet, who lived in Tuscany. The author provides a detailed account of the various trials he performed while the plough was in development.

The fine plates, executed by the renowned Milanese artist Gaetano Bianchi, depict the various parts of the plough and the plough being... More

One large folding engraved frontis. plate & one folding plate. 2 p.l., 43, [1] pp. 8vo, attractive antique calf-backed marbled boards, spine gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. Canterbury: Printed for the Author…, 1786.

First edition and very rare; ESTC locates only one copy in North America. Following Jethro Tull’s invention and perfection of the seed drill, there were numerous others who developed modifications and improvements. The great advance made by Horn, a resident of Dover, was to design and patent a sowing machine that could plant every kind of seed. Pages 36-43 contain a minute description of the ten figures on the... More

Three parts in two vols. 139; 86 folding leaves. 8vo (235 x 165 mm.), cont. patterned covers (extremities a little worn), new stitching. Edo: ca. 1863.

A fascinating compilation of contemporary reports chronicling the first 11 years of the turbulent Bakumatsu era, 1853-67, the period between Commodore Perry’s first visit to Japan and the establishment of the Meiji government. These two volumes consist of manuscript copies of high-level official documents in the years 1853 to 1863, describing pivotal moments in Japan’s history that fundamentally shaped its relationship to the rest of the world.

Heralding the end of the Edo period and a Tokugawa-controlled government, the Bakumatsu period saw Japan end its policy of strict isolationism. The shogun reluctantly accepted that interactions with the rest of the world were unavoidable; however, sizable factions steadfastly and violently resisted opening Japan to the world. The influx of Americans, British, Russians, French, and Dutch in several port cities instigated numerous crimes against foreigners. In one notable incident in January 1861, a group of samurai assassinated a Dutchman named Henry Heusken, who was serving as secretary and interpreter for the American embassy. That summer, at the British legation in Edo, a band of ronin (masterless samurai) attacked ambassador Rutherford Alcock and several other diplomats, killing two. More

One folding engraved plate. 22 pp. 4to, attractive antique half-calf & paste-paper boards, spine gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. Venice: G. Lironcurti, 1770.

First edition of this extremely rare work on the seed drill, an improvement on Jethro Tull’s invention. This seed drill, whose component parts are depicted on nine figures on the plate, was designed to efficiently plant corn seeds.

Fine copy. Stamp of the Rothamsted Experimental Station on blank portion of title. More

[Japan: mid-Edo].

This handsome scroll depicts in great detail two Japanese hand looms used to create complex patterns of silk brocade and birodo (velvet). The greatly enlarged illustrations are inspired by images in the first volume of Akisato’s Miyako meisho zue (1786), a famous guide to Kyoto. Nishijin, a district of Kyoto, was famous for its traditional textile production, employing highly specialized weaving techniques to obtain spectacular designs and effects.

As we unroll the scroll, the first loom we encounter is the sorahikibata, an overhead draw loom, which was used to produced high-quality silks with complicated designs. This loom, invented... More