About this Item
Tenth edition. viii, 220, [4] pages plus seven engraved plates. 8vo. Plain leather binding with raised bands in six compartments on the spine, and simple double ruled gilt edge decorations on front and rear boards. Corners worn, joints cracked but hinges sound. Minor surface worming to rear panel. Clean internally with the usual browning and occasional spotting. A few marginal manuscript notes on page 135 and a small notation R-52 at the head of the title page. Seven engraved plates are as follows: The Great Orrery (folding, fabulous plate facing the title page) Plate 1 (Solar System Or the Orbits of the Planets) - (folding plate marked Page 2 and inserted opposite page 2) Plate 2 - (folding plate marked Page 24, but actually inserted opposite page 28) The Globes - (folding plate illustrating two fabulous globes by Cushee, marked Page 35, but actually inserted opposite page 36) Plate 3 - (folding plate, with two figures, marked Page 166 but actually inserted opposite page 194) Plate 4 - (folding plate with large diagram, marked Page 172 but actually inserted opposite page 200) Plate 5 - (folding with seven figures, marked Page 184, but actually inserted opposite page 214). Boards. The last four pages contain a catalog for the scientific instrument maker Benjamin Cole. It is titled "A CATALOGUE of Mathematical Philosophical, and Optical Instruments, Made and Sold by BENJAMIN COLE, At his Shop, the sign of the Orrery, No, 136, in Fleet-Street, London". The list is quite long, with prices for each, followed by a note that the entire inventory is too tedious to enumerate so interested parties should apply with their interests in hand. "Joseph Harris was the son of a Cornish blacksmith who also designed mathematical instruments. He moved to London and became a success as a teacher, author and mathematical instrument maker. He was appointed Assay-Master of the Mint at the Tower of London in 1748 (many have mistakenly called him Master of the Mint, which is a different position; nor was he ever elected to the Royal Society). This is an expanded version of the small book on the Globes first written by [another author] John Harris [in 1703]. Joseph Harris revised and extended that original book.[which] incorporates the original description of the globes by John Harris but is extended by the inclusion of a brief description of the solar system, anda long description of an Orrery. It does not include the Collins quadrant material from the original John Harris work." Tomash & Williams H22 (describing the 1731 edition of this work) Benjamin Cole whose catalogue is found on the final four pages and his son (also Benjamin Cole) were both were well respected scientific instrument makers who are avidly collected today. This catalog was probably issued by the son, whose known working dates start in 1768. E. Cushee was a known associate of the father (and co-publisher here as well as engraving some of the plates). For information on the Cole family of makers, see Clifton, pp 60-61. LITERATURE: Clifton, Gloria, "Directory of British Scientific Instrument Makers 1550-1851", 1995 Tomash and Williams, "The Erwin Tomash Library on the History of Computing, an Annotated and Illustrated Catalog", 2009 ESTC T101183. Seller Inventory # 29332
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Bibliographic Details
Title: The Description and use of the GLOBES and ...
Publisher: Printed for B. Cole, at the Orrery, near the Globe Tavern, in Fleet-street, late the shop of Mr. Thomas Wright, instrument-maker to his late Majesty ; And E. Cushee, near St. Dunstan's Church, Fleet-street, London
Publication Date: 1768
Binding: Boards
Condition: Good
Edition: Tenth edition.
