Anleitung zur Technologie, oder zur Kentniss der Handwerke, Fabriken und Manufacturen, vornehmlich derer, die mit der Landwirthschaft, Polizey und Cameralwissenschaft in nächster Verbindung stehn. Nebst Beyträgen zur Kunstgeschichte

One folding engraved plate. 12 p.l., 577, [27] pp. 8vo, cont. half-vellum & paste-paper boards. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck, 1787.

Third edition, greatly enlarged and improved (1st ed.: 1777) of the first textbook of technology, a term created by its author. Beckmann (1739-1811), taught at the University of Göttingen, where an ordinary professorship of economic sciences was established for him in 1770. He lectured on mineralogy, agriculture, technology, materials science, commerce, and general public administration.

The present book “is noteworthy for its systematic approach to the various vocations and for its descriptions of a number (truncated) of trades.”–D.S.B., I, p. 554. Beckmann describes in great detail the processing of raw materials by individual industries, including dyeing, paper making, brewing, soap making, wax bleaching, tobacco, porcelain, glass, saltpeter, gunpowder, sugar, and many others.

A very fine and fresh copy. Contemporary signature on title, dated 1788. Modern bookplate of the “Glas-Kollektion” with their small and inoffensive release stamp on title and embossed stamp on following leaf.

❧ Poggendorff, I, 127-28. See Ferguson, I, p. 92. (Inventory #: 6242)