The Potomack Company 346 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN'S 'EXPERIMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS ON ELECTRICITY 1774' Quarto, v, [1], 514 pages, [16] index. Bound in half 20th century calf with cloth boards, paneled spine with red label and gilt lettering. Some cracking to front hinge with the lower half beginning to separate. Presentation bookplate to front pastedown. With half-title and seven plates, two folding. With in-text illustrations, charts, musical notation, head- and tail-pieces. Fifth edition. Final English edition and second published as a single volume. Full title: Experiments and Observations on Electricity, Made at Philadelphia in America . To which are added, Letters and Papers on Philosophical Subjects. London: For F. Newbery, 1774. ESTC T56602, Sabin 25506 $1,500-2,000 Provenance: An Old Town Alexandria, Virginia collection
347 [U.S. LAWS] ACTS PASSED AT THE FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1774-1775 Octavos, three volumes. VG. Bound in matching contemporary full soft leather. Early Editions of volumes 1 and 2 and First Edition of volume 3. Volumes 1 and 2: Philadelphia, Printed by Francis Childs, 1795. Volume 3: Philadelphia, Printed by Francis Childs and John Swaine, 1794, Second Title page: Philadelphia, Printed by Francis Childs, 1795. The Acts were published at the end of each session by Childs & Swaine, in an edition of only 600 copies for internal distribution. At the beginning of the Second Congress it contains the Bill of Rights and a report, state by state, of its ratification. It also includes 'A Treaty of Peace and Friendship‌[with the] Cherokee Nation.' and 'An Act establishing a Mint.' Volume 1 contains, among many others, 'An Act for establishing the temporary and permanent Seat of the Government of the United States' (page 211-213), Volume 3 page 1921 list 'An Act to prohibit the carrying on of the Slave-trade from the United States to any foreign place or country.' $1,500-2,000 Provenance: An Old Town Alexandria, Virginia collection
348 [DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE] SYLVANUS URBAN'S 'THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, AND HISTORICAL CHRONICLE'. VOLUME XLVI. FOR THE YEAR MDCCLXXVI [1776] D. Henry, London, 1776. Octavo, 608 [16] pages. Bound in contemporary half sheep and marbled boards, rebacked. Twelve consecutive monthly issues, plus Supplement, including August, which contains perhaps the earliest British Printing of the Declaration of Independence. The Volume covers the major events of the American Revolution, with documents, plates, and maps. There are fourteen maps and plates, in accordance with the Directions for Placing the Plates. Those of greatest interest are a Map of the Discoveries of Captain Cook, a Map of the "Country around New York and Philadelphia", Long Island, Connecticut and Rhode Island, and a Map "of the Progress of his Majesty's Armies in New York, &c." The Gentleman's Magazine faithfully chronicled the dispute between the Colonies and the Mother Country during the crucial year of 1776. Urban's Preface provides the highlights, including: Burke's Speech on Conciliation with the Colonies, Privateering, Lord North's "proposition for Accommodation," General Lee's Letter to Burgoyne, a review of Dr. Price's Observations on the Nature of Civil Liberty, Parliamentary Debates, Accounts of conflicts in the Colonies and Canada. The Declaration of Independence appears in the August issue, at pages 361-362. $5,000-7,500
349 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN'S 'POLITICAL, MISCELLANEOUS, AND PHILOSOPHICAL PIECES 1779' Octavo, xi, [1], 567, [7]. Bound in contemporary calf, recently rebacked in style. Archival repair to endpapers. Bookplate of Earl of Fife on the front pastedown. Uncut with wide margins. "[T]he only edition of Franklin's writings (other than his scientific), which was printed during his lifetime. It was published with Franklin's knowledge and consent, and contains an 'errata' made by him for it." (Ford 342) Franklin writes concerning national and provincial politics, the Stamp Act, wealthy smuggling, spelling, lightning, weather, and the Aurora Borealis. With a frontispiece portrait, three scientific plates (one folding), and a folding table of a "reformed" spelling convention. Ford 342. Howes F330. Sabin 25565 $6,000-7,500 Provenance: An Old Town Alexandria, Virginia collection
Provenance: An Old Town Alexandria, Virginia collection Sale Date - 02/02/2019
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