Antiquarian Auctions

Auction #114 begins on 11 Apr 2024

Charles Singer with a Preface by Derek Spence

THE EARLIEST CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

Published: The Folio Society, London, 1946

Edition: Limited Edition

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Large Quarto (340 x 230 mm), 340 pages, top edges gilt, printed on Arnold’s mould-made paper by the Chiswick Press, who also printed the monochrome collotype plates. The many full colour collotype plates were printed by Alinari of Florence.

The colophon page is specially engraved by Stephen Gooden. Profusely illustrated throughout. This highly specialised study was produced in 1946 to record and celebrate the centenary of the Spence Company.

It documents the historical relations of economics and technology illustrated from the alum trade and serves as a memorial to Peter Spence, the founders of the company. The alum trade is of extreme antiquity and for its main application, namely as a dyer’s mordant, only a relatively pure article at any time would have served.

This voluminous survey plots the history of this earliest of all chemical industries. Designed and published by the Folio Society, Only 1100 copies were printed of which numbers 1 – 100 were bound in full red cape morocco, gilt, by Sangorski and Sutcliffe and signed by the author and Derek Spence.

This copy is number 28 and is in very fine condition, apart from the usual offsetting from the leather binding finish and has almost invisible foxing on the endpapers and half title page. This comes in a red buckram slipcase.

  • Binding Condition: Fine
  • Overall Condition: Fine
  • Size: 340 x 230 mm
  • Sold By: Bookdealers cc
  • Contact Person: Doron Locketz
  • Country: South Africa
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Telephone: 0114407936
  • Preferred Payment Methods: EFT, Payfast, Credit Card
  • Trade Associations: South African Bookdealers Association


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