History and uses of limestones and marbles, with forty-eight chromo-lithographs. [First edition, limited printing no. 92, Fine copy]

Burnham, S.M. (Sarah Maria)

Verlag: S.E. Cassino and Company, Boston, 1883

Beschreibung

Boston, octavo, xv, [1], 392 p. and 24 plates with two chromolithographs per plate. ***CONTENT: This very scarce treatise is highly praised by Sinkankas in his Gemology bibliography: "[A] remarkable, thoroughly interesting work, containing much information of an unusual nature as well as expected discourses on calcareous stones." Early chapters discuss classes of limestones, fossils found in limestones, and geologic time. Subsequent chapters describe the occurrence, characteristics, and use of marbles in the U.S. and other countries, as well as stone used in antiquity, particularly in Greek, Roman, and middle eastern art and structures. Sinkankas describes the illustrations as: "delightful, skillfully colored rectangular panels depict[ing] ornamental stones"; and regarding gemstones, he adds: "Miss Sarah Burnham's splendid work is one of the finest treatises on gem materials written by an American author but now almost unknown." ***CONDITION: This is a complete, Fine copy in the original pebbled green cloth with elaborate embossed gilt and black decoration on the front cover and backstrip, and gilt and black titles. A chromolithograph panel of a Vermont 'gray shell' marble slab is mounted on the front board. Save for a mild corner bump, the covers are pristine and strikingly handsome. Joints and hinges solid, binding firm. The text pages and chromolithographs are very fresh, clean and bright. Sinkankas notes that in some copies of this work the pages are browned and brittle; such is NOT the case here. The limited printing is indicated by a red-ink number on the half-title page. Old library bookplate on the front pastedown, and light ex-library markings inside, but no external evidence of previous ownership. This is a splendid, limited edition copy of an important, but obscure, treatise by a female author. Nickles 154. BMNH 291. Sinkankas, Gemology, 1993:1072. International shipping will be extra for this volume, but only at my cost. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers OG5533

Bibliografische Details

Titel: History and uses of limestones and marbles, ...

Verlag: S.E. Cassino and Company, Boston

Erscheinungsdatum: 1883

Einband: Hardcover

Zustand: Fine

Auflage: 1st Edition