The Laboratory; or, School of Arts: Containing a Large Collection of Valuable Secrets, Experiments, and Manual Operations in Arts and Manufactures, highly useful to Gilders, Jewellers... Dyers, Cutlers... Japanners, Bookbinders, Plasterers, Artists, and to the Workers in Metals in General: also in Plaster of Paris, Wood, Bone Horn, and Other Materials... Sixth Edition...
London : Printed by C. Whittingham; For H.D. Symonds, J. Wallis, and Wynne and Scholey, Paternoster-Row; and Vernor and Hood, Poultry. 1799. 2 vols, 8vo, xxxi, 439 pp ,19 plates, (some folding) + xx, 452 pp, 22 plates (some folding), plate 20-22 of vol. 2 misbound in vol.1, some foxing mainly in the prelims., a little offsetting to some plates, contemporary half calf, marbled bds, gilt spines, morocco labels, vol.1 hinges weak, early signature of “John Crocker” on titles, calligraphic inscription “Langley, Frome 1832” on front pastedowns.
A comprehensive manual, of the kind known as ‘ books of secrets’, giving details of many manufacturing processes and handicraft techniques, including book binding, pyrotechnics, goldsmithing, japanning, painting and etching glass, and distilling.
Reference: ESTC T72082
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