Description:

Garfield James

Garfield’s Personally Owned Book, Presented and Inscribed to him by Physicist Joseph Henry, first Smithsonian Secretary, pioneer in the study of electromagnetism, and Lighthouse Board member.



Rare First Edition of “A Rudimentary Treatise on the History, Construction, and Illumination of Lighthouses” by Alan Stevenson. 204pp, 4.25” x 7”. London: John Weale, 1850. In the back of the volume are a fold-out lithographed plate of Eddystone, Skerryvore, and Bell Rock lighthouses and 13 full page plates. Printed notation from the publisher, tipped to the first of a four-page publisher’s advertisement, explaining why the book, with an “unavoidable increase in its bulk,” has increased in price. In part, “there are 14 engravings, 104 woodcuts, and 15 sheets of 24 pages each, of expensively-printed matter…” Original blind-embossed decorated cloth boards, with modern reinforcement of spine. The wrappers have separated from the page block, and several pages are loose and unattached. Tape reinforcment to some of the interior pages. Printed paper label on the cover. Good condition.





Presented to Garfield after he entered Congress in 1863, inscribed on the front pastedown “To the Hon J A Garfield / from / Joseph Henry” beneath which appears the personal bookplate of James A. Garfield,  2.25” x 1.5” imprinted “Inter folia fructus / Library of / James A. Garfield / No.” with “518-g” handwritten. From Garfield’s library at his Lawnfield estate. Some twenty years ago, several dozen of Garfield’s books were de-accessioned, including this volume.



Congress created the Lighthouse Board in 1852, to improve nautical aids. The newly-established board learned from lighthouse construction and buoyage in Europe. Physicist Joseph Henry was appointed a member of the new Lighthouse Board and later served as its chairman. Henry had served as first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution from 1846 until his death in 1878. He had conducted pioneering research in electromagnetism – in physics and electronics, the henry (symbol H) is the SI derived unit of inductance.

 

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

 

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