The Practical Builder, or Workman’s General Assistant. Boston: John Norman, 1792.
£2,700.00
This item may be reserved for 5 days. We will be in touch to see whether you would like additional information and images.
9Rare payment details will be provided once your reserved item has been confirmed as a purchase.
Description
PAIN, William (c.1730-c.1790). The Practical Builder, or Workman’s General Assistant.
BOSTON, Printed and Sold by John Norman, 75 Newbury Street, 1792.
FIRST AMERICAN EDITION of important architectural pattern book. Notable as only the 4th architectural book printed in America – foundational publications in establishing an architectural language in the United States, often using British models as the initial standard for American builders. Closely resembles the 4th London edition.
Spotted and browned as is the case with virtually all American architectural books of this period. Notwithstanding, this is an exceptional and completely original copy of a book that is so often found defective. Complete with all 83 engraved copper-plates printed on thick, textured paper. 8pp of text pages complete. All original endpapers present: the pastedown leaves at front and back inner boards as well as the four free endpapers (two blank leaves in the front, and two in the back of the book). The first two free endpapers are loosening. Otherwise completely firm text block and binding.
No restorations or repairs to any of the pages. Nor any restorations to the very well preserved original full contemporary sheep binding which is firm without any splitting or tenderness along the joints.
American architectural “incunables” – ie: Architectural books printed in American before 1800 – are very rarely found complete and in completely original state. These were practical manuals, used extensively by carpenters and the building trades of the 18th and 19th century. A very nice survival of an early Architectural source book printed in America.
With near contemporary ownership signature of ‘Whitmore’ dated 1795.
With the later signature of a C.T. Condit, Mead, Nebr. Records show that a Cyrus Truman Condit arrived in Nebraska in Dec. 1869 and located at Fremont working as a carpenter until 1877 when he moved to Mead, Nebraska constructing the towns’s first private house (perhaps guided by his copy of Pain).