THE YOUNG MILL-WRIGHT AND MILLER'S GUIDE; ILLUSTRATED BY TWENTY-EIGHT DESCRIPTIVE PLATES; (and "A Description of an Improved Merchant Flour-Mill")
Philadelphia, PA: Carey; Lea & Blanchard, 1834. C. & O. Evans. Eighth Edition. Leather-bound. Quarto. (8 3/4 in. x 5 1/2 in.). Contemporary calf, scuffed, extremities worn, but still very solidly bound. Some minor peeling to leather at joints but no separation. Contrasting black spine label, lettered in gilt, and faux compartments divided by double gilt rule. Tiny evidence of a worm knocking and entering, uninvited, just above first set of double rules (from bottom of spine). Interesting signature/notes to front free endpaper from previous owner. Moses Parkins, who writes: "Writen by Seven Parkins / late of the State of Ohio..Now of the State of old Virginia", dated April 12th, 1841":
27 out of 28 plates present (Plate XXV missing). NOTE: Numbering for Plates XXVII and XXVIII incorrectly labeled -- as Roman numerals XVII and XVIII, respectively, missing one of the "X's.
Appendices. Publisher's advertising section (4pp.) at rear. Good. Item #88499
NOTES: "There is to this day, at least one mill owner known to the writer, who has a copy of Oliver Evans' Mill-Wright in his office to which he says quite frankly he refers often, considering it is still in many repects the most practical work for millers ever published..." In 1791, George Washington upgraded his milling operation using the improvements of Oliver Evans.
Oliver Evans, a native of Delaware, had been actively working on developing and refining his milling system since the early 1780s. George Washington learned of Evans's improvements in 1790, when he reviewed and signed the patent application submitted to the newly-established United States Patent Office. In addition to the patent review, Washington was aware of two mills already operating on the Evans system during the years of his first term as president. One was located near Mount Vernon in the village of Occoquan, and the other was located along the Brandywine Valley near Wilmington, Delaware, owned by Joseph Tatnall, a wealthy miller and businessman. In 1777, Tatnall, a Quaker, ground flour for Washington's troops as they suffered through the winter at Valley Forge. Reportedly Tatnall told Washington, "I cannot fight for thee, but I can feed thy men." Years later on a presidential trip, Washington visited Tatnall to again express his thanks for services rendered during the Revolution. Tatnall had recently equipped one of his two mills with the Evans components. The practical experience of viewing this mill in operation solidified Washington's decision to install the patented system at Mount Vernon.
Price: $450.00