Savery, Thomas | First edition of The Miner’s Friend..., The Hanbury-Norman-Freilich copy

Savery, Thomas

The Miner’s Friend; or an Engine to Raise Water by Fire, Described. London: S. Crouch, 1702

8vo (178 x 192 mm). Folding engraved plate; lacking final blank, closed tear to plate with reinforcement to verso, light offsetting throughout. Contemporary red morocco, covers paneled in gilt with gilt floral cornerpieces, spine with raised bands in six compartments with gilt "S" device to each, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers; restoration to joints and corners.

First edition—the Hanbury-Norman-Freilich copy. The patent for Savery’s steam-pump, dated 25 July 1698, included no description of the machine, so Savery published this description to explain it, ‘a condensing type engine in which the steam was caused to condense within a receiver, thereby creating a vacuum and raising water to be pumped up within connected pipes’ (Dibner). The first working device was installed in the Warwickshire coal mines. It was later adapted by Thomas Newcomen to supply water to tall buildings and to raise water to turn waterwheels.

Rare.

REFERENCES

Dibner 177; Norman 2:1895 (this copy)

PROVENANCE

William Hanbury of Kelmarsh, Northamptonshire (armorial bookplate to front pastedown; signature ["C.P."] on front free endpaper) — Haskell F. Norman (bookplate; Christie’s New York, 15 June 1998, lot 774) — Joseph A. Freilich (booklabel; Sotheby's New York, 10 January 2001, lot 475) — Sotheby's London 4 December 2002, lot 152