The Artist’s Companion, and Manufacturer’s Guide, Consisting of the Most Valuable Secrets in the Arts and Trades

1814. ARTIST'S MANUAL. The Artist's Companion, and Manufacturer's Guide, Consisting of the Most Valuable Secrets in the Arts and Trades. xiv, 179 [1] pp. 12mo, 170 x 105 mm., original sheep, in a modern green quarter morocco box. Boston: J. Norman, 1814. An early American artist's manual, which among other things, discusses textile printing, engraving, dyeing, glass manufacture, cookery, and much more, with recipes and instructions for 478 different processes. Among the wide variety of subjects dealt with in the 478 sections are "The method of etching copper plates"; "To counterfeit diamonds"; "To dye bones and mould them in all manner of shapes"; "To marble wood"; "To make an imitation of coffee"; and "Brewing." Only this copy appears in the auction records, in 2011. Wear to the binding and some soiling throughout, tear from outer edge of last leaf with some loss of text. Nevertheless, a nice unsophisticated copy. Shaw & Shoemaker 33523.