UKASE. WE COMMAND ALL NATIONS TO KEEP THE PEACE. DR. J.H. McLEAN'S PEACE-MAKER
1880 · New York
by McLean, James Henr
New York: Baker & Goodwi, 1880. 200pp. Extra illustrated titlepage. Steel- engraved frontispiece portrait and many woodcut plates and in-text illustrations. Quarto. Original pictorial cloth, stamped in black and gilt, spine gilt. Edges of spine lightly scuffed. Author inscription on front pastedown and fly leaf. Mild toning, light foxing to preliminaries. Very good plus. In a black cloth slipcase. Dr. McLean, a prosperous patent medicine huckster from St. Louis, here sets forth his revolutionary weapon designs in the form of a remarkably elaborate propaganda piece. Most of his plans are based on the classic idea of inventing weapons so powerful that no enemy could withstand or even consider resisting them. Included are portable forts, impregnable fortresses (both fixed and floating), modular metal shield blocks, indestructible "Hercules Guns," rapid-fire battery guns, inescapable magnetic torpedoes; 48-shot pistols, and the like. Dr. McLean goes so far as to compare himself to Napoleon, Wellington, Washington, U.S. Grant, and others. "A fantasy of arms....Literally a book in the style of a patent medicine brochure, but applied to the consideration of arms rather than ailments" - Riling.
This copy inscribed by the author. RILING 1070 (Inventory #: WRCAM25685)
This copy inscribed by the author. RILING 1070 (Inventory #: WRCAM25685)