Leather binding with raised banding, black title plate and gilt lettering on the spine. First american book on technical drawing.

MINIFIE, William. A Text Book of Geometrical Drawing… for the Use of Mechanics and Schools.. With… an Introduction to Isoemtrical Drawing, and an Essay on Linear Perspective
and Shadows: the whole illustrated with fifty-six steel plates containing over 200 diagrams. vi. [71-127pp., and with 4pp preliminary ‘opinions of the press’ on this work.. 56 plates,
Some age toning and occasional foxing, but a very good copy bound in full contemporary sheep, expertly re-backed and corners neatly repaired.
Large 12mo. Wm. Minifie & Co. Baltimore. 1849.
William Minifie (1805-1880) had completed his apprenticeship as a cabinet maker before leaving Tavistock in England for America. He settled in Baltimore. and became successively
an architect and builder, professor of drawing, and author of books on geometrical drawing. First published in octavo and 12mo in 1849, and here substantially enlarged, this publication
appears to be the first American book on technical drawing; the following year the first drawing instrument manufacturer company was started by the Altender family in 1850.
Copac records just three copies, all later editions, 1851 (BL and V & A), and 1890 (BL).
hi/ NV/ E S 600K.