William Armstrong

William Armstrong
Electric movement in air and water with Supplement, 1897 and 1899
3737-BK

First and only edition. Though it was produced as a work of pure science, the photographic plates, reproduced a s luxurious autotypes, are what speak to us today. They are beautiful abstractimages, produced by sending electric discharges through water, similar in appearance to lightning, but more fullsome and symmetrical . Of this book the DNB states: "In 1897 Armstrongpublished a beautiful illustrated volume .. . in which he discussed the most remarkable series of figures ever obtained by electric charge over photographic plates . .. " Lord Armstrong (1810-1900)became immensly wealthy due to inventions in hydraulics and the manufacture of armaments; although the present volume was marketed at L1 lOs this was certainly a subsidized price considering the quality of the work. The photographs were made by Mr . Worsnop , "a well-known photographer in Rothbury . " Not mentioned in Ann Thomas (ed) , Beauty of another order, photography in science (1997); I suspect she was unaware of it. Vol II is titled: Supplement to Lord Armstrong's work on electric movement in air and water, being a continuation of his experiments together with an extension of them made in concert with Henry Stroud (1899). This volume contains an additional 14 plates of which 12 are printed in colors . This vol is rare; OCLC locate only 5 copies. 2 vols, folio (15 x 11"), orig. gilt dec. cloth. vii+55 pp. with 42 figs. in autotype on 32 plates (some folding). Vol II: vi+27 pp. with 14 plates (12 in colors). Vol II rebacked. Vol I inscribed: From Lord Armstrong with his compliments.

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