[RICH]ARDSON'S SELF-ACTING FIRE ALARM. [caption title]

Published by NP, 1833

Heritage seller

Seller: Bartleby's Books, ABAA, Chevy Chase, MD, U.S.A.Bartleby's Books, ABAA

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AbeBooks seller since October 18, 1997

Association member: ABAAESAIOBAILAB

Condition: Used

£ 116.57

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Item description from seller

Advertising handbill, 19 x 17.5 cm. Piece missing from upper left corner taking the first four letters of Richardson's name, two other small chips to lower edge, not affecting text. This broadside prints an article from the New England Telegraph of July 31, 1833: "On Friday last, we had opportunity to examine this [Fire Alarm] simple, but beautiful and useful piece of machinery, at the house of Capt. Ralph Arnold, of Braintree, proprietor of the Patent for this Commonwealth." Richardson's invention was designed to provide "an immediate alarm and the No. of the room on fire, in the most capacious building, without human assistance." It required that a small device be installed, designed to resemble a fashionable clock, connected to lines of twine saturated with nitre, each with a weight attached, leading from the machine to every apartment or room of the house. The newspaper article recommends the device as a great safe-guard against loss of life and property "that no famiy, especially inhabiting a large house, ought to be without one." The broadside ends with an advertisement, in bold letters: "The Self-Acting Fire Alarm is for sale by [blank] Proprietor of the Right for the town of [blank]," leaving space for a local merchant to notify customers of his supply. Ithiel S. Richardson of New Market, New Hampshire patented this device on Aug. 15, 1831. [see "List of Patents for Inventions and Designs, Issued by the United States, from 1790 to 1847," (Washington, DC: 1847), p.126]. He was an inventor of several other devices including an accelerated steamboat [a hovercraft-like device] (1841), and an atmospheric telegraph for the transportation of mail and packages [a kind of pneumatic tube Richardson proposed to construct between Washington DC and Baltimore] (1854). No listings found on OCLC.…

Seller Inventory # 65280

Bibliographic details

Title
[RICH]ARDSON'S SELF-ACTING FIRE ALARM. [caption title]
Publisher
NP
Publication year
1833
Seller catalogs
Americana

Bartleby's Books, ABAA

Chevy Chase, MD, U.S.A.

5-star seller

AbeBooks seller since October 18, 1997

Association member:

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Store description

We specialize in rare and antiquarian books and ephemera with emphasis on American History. In addition to our specialties, we have a good general antiquarian stock.

Specialty

American History, Economics, Literature, Americana, Law

Association member

  • Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America
  • The Ephemera Society of America
  • Independent Online Booksellers Association
  • International League of Antiquarian Booksellers
Members of these associations are committed to maintaining the highest standards. They vouch for the authenticity of all items offered for sale. They provide expert and detailed descriptions, disclose all significant defects and/or restorations, provide clear and accurate pricing, and operate with fairness and honesty during the purchase experience.

Seller's business information

Bartleby's Books, ABAA

5119 Nebraska Ave. NW
Washington, DC U.S.A. 20008