Mason, C. Report of the Commissioner of Patents for the year 1856. Arts and Manufactures, in three volumes. Washington: Cornelius Wendell, Printer, 1857. First Edition. [12558]
Three volumes sometime rebound in brown cloth, gilt titles to spines, ex college library with name of college on spine, volume numbers; bookplates and stamps on the end papers. Each volume is 9 x 5 1/4 inches, bindings are very good. 67, 640; 67, 518; 67, 593 clean pp. The 67 pages at the beginning of each volume is an index. The index of vol. iii. has four leaves with folded edges due to improper trimming. The third volume is the illustrations for the patents, with hundreds of b/w drawings. Very good. Hardcover.
34th Congress, 3d Session, House of Representatives, Ex. Doc. 65.
The seven main divisions of the Report are I. Agriculture, including implements and operations; II. Metallurgy and manufacture of metals; III. Manufacture of fibrous and textile substances; IV. Chemical processes, manufactures, and compounds; V. Calorifics, comprising lamps, stoves, &c.; VI. Steam and gas engines; VII. Navigation and maritime implements.
You will receive all three volumes, including the scarce volume of illustrations. This volume is divided into 23 different sections, and you may find the list in the photographs we have posted. In addition to the seven broad categories above, there are such things as surgical and medical instruments, fire-arms and implements of war, household furniture, optical instruments, hydraulics and pneumatics, etc.
Charles Mason (1804-1882), b. Pompey, New York; d. Burlington, Iowa. Mason graduated first in his 1829 class at West Point, served as an assistant professor of Engineering there, afterwards serving in both private and public capacities at law, including as chief justice of the supreme court of Iowa. Among his many achievements was his success as president of several railroads in the American Midwest. He was U. S. Commissioner of Patents from 1853 to 1857, where he instituted a number of reforms, including publishing illustrations of patent designs with the annual reports.
