Korrt Afhandling Om Det BÄSta EldslÄCknings SÄTt Med DÄRtil LÄMpad BRAND-REDSKAP Och NÖDig BRAND-ORDNING (Firefighting). Aken, Frantz Joachim Von Illustrated Books - Engravings,Science And Technology

185 x 105 mm. (7 1/4 x 4 1/4"). 4 p.l. (including inserted privilege page), [3]-128 pp. Contemporary tan speckled boards backed and cornered with roan, smooth spine with beige title label. With three folding engraved plates, one showing a planned demonstration of firefighting equipment putting out a fire, the other two depicting various firefighting tools. Title page with author's monogram authentication stamp (to guard against plagiarism) at foot of page. ◆Minor insect damage to rear board, faint shadows from binder's glue at corners and joints, other very trivial imperfections, but a fragile item IN REMARKABLY FINE CONDITION inside and out. This is the scarce first edition of a Swedish apothecary's "Short Treatise on the Best Fire Extinguishing Method with Suitable Fire Equipment." Son of the royal court's pharmacist and physician, Frantz Joachim von Aken (1738-98) studied chemistry at Uppsala University, and trained in pharmacy at London laboratories and at Oxford University. He was licensed as pharmacist in Sweden, and went to work at his family's pharmaceutical company, Hjorten, taking over management of the firm in 1772. While at Hjorten, he began working on a chemical compound that could be used to extinguish fires and contain their spread. He developed a formula using iron oxide, iron sulphate, alum, and clay that would form a film when sprayed onto surfaces. The heat of the fire would harden the film into a non-combustible protective agent and consequently prevent the fire from spreading. He called the compound Akenska eldsläckningsämnet, and performed demonstrations before authorities to promote its use. The plate near the beginning of this book depicts his large 1792 Stockholm demonstration before the Swedish royals and numerous foreign ambassadors. He received a permit to manufacture the product for sale in January 1793. There was international interest in Aken's invention, including from the United States. In 1794, U.S. Secretary of State Edmund Randolph wrote to Aken, expressing the interest of President Washington in "the art of extinguishing fires," and requesting materials be forwarded through the U.S. minister plenipotentiary in London. A copy of the present work was recorded in Washington's library at the time of his death. Aken's invention was successfully marketed and was widely used until the mid-19th century. Although there are no markings to indicate it, our copy was once in the library of Ericsberg Palace, which in 1843 began acquiring books for its library, a collection now numbering more than 50,000 volumes.