Beschreibung:

Title: The Young Carpenter's Assistant; Or, A System of Architecture, Adapted to the Style of Building in the United States Author: Biddle, Owen Place: Philadelphia Publisher: Benjamin Johnson Date: 1805 Description: 61 pp. 43 (of 44) engraved plates. Lacking plate 43 (Bank of the United States); large portions lacking from the two folding plates. (4to) 9¾x8, period full calf. First Edition. First edition of the second original American architectural book. Hitchcock notes: “A native born American, like Asher Benjamin [who wrote the first original American architectural book in 1797], Biddle emphasizes in his title that his book is especially suited for American use, and that there is by this time ‘a style of building in the United States’ distinguishable from that of England. Benjamin imitated this title the next year in that of the first edition of The American builders’ companion.” (American Architectural Books, 176). Quite scarce, only 2 copies have appeared at auction in the last 40 years, the Streeter copy in 1970 and another copy in 1998. Lot Amendments Condition: Spine ends chipped, extremities rubbed, some scuffs to leather, front joint cracking, hinges cracked; heavily foxed throughout, folding plates lacking significant portions, a few other plates chipped in margins (without loss of image), long tear into image of one plate, a few others with short tears, long tear to one text leaf; else good. Item number: 202130