Henry Horne — Essays Concerning Iron and Steel

London, T. Cadell, 1773 . First edition. Leather. The first edition of Henry Horne's very scarce late 18th century work on metallurgy, smelting, iron ore and steel, and their development in both America and Great Britain. A very scarce first edition.Author Henry Horne offers an important contribution to the history of smelting on both sides of the Atlantic. The author quotes correspondence he had with Jared Eliot, of Killingworth, Connecticut, who sends him samples of "the first iron that was ever made in America," adding: "this black sand [from which the iron was made] is a treasure that has long lain hidden from the world, and is what may render the colonies more valuable to Great Britain".ESTC T115190With the collation A, B-K12, L4. Collated, lacking leaf A2.Pencil inscription to verso of front free endpaper.An important work on the development of metallurgy and the origins of the refining of iron into steel, with an account of the author's experiments with iron ore from America. In a contemporary calf binding. Rubbing to board perimeters and joints, with small losses of calf to back strip head and tail. Front joint and rear joint head and tail starting, with rear board firmly held, and front board just a touch tender. Pencil inscription to verso of front free endpaper. Internally, firmly bound. Light handling marks to title page and following leaf, with pages otherwise clean and bright. Lacking leaf A2. Good . Ill.: None. Good .