Miniature books
ELEMENTS OF CHEMISTRY was written by Antoine Lavoisier in 1789, and translated into English the following year. This makes is only a few years later than Priestley's Experiments and Observations on Different Kinds of Air (also available from Plum Park Press). And while Priestley was still promoting the theory of phlogiston, Lavoisier trumped him with the discovery of oxygen - the real secret to combustion.
The book consists of 240 pages of text, plus six plates printed on heavy stock, folded, and tucked into a pocket inside the back cover of the book. The illustrations on these plates were drawn by the author's wife, who assisted him in his work. The book also includes as a frontispiece a color reproduction of a period engraving of Lavoisier, and a copy of his signature.
ELEMENTS OF CHEMISTRY has overall dimensions of approximately 75 x 55 x 20 mm (3 x 2-1/8 x 3/4 inches), and is bound in dark red faux crushed leather.
The Plum Park Press miniature edition of Browning's ELEMENTS OF CHEMISTRY consisted of 15 copies. The price is $45, plus $5 for shipping and handling.
