The Elements of Clock and Watch-Work, Adapted to Practice. In Two Essays by CUMMING, Alexander

16 folding engraved plates. 4 p.l., 192, [13] pp. Large 4to, cont. half-calf & marbled boards (joints & corners carefully repaired), spine gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. London: Printed for the Author, 1766. First edition of the author's first book; this is a fine association copy, having belonged to Matthew Boulton (1728-1809), the well-known engineer, who established a famous factory in Soho for the manufacture of high quality metal work and other goods. Cumming (1733-1814), mathematician and mechanic, carried on a watchmaking business in Bond Street, London for many years. The two, with such similar professional interests, must have known each other well. This was considered to be a "definitive professional textbook."-Taylor, Mathematical Practitioners of Hanoverian England. The first part is devoted to a discussion of improvements possible to clock works and the second part is concerned with improvements to watch works. Fine copy, lacking the leaf of errata, as is often the case. Bookplate of Matthew Boulton. Baillie, Clocks and Watches, p. 270. Baillie, Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World, p. 72. D.N.B., V, p. 296.