Harrison, John and others

Harrison, John. An Account of the Proceedings, in order to the Discovery of the Longitude: in a letter to the right honourable ******, Member of Parliament. T. and J.W. Pasham, 1763, 4to (236 x 184mm.), FIRST EDITION, 46pp., numbered 19 in ink on title page (as 19th pamphlet in this volume), traces of water-staining to margins of first few leaves, minor rust stains and other very slight soiling

Memorial and Case of Amelia and Mary Frasers... [n.p., n.d.], 28pp. [NOT FOUND IN ESTC]--Memorial for the Established School-masters in Scotland, containing, modest proposals... London: 1751, 8pp [NOT FOUND IN ESTC]--The provisions made by the treaties of Utrecht, for separating Spain for ever from France, and for preventing France from enjoying any separate exclusive commerce with the Spanish dominions in America... S. Baker, 1762 [Sabin 66396; ONLY THE BRITISH LIBRARY COPY IN THE UK according to ESTC]--[Heath, Benjamin.] The case of the county of Devon, With Respect to the Consequences of the New Excise Duty on Cyder and Perry. For W. Johnston, 1763--Some plain reasons for a repeal of the late cyder-act. Dedicated to every man who pays taxes... J. Whiston and B. White, 1763 [NO COPIES LISTED BY ESTC IN THE UK, TWO COPIES ONLY IN AMERICA]--Treaty of Paris. A full, Clear, and Succinct Discussion of the Preliminary Articles of peace... For S. Williams, [1762]--Scotland. Eleutheria: one of a series of letters to a Nobleman...for W. Nicoll, 1763 [NOT FOUND IN ESTC]-- An epistle to His Excellency the Duke d’Nivernois. In which a new light is cast upon some transactions of the highest importance ... To which is added, an humble address to the greatest assembly in England. For J. Wilson and J. Fell, 1762 [NO COPY LISTED BY ESTC IN THE UK, TWO COPIES IN AMERICA]--[Egmont, John Perceval, Earl of.] A proposal for selling part of the forest lands and chaces, and disposing of the produce towards the discharge of that part of the national debt, due to the Bank of England; and for the establishment of a national bank... For T. Payne, 1763; and 26 others, relating to eighteenth-century British and European History and Science including Scotland, the Treaty of Utrecht, the Treaty of Paris, trade, excise duties, the National Debt, and duels; all 4to, eighteenth-century quarter calf, marbled boards (spine numbered 38), occasional soiling or dampstaining or spotting, binding slightly worn and rubbed

The Forbes Baronetcy was created in 1626 for Sir William Forbes (d. circa 1650) by James VI in the Barontage of Nova Scotia. The majority of the works offered here were acquired by the sixth Baronet, also William (1739-1806), who added Pitsligo to his title in 1781. He was an eminent Scottish banker and benefactor, good friend of James Boswell and Samuel Johnson (see lots 45-46), and finally succeeded in recovering the Pitsligo estates forfeited after the Jacobite rebellion of 1745. His son William, the seventh baronet, beat Sir Walter Scott to the hand of the renowned beauty Williamina Belsches Stuart (1776-1810), and it was with their marriage that the family moved to her family seat, Fettercairn House in Kincardineshire, Aberdeenshire.

One of the sixth baronet’s acquisitions for his library at Pitsligo were numerous highly important miscellanies and tract volumes, many of which were purchased as a set from Edinburgh bookseller Elphinstone Balfour in October 1786. These were subsequently supplemented by further contemporary tracts and other works from the late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century. Most of these miscellanies bear a nineteenth century Forbes family bookplate.

Adams and Waters, English Maritime Books printed before 1801, 2011; JCB 134; Norman 1941; PMM 208; Taylor II 60;  Exploration and Discovery 1576-1939: The Library of Franklin Brooke-Hitching Part 2, D-J , 605

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, when appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

HARRISON'S VERY RARE "ACCOUNT OF THE PROCEEDINGS..." (1763) ANNOUNCES THE AUTHOR'S INVENTION AND TESTING OF HIS FIRST ACCURATE CHRONOMETER, GENERALLY REGARDED AS THE GREATEST SINGLE ADVANCE IN THE HISTORY OF AIDS TO NAVIGATION UNTIL THE INTRODUCTION OF RADAR. 

The first trial of  Harrison's fourth chronometer (H4) took place on H.M.S. Deptford in 1761 and 1762. "Harrison's chronometer not only supplied navigators with a perfect instrument for observing the true geographical position at any moment during their voyage, but also laid the foundation for the compilation of exact charts of the deep seas and the coastal waters of me world..." (PMM). The instrument made to Harrison's design received its most thorough trial on Captain Cook's first voyage in 1768. He refers a number of times in his journal to 'Mr Harrison's watch', which proved highly accurate both for navigation and for coastal charting.