Skip to main content Smithsonian Institution

James Watt letter to Samuel Lysons, dated Heathfield, Handsworth, Birmingham, England, 1 December 1797

Catalog Data

Correspondent:
Watt, James 1736-1819  Search this
Addressee:
Lysons, Samuel 1763-1819  Search this
Former owner:
Lende, H. W. Jr. DSI  Search this
Author:
H.W. Lende, Jr. Manuscript Collection (Smithsonian Libraries) DSI  Search this
Physical description:
2 folded sheets (5 unnumbered pages) : illustrations ; 30 cm or smaller
Type:
Manuscripts
Manuscripts (documents)
Date:
1797
Notes:
Title supplied by cataloger.
Autograph letter signed, handwritten in black ink on unlined paper with self-envelope and remnants of wax seal. Accompanied by a sheet of brown paper with an inscription handwritten in pencil.
James Watt FRS FRSE was a Scottish inventor, mechanical engineer, and chemist who improved on Thomas Newcomen's 1712 Newcomen steam engine with his Watt steam engine in 1776.
SCDIRB copy (barcode 39088020040317) is the gift of H.W. Lende, Jr. and has Lende accession number W-10.
SCDIRB copy has source: Lone Star Autographs, Kaufman, Texas, April 14, 1985.
SCDIRB copy is housed in an archival box together with other manuscripts from the H.W. Lende, Jr. Manuscript Collection, filed in Dibner accession number order.
Summary:
Letter to Lysons containing recommendations on selecting and applying copal varnishes, with small hand drawn sketches of a brush and vial and an applicator consisting of "a piece of fine sponge glued to a piece of wood."
Topic:
Copal  Search this
Varnish and varnishing  Search this
Call number:
MSS 002132 A
Restrictions & Rights:
Use by appointment with Dibner Library staff.
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_1102684