Tomlinson's Cyclopaedia of Useful Arts
Encyclopedia
Tomlinson’s Cyclopaedia of Useful Arts is a multi-volume encyclopedia focusing on manufacturing, mining, and engineering. It was edited by Charles Tomlinson
, a Fellow of the Royal Society, and a lecturer at King’s College School
, London. The original was published between 1852 and 1854. http://library.indstate.edu/about/units/rbsc/cordell/encyc.html. It was published in 1852 in two volumes (vol. 1, 832pp, vol. 2, 1052pp) with 40 steel engravings and 2,477 woodcuts. A supplement was published in 1862, which was published by James S. Virtue London and New York.
A new edition was published no earlier than 1866 with the intent of "keeping pace with the varied subjects of the Useful Arts and Manufactures, which are always enlarging their boundaries." Internally the new edition is organized into three volumes of 935, 956, and 740 pages (making it 38% larger than the original edition), but it was sold in various formats, including an eight volume set. It has 63 full page steel engravings and 3063 wood engravings (a few of which are a half page), for which the publishing companies of James Sprent Virtue
were noted. It was printed by Virtue & Company, of London, and then also of New York.
Authors and illustrators are not credited, however Tomlinson appears to have been strongly involved in writing and editing, stating in the introduction that he "did not attempt to make his descriptions appear easy" and that "most of the processes described in the work the Editor himself witnessed."
Tomlinson’s has no articles specifically on people, places, or historical events. Its emphasis can be gauged by comparing articles on "Anemometer."
The work is an invaluable source of information about the 'how', of handicraft, industry and manufacturing, since it contains numerous illustrated articles describing the techniques. It was devised to celebrate the Great Exhibition, and the monograph-length introduction (160 pp) is a valuable illustrated account of the antecedents of the Exhibition with material on earlier ones, on the construction of the building, the arrangement of the displays and accounts of the highlights of the exhibits.
The articles in Tomlinson cover an enormous range of topics from a British perspective, and the woodcuts portray people in a workshop context. As this was published before the days of photography, this is a useful source for images not otherwise available. Neither the original or the newer edition of Tomlinson’s is restricted by copyright.
Charles Tomlinson (scientist)
Charles Tomlinson FRS was a British scientist.-Biography:He studied science under George Birkbeck, the founder of the London Mechanics' Institute. For a while, he had a school with his brother Lewis, at Salisbury...
, a Fellow of the Royal Society, and a lecturer at King’s College School
King's College School
King's College School, commonly referred to as KCS, King's, or KCS Wimbledon, is an independent school for day pupils in Wimbledon in south-west London. The school was founded as the junior department of King's College London and occupied part of its premises in Strand, before relocating to...
, London. The original was published between 1852 and 1854. http://library.indstate.edu/about/units/rbsc/cordell/encyc.html. It was published in 1852 in two volumes (vol. 1, 832pp, vol. 2, 1052pp) with 40 steel engravings and 2,477 woodcuts. A supplement was published in 1862, which was published by James S. Virtue London and New York.
A new edition was published no earlier than 1866 with the intent of "keeping pace with the varied subjects of the Useful Arts and Manufactures, which are always enlarging their boundaries." Internally the new edition is organized into three volumes of 935, 956, and 740 pages (making it 38% larger than the original edition), but it was sold in various formats, including an eight volume set. It has 63 full page steel engravings and 3063 wood engravings (a few of which are a half page), for which the publishing companies of James Sprent Virtue
James Sprent Virtue
James Sprent Virtue was a British publisher. He was born at 26 Ivy Lane, Paternoster Row, London, EC on 18 May 1829. His father, George Virtue, was the founder in London of a publishing business the main feature of which was the production of illustrated works.-Early years:At age 14, J.S...
were noted. It was printed by Virtue & Company, of London, and then also of New York.
Authors and illustrators are not credited, however Tomlinson appears to have been strongly involved in writing and editing, stating in the introduction that he "did not attempt to make his descriptions appear easy" and that "most of the processes described in the work the Editor himself witnessed."
Tomlinson’s has no articles specifically on people, places, or historical events. Its emphasis can be gauged by comparing articles on "Anemometer."
- Tomlinson’s New Cyclopaedia (1866): About 4,300 words, six figures
- Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th Edition (1911): About 1,800 words, two figures http://www.gutenberg.org/files/13600/13600-h/13600-h.htm
- Encyclopædia Britannica 15th Edition (1986): About 500 words, one figure
The work is an invaluable source of information about the 'how', of handicraft, industry and manufacturing, since it contains numerous illustrated articles describing the techniques. It was devised to celebrate the Great Exhibition, and the monograph-length introduction (160 pp) is a valuable illustrated account of the antecedents of the Exhibition with material on earlier ones, on the construction of the building, the arrangement of the displays and accounts of the highlights of the exhibits.
The articles in Tomlinson cover an enormous range of topics from a British perspective, and the woodcuts portray people in a workshop context. As this was published before the days of photography, this is a useful source for images not otherwise available. Neither the original or the newer edition of Tomlinson’s is restricted by copyright.