2 works by or about Franklin: Benjamin Franklin's Jugendjahre, 1792 & Cheminée Économique, 1786.

[FRANKLIN, BENJAMIN]

[FRANKLIN STOVE] FOSSÉ, [CHARLES LOUIS FRANÇOIS DE]. CHEMINÉE ÉCONOMIQUE, A LAQUELLE ON A ADAPTÉ LA MÉCANIQUE DE M. FRANKLIN. PARIS: JOMBERT AND DESSENE, AND MATHIEU, NANCY, 1786

8vo (8 3/4 x 5 1/2 in.; 222 x 138 mm). 5 folding engraved plates, including extra folding plate from another book about the Franklin Stove; minor and scattered foxing. Original wrappers; some soiling, wear to spine with vertical split. [With:] Franklin, Benjamin. Benjamin Franklin’s Jugendjahre von ihm selbst für seinen Sohn beschrieben und übersetzt von Gottfried August Bürger. Berlin: Heinrich August Rottmann, 1792. 8vo (6 x 3 3/4 in.; 150 x 95 mm). Nathanael Friedrich From’s Herzog Leopold zu Braunschweig, der Menschenfreund, Berlin: 1785 bound in at end. Some scattered foxing and minor toning. Contemporary mottled half calf and marbled boards, gilt lettered red and green morocco labels to spine, patterned endpapers; bottom of front hinge cracked; extremities rubbed. In slipcase with folding chemise. 

Two scarce works pertaining to Benjamin Franklin 

Cheminée Économique explains the principles of the Franklin Stove, which Franklin invented in 1742 and improved in the 1770’s. It describes in detail Fossé’s improvements, which he claimed used less wood with less smoke. 

Jugendjahre is only the second appearance in print of Franklin’s autobiography, following its publication in French the year before, and preceding the first edition in English in 1793. 

LITERATURE:

Echeverria and Wilkie, French Image of America 786/23; Ford 384; Howes F 323; Sabin 15517

PROVENANCE:

Jean Hersholt (bookplate to front pastedown of Jugendjahre). Jean Hersholt was a Danish-American actor and book collector. He is celebrated by the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, presented periodically at Academy Awards ceremonies.