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Lot 437•
EARNSHAW (THOMAS) Longitude. An Appeal to the Public: Stating Mr. Thomas Earnshaw's Claim to the Original Invention of the Improvements in His Timekeepers, their Superior Going in Numerous Voyages, and Also as Tried by the Astronomer Royal by Orders of the Commissioners of Longitude, and His Consequent Right to National Reward
22 November 2011, 10:30 GMT
London, New Bond StreetSold for £1,062.50 inc. premium
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EARNSHAW (THOMAS)
Longitude. An Appeal to the Public: Stating Mr. Thomas Earnshaw's Claim to the Original Invention of the Improvements in His Timekeepers, their Superior Going in Numerous Voyages, and Also as Tried by the Astronomer Royal by Orders of the Commissioners of Longitude, and His Consequent Right to National Reward, half-title, errata slip at end, newspaper cutting pasted on verso of half-title, ownership inscription of "James N. Bacon, Ashford, Mddx." on title and 2 text leaves, later cloth, 8vo, Printed for the Author, [and] Sold by F. Wingrave, 1808
Footnotes
A SCARCE WORK ON MARINE TIMEKEEPERS AND LONGITUDE. Thomas Earnshaw (1749-1829) was born in Lancashire and apprenticed to the London watchmaker William Hughes, where he quickly established his reputation as a maker of watches and chronometers, turning his attention in to marine timekeepers in 1780, "and, almost at a stroke, finalized the form of escapement (the 'spring detent') and the form of compensation balance which were to be used in the standard marine chronometer thereafter" (ODNB). His design was immediately copied, and patented as his own, by the London watchmaker John Arnold. Encouraged by Nevil Maskelyne, the astronomer royal, Earnshaw "was in regular contact with the board of longitude, sending timekeepers for trial at the observatory. He often petitioned the board for prize money... occasionally with quite startling impertinence", eventually being awarded a prize of £3000 on condition that he could disclose the nature of his invention. Here arose the difficulty over priority of invention with Arnold, with Sir Joseph Banks strongly arguing against Earnshaw. Although the prize was eventually, in 1806, awarded jointly to Earnshaw and Arnold's son, the arguments continued in a series of pamphlets and newspaper articles from supporters of each party. Still disatisfied, Earnshaw petitioned for further reward from the board in 1808, publishing his Longitude, an Appeal to the Public "telling the whole story and forming what is virtually a small autobiography" (ODNB).