Hippolyte Dussauce papers
Summary
| Creator: | Dussauce, H. (Hippolyte), 1829-1869 |
| Date(s): | 1843-1869 |
| Call Number: | MSS 0156 |
| Language: |
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| Abstract: | The Hippolyte Dussauce Papers reflect the life and work of the chemist during the years of 1860-1869. The papers include letters of inquiry from chemists, inventors, druggists and others to Dussauce for formulae and advice. Several copy books kept by Dussauce reflect his responses to some of these inquiries. The correspondence section also contains the letters of Henry Carey Baird, Dussauce's publisher, to Dussauce. |
| Physical Description: | 2.5 linear feet (635 items) |
| Immediate Source of Acquisition: | Purchase, 2007. |
| Processing Information: | Processed by Anita A. Wellner, 1990. Encoded by Lauren Connolly, July 2015, and Tiffany Saulter, November 2015. Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard |
Biographical and Historical Notes
Hippolyte Dussauce, industrial chemist and author, was born in France on an unknown date and died in New Lebanon, New York on June 20, 1869. He studied chemistry under Michel Eugene Chevreul in Paris, France. Prior to 1860 he was appointed to several significant scientific posts by the French government.
Dussauce emigrated to the United States in 1860 and worked as a chemist in several firms, including Tilden Company. Later Dussauce established his own Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry in New Lebanon, New York. Through his laboratory he provided formulaic and analytic consultations throughout North America.
Dussauce was the author of numerous authoritative treatises published by Henry C. Baird, including A Practical Guide for the Perfumer (1868), A New and Complete Treatise on the Arts of Tanning, Currying, and Leather Dressing (1865), A General Treatise on the Manufacture of Vinegar (1868), General Treatise on the Manufacture of Every Description of Soap (1869), A Complete Treatise on the Art of dyeing Cotton and Wool (1863), and A Practical Treatise on the Fabrication of Matches, Gun-Cotton, Colored Fires, and Fulminating Powders (1864).
Scope and Contents
The Hippolyte Dussauce Papers reflect the life and work of the chemist during the years of 1860-1869. The papers include letters of inquiry from chemists, inventors, druggists and others to Dussauce for formulae and advice. Several copy books kept by Dussauce reflect his responses to some of these inquiries. The correspondence section also contains the letters of Henry Carey Baird, Dussauce's publisher, to Dussauce.
The second section of the papers consists of numerous autograph technical manuscripts, notes, receipts, and drawings. The technical writings reflect Dussauce's research in the fields of soapmaking, tanning, dyeing, vinegar, coffee, glue, inks, and filters.
The third section of material in the collection consists of an account book and drafts of advertisements written by Dussauce for his business. Section IV contains copies of several printed pamphlets, promotional material, and articles written by Dussauce. This section also contains 2 copper and lead plate engravings of technical drawings made by Dussauce.
Section V consists of material related to Dussauce's appointment as the United States Commissioner to the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1867. Section VI contains the citation presented to Dussauce by the Societe Libre des Beaux-Arts in 1854. Section VII consists of original or true copy manuscripts of patents granted by various individuals for processes in which Dussauce was interested.
Section VIII includes the manuscripts and an illustration for the Goux public toilet system. Section IX consists of various miscellaneous periodicals, catalogs, and illustrations.
Using these materials
General
Boxes 1-11: Shelved in SPEC MSS manuscript boxes Removals: Shelved in MSS oversize boxes (32 inch)
Access Information
This collection is open for research.
Preferred Citation
MSS 0156, Hippolyte Dussauce papers, Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, Newark, Delaware.
Conditions Governing Use
Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. Please contact Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, http://library.udel.edu/spec/askspec/
Container List
Series I. Correspondence
Includes letters of inquiry from chemists, inventors, druggists, etc. regarding Dussauce's formulae and advice; correspondence with Henry Carey Baird; tissue copy books of letters by Dussauce and other miscellaneous correspondence.
Series I.1. Letters of inquiry
from chemists, inventors, druggists, entrepreneurs, etc. from thirty-two states and territories, as well as Canada, regarding Dussauce's own formulae and technical advice in many fields.
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically.
| 1860-1867 | 12 items (12 leaves) 25 pp | Box 1, F1 |
| 1868: January | 12 items (13 leaves) 19 pp. | Box 1, F2 |
| 1868: February | 18 items (18 leaves) 21 pp. | Box 1, F3 |
| 1868: March-April | 18 items (18 leaves) 19 pp. | Box 1, F4 |
| 1868: May | 12 items (12 leaves) 16 pp | Box 1, F5 |
| 1868: June | 10 items (11 leaves) 16 pp. | Box 1, F6 |
| 1868: July | 11 items (11 leaves) 14 pp. | Box 1, F7 |
| 1868: August | 19 items (19 leaves) 25 pp. | Box 1, F8 |
| 1868: September | 11 items (12 leaves) 17 pp. | Box 1, F9 |
| 1868: October | 15 items (15 leaves) 26 pp. | Box 1, F10 |
| 1868: November | 13 items (13 leaves) 19 pp. | Box 1, F11 |
| 1868: December | 18 items (19 leaves) 29 pp. | Box 1, F12 |
| 1869: January | 27 items (27 leaves) 42 pp. | Box 2, F13 |
| 1869: February | 30 items (31 leaves) 44 pp. | Box 2, F14 |
| 1869: March | 22 items (22 leaves) 32 pp. | Box 2, F15 |
| 1869: April | 12 items (12 leaves) 13 pp. | Box 2, F16 |
| 1869: May-June | 13 items (13 leaves) 16 pp. | Box 2, F17 |
Series I.2. Letters of Henry Carey Baird to Dussauce, 1863-1869
Philadelphia. Baird was a Philadelphia industrial publisher and economist. He writes concerning the publication of Dussauce's own books, as well as Dussauce's translations and editorial contributions.
| 1863: March-May | 16 items (17 leaves) 50 pp. | Box 3, F18 |
| 1863: June-August | 11 items (12 leaves) 33 pp. | Box 3, F19 |
| 1863: September-December | 10 items (11 leaves) 33 pp. | Box 3, F20 |
| 1864: January-May | 15 items (17 leaves) 38 pp. | Box 3, F21 |
| 1864: June-December | 9 items ( 9 leaves) 20 pp. | Box 3, F22 |
| 1865 | 19 items (21 leaves) 37 pp. | Box 3, F23 |
| 1866-1867 | 13 items (13 leaves) 24 pp. | Box 3, F24 |
| 1868: January-July | 14 items (14 leaves) 17 pp. | Box 3, F25 |
| 1868: August-December | Box 3, F26 | |
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14 items (14 leaves)21 pp. |
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| 1869 & n.d. or fragments | 17 items (17 leaves) 27 pp. | Box 3, F27 |
Series I.3. Miscellaneous correspondence
Letters to Dussauce concerning a wide variety of subjects, including soap-making and fish guano. Also includes a few letters from family members. Includes four letters from the owner of a West Virginia oil field, two from Joseph C.G. Kennedy (statistician, census chief and friend) and chemist James Gibbs of Buffalo regarding soap making.
| 1845-1868 | 13 items (15 leaves) 33 pp. | Box 4, F28 |
| 1869 | 16 items (17 leaves) 34 pp. | Box 4, F29 |
| [n.d.] | 16 items (16 leaves) 24 pp. | Box 4, F30 |
Series I.4. Copy books by Dussauce
Two tissue leaved copy books preserving approximately 500 letters written by Dussauce. Includes letters to his publisher Baird, responses to the inquiries (see Series I.1), advertising for his laboratory, letters to french correspondents as well as family members. Two letters are written regarding the controversy over his editorship of the Journal of Science.
| Copy Book A, June-November [18]67, September 25, 1865 | Box 4, F31 | |
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Letters dated from June-November [18]67 and September 25, 1865. Also includes 8 sketches (one by Frank Dassingan). The back cover lists information dated 1928 by a Burroughs and Robert R. Ruggles 13 letters (31 leaves) by Dussauce. |
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| Copy Book B, 1867: September-1868: September | 12 leaves (23 pp.) of index. 488 letters (298 leaves). | Box 4, F32 |
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Includes an index to letters (at the beginning of the copy book). Names beginning with the same initial letter are grouped together and the page numbers on which particular letter appear are indicated. |
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Series II. Technical manuscripts written by Dussauce
Series II.1. Individual autograph technical manuscripts of soap-making receipts
Includes 14 processes with numerous duplicates (autograph) of most of the process; probably of the type Dussauce sent as responses to inquires (see Series I.1). The various titles of manuscripts are arranged alphabetically. Length ranges from 1-20 pages.
| Cocoa Oil Soap | 4 copies (3 leaves each) | Box 5, F33 |
| Different Manipulations to which is Submitted the Paste of Crude Soap to Transform It Into Toilet Soap | 3 copies (12 leaves each) | Box 5, F34-F36 |
| Essence of Soap | 5 copies (2 leaves each) | Box 5, F37 |
| Formulas to Perfume and Color Toilet Soaps | 5 copies (4 copies with 5 pp. each and one copy with 3 pp.). | Box 5, F38 |
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One copy is incomplete with pp. 3-5 only. |
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| Gray Soap of Cocoa and Palm Oil | 3 copies (1 leaf each). | Box 5, F39 |
| Half Palm Oil or Half Palm Soap. Same text, but title varies | 3 copies (4 leaves each) | Box 5, F40-F42 |
| Light Soap | 3 copies (1 leaf each) | Box 5, F43 |
| Marble Soap: Preparation of the Lyes | 4 copies (number of leaves in each varies but the text is the same, 17 leaves, 19 leaves, 20 leaves, and 17 leaves) | Box 5, F44-F47 |
| Mixture of Essential Oil and Colors with Soap | One copy incomplete, p. 1 only. 5 copies (2 leaves each except 1 copy with 1 leaf) | Box 5, F48 |
| Palm Oil Soap | 3 copies (4 leaves each) | Box 5, F49-F50 |
| Rose Soap | 2 copies (1 leaf each) | Box 5, F51 |
| Soap of Bone Tallow | 2 copies (number of leaves vary, but text is the same, 3 leaves and 4 leaves) | Box 6, F52-F53 |
| Soap of Oleic Acid | 4 copies (number of leaves vary, but text is the same, one copy with 15 leaves and 3 copies with 18 leaves). | Box 6, F54-F57 |
| Soap with Cocoa Oil | 2 copies (3 leaves each) | Box 6, F58 |
| Soap by the Cold Process | 3 copies (7 leaves each) | Box 6, F59 |
| Soft Soap | 1 copy (10 leaves) | Box 6, F60 |
| Tallow Soap | 2 copies (5 leaves each) | Box 6, F61-F62 |
| Toilet Soaps/White Soaps with Lard or Toilet Soaps with Lard/White Soaps with Lard | 3 copies (same text, 6 leaves each) | Box 6, F63-F65 |
| Transparent Soap | 6 copies (3 leaves each) | Box 6, F66-F71 |
| Utensils Requisite for a Soap Factory | 2 copies (10 leaves each) | Box 6, F72-F73 |
| White Soap with Olive Oil | 4 copies (with 5 leaves) and 3 copies (with 4 leaves). | Box 6, F74-F77 |
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Same text but the number of leaves vary |
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| Yellow Soap of Cocoa and Palm Oil | 3 copies (1 leaf each) | Box 6, F78 |
| Yellow Soap of Tallow and Rosin or Family Soap | 1 copy (9 leaves) | Box 6, F79 |
| Cover for a portion of the soap-making receipts and miscellaneous drawings | 3 items (2 leaves) | Box 6, F80 |
Series II.2. Technical manuscript on "New Tanning Process."
| Includes extensive autograph notes between cut and pasted clippings of printed text | 1 item (7 leaves) | Box 7, F81 |
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Changes portions or adds to the text |
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Series II.3. Technical receipts on dyeing
| Autograph on blue folio sheets | Cover is in a separate folder. Multiple receipts are found on some leaves. Consists of hundreds of receipts. 88 leaves. | Box 7, F82-F83 |
Series II.4. Two notebooks containing autograph chemical notes written in French
Possibly related to Dussauce's education.
| Notebook with blue cover (with drawings on the back cover) | 1 item (88 pp.) | Box 7, F84 |
| Notebook with green cover | 1 item (80 pp.) | Box 7, F85 |
Series II.5. Folio notebook containing fragments of chemical notes by Dussauce
| Chemical notes are possibly about dyes | 17 leaves of notes | Box 8, F86 |
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Some of the notes are in French. A later owner of the notebook used it for storing clippings and patterns for knitting, crocheting and cross-stitch. In a number of cases the patterns are pasted over Dussauce's notes. The notebook bears evidence that numerous pages have been removed. |
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Series II.6. Miscellaneous technical notes and receipts
Includes an incomplete treatise on glue-making and other fragments on inks, dyeing, tanning, vinegar, coffee and other topics. Part of the notes are in French.
Titles include:
| De la Preparation...Oseigene | 1 item (12 leaves) | Box 8, F87 |
| Lubricating Greases | 1 item (4 leaves) | Box 8, F87 |
| Sanons Surfs | 1 item (32 leaves) | Box 8, F87 |
Titles include:
| Fabrication of Common Glue (missing p. 5-6) | 1 item (38 leaves) | Box 8, F88 |
| Analyses of Coffee | 1 item (4 leaves) | Box 8, F88 |
| Assay of Vinegar | 1 item (6 leaves) | Box 8, F88 |
| Writing Fluid | 1 item (17 leaves) | Box 8, F88 |
Most of these notes or receipts are incomplete, and some of the pieces are without titles. Titled items include:
| Bleaching of Lard Oil | 1 item (1 leaf) | Box 8, F89 |
| Lubricating Oils | 1 item (6 leaves) | Box 8, F89 |
| Operation for Taking the.. | 1 item (6 leaves) | Box 8, F89 |
| Untitled & Incomplete | 7 items (31 leaves) | Box 8, F89 |
Some of these receipts are without titles and/or incomplete. Titled items include:
| Process with Malt.. | 1 item (1 leaf) | Box 8, F90 |
| Process to Harden and Purify tallow | 1 item (2 leaves) | Box 8, F90 |
| Washing blue with Prussian blue | 1 item (1 leaf) | Box 8, F90 |
| Dyeing with Saffron | 1 item (4 leaves) | Box 8, F90 |
| Soda and Salts of Soda | 1 item (1 leaf) | Box 8, F90 |
| Description of the Filter | 1 item (1 leaf) | Box 8, F90 |
| Untitled and Incomplete | 7 items (12 leaves) | Box 8, F90 |
Series II.7. Three technical drawings by Dussauce
| Drawings are unidentified but one includes a commentary about filters | 4 items (4 leaves) | Box 8, F91 |
Series III. Miscellaneous documents and manuscripts written by Dussauce
Series III.1. Account book
| Autograph bound account book kept by Dussauce (with child's scribbling), 1866 | 17 leaves | Box 9, F92 |
Series III.2. Drafts of promotional material written by Dussauce
Includes advertisements
| Autograph drafts of some of Dussauce's various advertisements, business cards or other promotional material related to his Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry | Sheets are stitched together and a few clippings of the printed advertisements are pasted in. 1 item (10 leaves). | Box 9, F93 |
Series IV. Printed material written by Dussauce
Includes articles, pamphlets, and promotional material.
IV.1. Pamphlet, "Ichthyo Guano...."
| "Ichthyo Guano, or Fish Manure. It's Advantages and Superiority over Peruvian Guano and other Artificial Manures." | 1 item (10 pp.) | Box 9, F94 |
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(Hudson: Daily Register and Weekly Gazette Press, 1867). |
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Series IV.2. Articles written by Dussauce for the American Artisan and Patent Record
Includes four articles
Two of the articles are continued in several issues
| "Metallic Alloys.", Sept. 16, 1868 , Sept. 23, 1868, Sept. 30, 1868 | 5 leaves | Box 9, F95 |
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Sept. 16, 1868 p. 149; Sept. 23, 1868 pp. 162-3; Sept. 30, 1868 pp. 178-179 |
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| "Beet Sugar", Oct. 7, 1868, Oct. 14, 1868, Oct. 21, 1868, Oct. 28, 1868 | 6 leaves | Box 9, F95 |
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Oct. 7, 1868 pp. 194-195; Oct. 14, 1868 p. 210; Oct. 21, 1868 pp. 226-227; Oct. 28, 1868 p. 246. |
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| "Bleaching of Silk", Jan. 27, 1869 | 1 leaf | Box 9, F95 |
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p. 58 |
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| "Colors Obtained from Copper", Feb. 10, 1869 | 1 leaf | Box 9, F95 |
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p. 90. |
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Series IV.3. Promotional material created by Dussauce. Includes pamphlets, leaflets, stationary, etc
| Pamphlet. "Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry" | 1 item (15 pp.) | Box 9, F96 |
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(Hudson: Office Gazette and Daily Register, 1869). Miniature pamphlet with a printed description of the prices and services of his laboratory. |
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| Leaflet. "New Process for Bleaching Wools and Cottons." | 1 page each. 578 copies. 578 items (578 leaves). | Box 9, F97 |
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Promotional advertisement. |
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| Printed leaflet (letter-size). "The Works of Professor Dussauce" | Box 9, F100 | |
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Philadelphia: Henry Carey Baird, [1868]). Lists various books by Dussauce and includes descriptions. 2 copies (2 leaves) 8 pp |
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Leaflets. Titles include:
| Untitled item concerning the fabrication of vinegar (in the form of a printed letter), June 1867 | 1 item (1 leaf). | Box 9, F98 |
| "Petroleum Oil Companies." | 1 item (1 leaf) | Box 9, F98 |
| Printed letter with envelope concerning his return from Europe and availability to accept work | 1 item (1 leaf). | Box 9, F98 |
Series IV.4. Copper and lead plate engravings
| Seven original engraved plates, 1860 | 8 items | Box 10, F101-F103 |
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technical drawings or illustrations of work by Dussauce and one lead printing plate for the announcement of the opening of Dussauce's "Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry" |
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Series V. Material related to Dussauce's appointment as the United States Commissioner to the Universal Exhibition of Paris, 1867
| Includes the official appointment document signed by President Andrew Jackson and by William Seward, a cover letter from Seward which accompanied the appointment, Dussauce's business card as commissioner and an autograph cheque written in French, Typed Letter Signed 1866: Oct 10, 1866: Oct. 6 | 4 items (4 leaves). | Box 10, F104 |
Series VI. Printed citation presented to Dussauce
| Citation to Dussauce, 1854: May 28 | 1 item (1 leaf) | Box 10, F105 |
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from the Societe Libre des Beaux-Arts. The Societe presented Dussauce with a bronze medal and this citation for his new Indian red vegetable dye. |
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Series VII. Original or true copy manuscripts of patents granted to others individuals, 1865-1868
Autograph copies of patents involving various processes in which Dussauce was interested. Processes include sugar and syrup making; plating metal, aniline dyes, dyeing and colors, vinegar production and phosphate production
| Patent 49586, 1865: August 22 | 1 item (9 leaves). | Box 11, F106 | |
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DeGrasse and Herbert E. Fowler, "...Useful improvements in Tinning, Plating and Galvanizing Woodscrews. |
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| Patent 49749, 1865: September 5 | Frederick W. Goessling, "Improved Process for Making Syrup and Sugar from Indian Corn or other Grain." | 1 item (4 leaves). | Box 11, F107 |
| Patent 49750, 1865: September 5 | Box 11, F108 | ||
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Frederick W. Goessling, "Improved Method of Making Sugar from Indian Corn or Grain." 1 item (5 leaves). |
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| Patent 49751, 1865: September 5 | 1 item (5 leaves) | Box 11, F109 | |
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Frederick W. Goessling, "Improved Process for Making Syrup from Indian Corn or other Grain." |
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| Patent 49958, 1865: September 12 | 1 item (5 leaves) | Box 11, F110 | |
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August Samuel Leopold Leonhardt, "Improved Method of Preparing Aniline Colors for Dyeing and Printing." |
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| Patent 50495, 1865: October 17 | 1 item (6 leaves). | Box 11, F111 | |
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George H. Reed, "Improved Preparation and Manufacture of Dyes and Colors." |
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| Patent 83423, 1868: October 27 | 1 item (3 leaves) | Box 11, F112 | |
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Henry A. Tilden, "Improvement in the Manufacture of Vinegar." |
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| Patent 71256, 1867: November 19 | 1 item (3 leaves) | Box 11, F113 | |
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Charles P. Williams and George T. Lewis, "Improvement in the Manufacture of Phosphate of Soda and Other Products." |
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| Patent 61978, 1867: February 12 | 1 item ( 1 leaf) | Box 11, F114 | |
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Harry P. Witbeck, "Improvement in the Manufacture of Vinegar." |
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Series VIII. Manuscripts and illustration of Goux's public toilet system
| Two technical manuscripts and two folio illustrated litho-calligraphed prospectus regarding Goux's Public Toilet System and a plan for turning human waste into an odorless fertilizer | 4 items (18 pp.) | Box 11, F115 |
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The autograph and printed material are in French. There are two letters from Dussauce to Goux in his copy book (Series I.4, Box 4) |
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Series IX. Miscellaneous Material
Includes periodicals, book dealers' catalogs, illustrations, a program and a drawing.
| Printed Broadside | 1 item (1 leaf). | Box 11, F116 |
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Conservatoire Imperial des Artes and Metiers. "Programme des Cours. dont l'Ouveture aura lieu Dimanche 20 Novembre 1853-1854." |
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| Unidentified ink and watercolor drawing of a technical illustration | 1 item (1 leaf) | Box 11, F117 |
| Unidentified autograph pencil seating arrangement for a dinner, on cardboard | 1 item (1 leaf) | Box 11, F118 |
Printed. Book Dealers' Catalogues
Two in English, three in French. Some bear autograph markings, perhaps by Dussauce.
| Librarie Encyclopedique de Roret... , May 1868 | 1 item (70 pp.) | Box 11, F119 |
| Bibliotheque des Professions Industrielles et Agricoles (Lacroix) Collection de Guides Pratiques... , March 1866 | 1 item (36 pp.) | Box 11, F119 |
| Bibliotheque des Ingenieurs, des Architectes des chefs d'usines industrielles des eleves des ecoles Polytechnique et Professionnelles et des Agriculteurs...Lacroix | 1 item (71 pp.) | Box 11, F119 |
| Bailliere Brothers' third supplementary catalogue. Foreign & American Books, on Medicine, Anatomy, Surgery,.... , May 1864 | 1 item (18 pp.) | Box 11, F119 |
| Bailliere Brothers' First Supplementary Catalogue of Recent Foreign Books on Medicine, Anatomy, Surgery, Physiology, etc.... | 1 item (62 pp.) | Box 11, F119 |
Printed Periodicals
| Two copies of Revue des Cours Scientifiques de la France et de l'etranger , 1866: January 27, 1865: December 2 | 2 items (16 pp. and 20 pp.). | Box 11, F122 |
| Two copies of Bulletin de la Societe d'Encouragement pour l'Industrie Nationale , 1860: May and February | 2 items (ca. 70 leaves each) | Box 11, F122 |