Here is a creepy, crawly subject: A natural history of spiders, and other curious insects. The author is Eleazar Albin, and the book was published in 1736. Albin was an artist and his drawings are the most notable aspect of this work. $2,900.

John Smeaton's first project as a civil engineer was the Eddystone Lighthouse, located offshore from Plymouth, England. Smeaton's was actually the third of four Eddystone lighthouses, the first two destroyed by storm and fire. The Smeaton edition was finished in 1759 and stood for over a century, until the rocks beneath it caused the structure to become unstable. It was dismantled and rebuilt as a monument in Plymouth, though the bottom of it is still visible next to the current lighthouse. In 1791, Smeaton published his account: A narrative of the building and a description of the construction of the Eddystone lighthouse... $16,800.

Antiquariat Banzhaf may be reached at 0049 (0)7071 552314 or by email at Antiquariat-Banzhaf@t-online.de.