High View Publication

Encouraging Innovation in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries

The Society of Arts and Patents, 1754–1904

Author: James Harrison

Published by High View, Moorland Way, Gunnislake, Cornwall, PL18 9EX.

ISBN 0 948 802 41 3

£17.50 (UK p&p £3.50)

Available now (details below)

Description

Hardback, demi (140x220mm, 5.5x8.75ins), 242pp, 11 b&w illustrations, 1 colour jacket picture. Appx 100 pp text; appx 100pp notes, references and relevant reprinted articles; index of significant names.

Synopsis

The Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce was founded in 1754 with the object of stimulating innovation by offering awards, usually monetary. Patents had, of course, the same objective but at the time were not much favoured. From small beginnings the Society’s list of subjects for which awards were offered grew until in its annual “Premium Lists” it ran into many hundreds.

In order to fulfill its objectives the Society set up specialist committees, such as those of Chemistry, Manufactures and Mechanics. These committees determined subjects for reward, tested the merits of objects submitted for consideration and had the major say in the amount of each award offred and granted. Though these tasks were voluntary, time-consuming and often tedious, the committees attracted able members and became meeting grounds for people of like minds ready to share information and ideas. The Committee of Mechanics, for example, was dominated during the second half of the eighteenth century by civil engineers and during the first half of the nineteenth century by mechanical engineers.

However, by the end of the eighteenth century interest in the Society’s scheme was on the wane and patents (though still comparatively few) were becoming more numerous. By the 1830s the Society was near extinction; the patent system, on the other hand, was being used more extensively, although its archaic, slow and expensive procedures desperately needed reform.

A new lease of life was injected into the Society, however, in the 1840s, strongly supported by people with patent interests–engineers, chemists, patent agents and patent lawyers. In consequence, the rescusitated Society was able to provide such input to the patent reform movement that the 1852 Patent Law Amendment Act was referred to by some as the “Society of Arts” Act. During the remainder of the nineteenth century the Society went from strength to strength and remained at the centre of discussions on further improvements (still much needed) in patent law and procedures.

The Author

James Harrison was an Examiner at the U.K. Patent Office for approximately thirty-five years after qualifying as a chartered textile technogist and following ten years' industrial experience. He has been a member of the Royal Society of Arts for more than fifty years, many as a Fellow. He has been an active member of the RSA Historical Studies Groups for many years, and is a founder member for the William Shipley Group for RSA History (to where proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated). James Harrison has also been a member of the Newcomen Society for the Study of History of Engineering for 50 years.

Purchasing details

Book shops: Any good bookshop will be able to supply this through their normal channels: because the subject is of specialist interest it will probably have to be ordered.

Mail order: Cheque with order preferred - £21.00 (UK postage paid) to High View, Moorland Way, Gunnislake, Cornwall, PL18 9EX; payment via BACS to 09-06-66 ac 40971406 - allow seven days, send addressing information separately); other payment details here.

WWW orders: £21.00 (UK postage paid) pay by PayPal or Nochex to mail@highview.co.uk. Credit cards can only be accepted through this route - the payment method is secure, and does not require registration (more).

Trade: through normal trade supply channels, or contact Bernard Harrison (telephone 01 822 833 500, mail@highview.co.uk) for further information.

Marketing material

Dust jacket front
Dust jacket RHS
Dust jacket LHS

Any of the above information may be used by appropriate authorities for review or marketing purposes. Any further questions to Bernard Harrison at High View.


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