“A History of Inventions, Discoveries, and Origins” is one of the best-known works by the German scientific author Johann Beckmann in which he relates the origin, history and recent condition of the various machines, utensils, etc., employed in trade and for domestic purposes. This work entitles Beckmann to be regarded as the founder of scientific technology, a term which he was the first to use in 1772.
Volume 1:
Italian Book-keeping
Odometer
Machine for noting down Music
Refining Gold and Silver Ore by Quicksilver
Cold or Dry Gilding
Gold Varnish
Tulips
Canary Bird
Archil
Magnetic Cures
Secret Poison
Wooden Bellows
Coaches
Water-clocks, Clepsydras
Tourmaline
Speaking-trumpet
Ananas, Pine-apple
Sympathetic Ink Diving-bell
Coloured Glass, Artificial Gems
Sealing-wax
Corn-mills
Verdigris, or Spanish Green
Saffron
Alum
Falconry
Turf
Artichoke
Saw-mills
Stamped Paper
Insurance
Adulteration of Wine
Artificial Pearls
Paving of Streets
Collections of Natural Curiosities
Chimneys
Hungary Water
Cork
Apothecaries
Clocks and Watches
Quarantine
Paper-hangings
Kermes, Cochineal
Writing-pens
Wire-drawing
Buck-wheat
Saddles
Stirrups
Horse-shoes
Floating of Wood
Lace
Ultramarine
Cobalt, Zaffer, Smalt
Turkeys
Butter
Aurum Fulminans
Garden-flowers
Volume 2:
The Steam-Engine, and Discoveries of J. Watt
Lending and Pawnbroking
Chemical Names of Metals
Zinc
Carp
Camp-mills
Mirrors
Glass-cutting, Etching on Glass
Soap
Madder
Jugglers, Rope-dancers, Automata…
Artificial Ice. Cooling Liquors
Hydrometer
Lighting of Streets
Night-watch
Plant-skeletons
Bills of Exchange
Tin. Tinning
Sowing-machines
Manganese
Prince Rupert's Drops, Lacrymæ Vitreæ
Fire-engines
Indigo
Vanes, Weathercocks
Gilding
Fur Dresses
Steel
Stamping-works
Kitchen Vegetables
Knitting Nets and Stockings, Stocking-Loom
Hops
Black Lead
Sal-Ammoniac
Forks
Lottery, Tontine
Bologna Stone
Foundling Hospitals
Orphan Houses
Infirmaries, Hospitals for Invalids, Field Lazarettos
Cock-fighting
Saltpetre, Gunpowder, Aquafortis
Book-censors
Exclusive Privilege for Printing Books
Catalogues of Books
Ribbon-Loom
Guns, Gun-Locks
