Draper’s Chemistry Textbook — With Virginia Provenance -
Note the comment on back page "this is a horrid class"
Title: A Textbook on Chemistry
Author: John William Draper, M.D., LL.D.
Published: c.1840s (likely early American school edition)
Binding: Original leather spine with black title label “Draper’s Chemistry”
Description:
A remarkable survivor of early American science education—an original 19th-century chemistry textbook authored by John William Draper (1811–1882), one of the pioneering figures in American scientific research and education. Draper was a physician, chemist, and early photographer, widely known for taking one of the first human photographs and for his groundbreaking work in photochemistry.
What makes this particular copy especially significant is its Virginia connection. Draper served as Professor of Chemistry and Natural Philosophy at Hampden–Sydney College, Virginia, before going on to found the Medical Department of the University of the City of New York (now NYU). His early teaching in Virginia helped lay the groundwork for scientific education in the South.
The handwritten student notes and humorous marginal comments inside this volume indicate that it was actually used in a mid-19th-century chemistry class, most likely in Virginia. Several inscriptions refer to classmates and lecture dates from the 1840s, giving the book a tangible link to the region’s educational history—possibly even a school that adopted Draper’s text following his Hampden–Sydney tenure.
Condition:
Well-used with age-toned pages, foxing, and chipping to boards and spine; front and back covers partially detached but text block complete. Numerous period ink inscriptions and annotations from students—an authentic glimpse into 19th-century classroom life.
Historical Importance:
Draper’s chemistry texts were among the first American works to integrate experimental science with philosophical reflection, influencing scientific education at major universities including Hampden–Sydney, the University of Virginia, and NYU. His Virginia years shaped his teaching methods and his later emphasis on laboratory-based learning.
