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1787 Rhode Island Almanac - Eclipse Wood Cut

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Colonial America

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1787 Rhode Island Almanac Featuring a Lovely "Eclipse" Wood Cut

1787 "The North-American Calendar or, The Rhode-Island Almanack," Published by Benjamin West, Printed by Bennett Wheeler, Providence, RI, Choice Very Fine.
This 7" x 4", 24-page almanac includes a woodcut print of an eclipse on page 2, and charts that describe upcoming eclipses for 1787: "This Year there will be Six Eclipses, Three of the Sun, and Three of the Moon..." The woodcut diagrams the different positions of the Sun and Moon in relation to the Earth at different times of the year. Colonial Almanacs frequently contained illustrations of either "Man of Signs", the farmer's labors in each month, or astronomical woodcuts, such as eclipses and celestial movements. This example is a rather crude but detailed rendering, helping make the text more understandable to readers--another example of how woodcut images helped define colonial and post-colonial life in the Americas. Opposite the eclipse woodcut is a Table of the Weight and Value of Coins!

Brown-toned pages, worn edges, but very crisp printing overall, by Bennett Wheeler (1756-1806), who earlier partnered with Solomon Southwick of Rhode Island on printing the "American Journal and General Advertiser" (1779-1781).

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