COMBRUNE, Michael.

£750 · Offered by Peter Harrington · No longer available

An Enquiry into the Prices of Wheat, Malt, and occasionally of Other Provisions, of Land and Cattle, &c. First edition of this compendium of English historical food prices. Adam Smith had a copy in his library. A Dublin edition was published in 1769. Combrune (died 1773) was a pioneering brewer who introduced scientific methods to the craft, and in 1758 published a history of brewing. Provenance: Francis Ferrand Foljambe (1749-1814), MP for Yorkshire (1784) and Higham Ferrers (180 to 1807), with his stamp on the title page; "J. Hewett" signature on title page, presumably Foljambe's father-in-law John Hewett (1721-1787), MP for Nottinghamshire (1747 to 1784) - Foljambe's wife, Mary, was Hewett's sole heir. Both men were major landowners and would have had an interest in grain prices.

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