1798 Boston Printing of Kyd on Bills of Exchange
Kyd, Stewart. A TREATISE ON THE LAW OF BILLS OF EXCHANGE AND PROMISSORY NOTES. THE FIRST AMERICAN, FROM THE THIRD LONDON, EDITION. WITH CONSIDERABLE ADDITIONS. Boston: Printed by Manning & Loring, for S. Hall [et al.], 1798. 12mo, contemporary full tan calf; spine ruled in gilt; red spine label, gilt; board edges hatched in blind. xii, 288, (2) pages. Front board nearly detached; binding worn, but still intact. Very good. The first American edition of a significant work on the economic theories behind bills of exchange and promissory notes, and their place in commerce alongside banknotes, bank drafts and cash notes. Kyd (d. 1811) was a lawyer, and based his Treatise heavily on legal precedents, which are amply cited within. He is perhaps best remembered for developing the legal definition of corporations and giving birth to the field of corporate law. This is a remarkably fine specimen of an early American imprint on a topic of considerable importance to students of paper money. Appears to be considerably scarcer than the second American edition, published in 1800 in Albany. Evans 33971.