History of Metallurgy: Smil & Smith Books

[Frabjous]

I am looking for a history of metallurgy. I have found two books that look interesting
Smil: Still the Iron Age
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0128042338/?tag=pfamazon01-20
Smith: A History of Metallography
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0262691205/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Does anyone have any other suggestions?

 

[Baluncore]

Title: De Re Metallica. Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556
Author: Georgius Agricola. Translator: Herbert Clark Hoover, Lou Henry Hoover
Release Date: November 14, 2011 [EBook #38015] Language: English
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/38015/38015-h/38015-h.htm

 

[diogenesNY]

Timing is everything!

Just giving this very subject a hit!

I am about halfway through _Metallurgy for the Non-Metallurgist_ by Harry Chandler. Second edition. (c)1998 ASM International, Fourth printing (2006).

Lots of history (from about 1900) and lots of science. Very fact laden and doesn't spare the technical details. I am really enjoying it. I know that there is a much expanded third edition, but you work with what is available. :)

Two books that I have just borrowed from the library (after over a year of non-access... what a relief!) are:

_Mining and Metallurgy in the Greek and Roman World_ by John F. Heally,
(c) 1978 Thames and Hudson, London. This book is part of the _Aspects of Greek and Roman Life_ series H.H. Scullard General Editor.

This book not only details history of metallurgy itself but includes such subjects as sources of ore minerals, mining, mine administration, uses and applications of metals over time.

and

_A history of Metallurgy_ by R.F. Tylecote, Second edition, (C) 1992 The Institute of Materials

This book starts off with neolithic metallurgy and brings things through to the present.

I have just started these two, and am only a handful of pages into either.

Both are very detailed and appear to go into meaningful depth, and are very fully footnoted I am really looking forward to getting hip deep into these.

--diogenesNY

 

[Frabjous]

Thanks. I guess I get to see see how fast interlibrary loan is working in the age of COVID.

One always has to beware of greatly expanded editions. Sometimes it merely dilutes the charm of the earlier edition.