Cement and How to Use It

Object NameBook

Author William A. Radford (American, 1865 - 1943)

Publisher The Radford Architectural Company (American (Chicago, IL))

Date1910

MediumPaper

Dimensions3 3/4 × 6 1/4 × 1 3/8 in. (9.5 × 15.9 × 3.5 cm)

ClassificationsBooks, Manuscripts, Documents, Personal Symbol & Correspondence

Credit LineGift of Debra Steilen. In the Farm House Museum Collection, Farm House Museum, University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Object number86.10.23

Status

On view

Collections

Books, Magazines, & Documents

CultureAmerican

Label TextAlthough commonplace in construction today, modern cement was still a relatively new innovation in the Victorian era, first developed in Germany in 1878. As cement quickly gained popularity in the United States as a durable and versatile building material, public interest in understanding its properties grew as well. Books such as Cement and How to Use It, published by the Radford Architectural Company of Chicago, provided readers with practical information on the many aspects of cement including how it was made, how to test its quality, and how to properly mix it for use. Complete with a dictionary of terms, the book offered a comprehensive introduction to one of the most transformative materials of the modern age, though at time the book can be a “hard read”. https://www.worldcementassociation.org/about-cement/our-history https://archive.org/details/cementandhowtou01radfgoog/mode/2up

Locations