hard-to-find, out of print, profusely illustrated catalogue of r. williamson and company featuring electric and combination gas fixtures, lighting supplies, brass fittings, and iron pipeworks. the brown buckram cloth cover is embossed with silver metallic colored, turn-of-the-century typography and early 1900's graphic design elements. the issue has a "stippled edge", in which the exposed edges of the leaves have been sprayed with red dye. there is evidence of dampstaining, impacting the coloration of the fabric cover, but the typography of the title remains unaffected. the base of the interior leaves also appear to have some dampstaining which caused some open tearing. however, this is only present at the foot of the book, primarily impacting only the manufacturer’s title block on the affected leaves. the spine does contain tears along with light rubbing at the head and base, and legibly reads “r. williamson & co., catalogue 17,” in silver metallic embossed print. the sewn and stapled linen binding is sound with no missing pages. there is some oxidation staining from the staples, visible only on the front free endpaper. the verso cover displays a stunning embossed vintage architectural rendering (over 13 inches) of the r. williamson & co. factory, opened in the 1882 on randolph street in chicago, illinois. the lightly coated, glossy interior leaves are in fair condition overall. nearly every page is ornately illustrated with the wide variety of gas lamp related products sold by the company. collectors interested in historical glasswork, metal work, and antique architectural lighting will value the exquisitely detailed images, both photographic and carefully drafted to design specifications. multiple pages are illustrated in full color, showcasing several individual products, including the brilliantly colored glass lampshades of the era. the introduction includes specifications on architectural finishes.