MOORE SCHOOL LECTURES – Theory and Techniques for Design of Electronic Digital Computers. Vols I–III. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Moore School of Electrical Engineering, 10 September 1947; 1 November 1947; 30 June 1948.

First edition of the first student lectures on computers. Between July and August 1946, the Moore School at the University of Pennsylvania hosted a special lecture series on the construction of electronic digital computers—a first of its kind offered to students anywhere in the world. “Under the auspices of the Office of Naval Research, U.S. Navy, and the Ordinance Department, U.S. Army”, Carl. C. Chambers writes in his preface to the first edition, then supervisor of research at the Moore School (and later dean), “Invitations were sent asking those who were known to be actively engaged in the field of high-speed computing to present coordinated lectures to the class. […] Twenty-eight students attended from twenty organizations.” The lecturers included John Van Neumann and among the students was Maurice Wilkins. As the nascent filed of digital computing was changing rapidly, the Moore School “were extremely anxious to publish the lectures as soon as possible”. The present edition was created by compiling lecture summaries and by transcribing wire recordings of the lectures. Due to the Moore School Lectures, Harvard hosted the first conference on computers the following year.

Three volumes, quarto (276 × 215mm). First three vols (of four), containing lecture nos. 1–33. 14 photographic plates of early computers, many diagrams, tables and charts, some full-page (light toning, occasional small creases). Original quarter black cloth over paper wrappers printed in black and red (cloth rubbed, peeling from spine heads and tails, marks on vol. I back wrapper, surface tears on vol. III wrappers); archival box within red cloth box.

War Department, Philadelphia (stamps on vol. 2 back wrapper (“Received 25 April 1949”) and vol. 3 upper wrapper verso (“Received 12 Aug 1948”)
Lawrence Freedman (stamp on vol. 1 front flyleaf)
Serge Roube (sale, Sotheby’s, New York, 17 December 2019, lot 40)