If you're shopping for a vintage reference volume in the magazines textbooks reference space, the question isn't whether old engineering directories are interesting - it's whether a 1,178-page 1942 guide still earns a place on your shelf at USD 89.99. This edition from the Domestic Engineering Company bundles a directory, an air conditioning blue book, and coverage of plumbing, heating, refrigeration, and insulation into one heavy, boxed set.
Quick Verdict
For collectors of mid-century trade references, this is a substantial artifact: first edition, box set, Like New condition, and 1,178 pages. It's less useful as a modern technical manual, so your decision rests on whether you value historical reference material over current-day practicality.
Who It Suits
This suits adult learners, educators, and researchers who want a slice of 1942 engineering and trade publishing, not current installation codes. It's categorized as a textbook for adult and further education, which makes sense for someone studying the history of building systems or collecting early trade directories.
What Stands Out From the Listed Details
The scale is obvious: 11 by 9 by 3 inches, 5 pounds. The blue book framing combines an engineering directory with air conditioning specifics, while also folding in plumbing, heating, refrigeration, and insulation. The publisher's own categorization places it in textbooks for adult and further education, and the 1st edition box set collection angle makes it attractive to collectors. The Like New condition suggests careful handling over the decades, which is meaningful for a book of this age.
DOMESTIC ENGINEERING DIRECTORY and AIR CONDITIONING BLUE BOOK SEE DETAILS
At USD 89.99, the draw is having the complete 1942 single-volume reference with 1,178 pages in one boxed set. The limitation is age: it's an intermediate-level historical textbook, not a guide to current air conditioning or heating standards. If you're buying it for content you can apply today, you'll be disappointed; if you're buying it as a collectible piece of engineering publishing history, it holds real appeal.
Meaningful Trade-Offs
You're paying for rarity and condition, not updated practicality. The Like New condition and first-edition status matter if you collect. The 1942 publication date means the technical content reflects wartime-era systems and materials, so anyone expecting contemporary code references will need to look elsewhere. At the same time, the boxed set format and heavy 5-pound build give it a presence that a later paperback reprint just wouldn't match.
Bottom Line
If you're assembling a reference library and appreciate early trade directories, the 1942 Domestic Engineering Directory and Air Conditioning Blue Book is a defensible buy at USD 89.99. Just know you're purchasing a collectible textbook, not a contemporary field guide. The decision comes down to whether you want a working manual or a piece of engineering history - and for the right buyer, this boxed set delivers on the history.
