Weingart George W. Pyrotechnics

2-nd Editions. 1947. — 247 p.
As this is written George Weingart has been dead over five decades. His place in the history of fireworks is assured by the written record he left behind. conjecture concerning his actual proficiency in the art of pyroteclmy notwithstanding. Some have gone as far as to saddle Mr. VVeingait with the moniker. Father of American Fireworks. Others. more restrained. merely appreciate that he made a reasonable effort to document American fireworks practices as they existed during his time.
Some would say that W eingart’s time was a golden age for American fireworks. This may well be true at least with respect to social attitudes and legal regulations. Also. the period following the First World W'ar brought many technical innovations to the pyrotechnist’s art: the introduction of aluminum and magnesium powders and other innovations brought significant. if incremental alterations in fireworks making. Of course. some of these innovations came with hidden costs. In particular. the uses of aluminum and phosphorus precipitated a marked increase in the dangers accompanying the production and use of many fireworks.
Weingart’s Pyrotechnics provides a valuable historical record of practices at that time. Readers are cautioned to consult modern and authoritative sources concerning formulations and processes recorded in this book. While many are just as useful as when they were published. others can not be recommended. The reader may note that several formulae rendered in this text differ from those found in other editions of Weingart’s pyrotechnics. These changes is not by error or by chance: rather they are corrections of mistakes that can likely be attributed to careless editing or typesetting on the part of the previous publisher.