David Spilman Fine Books

California: A History of Upper and Lower California From their First Discovery to the Present Time; Comprising an account of the Climate, Soil, Natural productions, Agriculture, Commerce, etc. A Full View of the Missionary Establishments and Condition of the Free and Domesticated Indians. With an Appendix relating to Harbors and Steam Navigation in the Pacific [Reprint of 1839 edition]

Forbes, Alexander [Thomas C. Russell, Ed]

San Francisco: The Private Press of Thomas C. Russell, 1919. Near Fine. First Edition. William Smythe, Illus. Signed by Publisher, #184 of 250 limited printing [10.5x7.5in]; [5], 5a-10a [Forward], xvi, 372 pp.,10 lithographic color plates, including frontispiece of Father Antonio Peyri, woodcut illustration in text, fold out colored map of Pacific Coast from Panama to Cape Mendocino with insets of principal harbors [14.5x19.25in neatline], appendices, index; Original tan linen spine over tan paper on boards, paper spine label with black lettering and red rules, top edge gilt, other edges untrimmed, tan end papers, tipped in duplicate spine label on rear end paper; Minimal shelf wear to edges and covers with slight wear to corners, spine label darken with age, rubbing on spine label with minor loss of lettering, small closed tear repaired at map lower hinge, prior owner pencil signature, Elizabeth Gray Potter, on front end paper. [References for 1839 edition, Cowan, 217, Graff 1377, Sloan-Volkmann Zamorano 80 38a]. Item #13788

Alexander Forbes (1778-1862) was a Scottish merchant, explorer and author. The 1839 edition was the first book by an English writer and published in English on California. Forbes was a merchant and British Counsel in Tepic, Mexico. As a long time resident of Mexico, he saw the continued lack of interest by the young Mexican government and the understood the potential importance of Baja and Alta California to expanding British Control down the West coast. He advised the British to acquire California in exchange for forgiveness of Mexican debt, however that option was closed after the Mexican-American war (1846-48) and ceding of California and other western territories to the United States. Hubert Bancroft wrote regarding the narrative as “a presentation by an intelligent man of business of the country’s actual condition, capabilities, institutions, and prospects.” The lithographic plates were from William Smyth’s water colors when he was an artist with F. W. Beechey’s Bering Strait and West Coast expedition in the Blossom, 1825-28. and printed by Russell for this 1919 edition [From Gary Kurutz’s review in Volkmann]

Elizabeth Gray Potter was a San Francisco author, historian and long time member and Fellow of the California Historical Society and editor of the Quarterly in the 1940's.

Russell was a long standing printer, publisher and author in San Francisco from the mid-1880's to his death in 1931. This book and his many other books are beautifully written, designed and printed. His research has added to the history of California and the exploration of the Pacific Northwest. The printings were always limited, and the early books were numbered, signed with handwritten annotations by Russell. Later books were haphazardly numbered and/or signed by others that acquired his stock after his death.

Price: $500.00