David Spilman Fine Books

California Gringos; [California cattle ranch life]

Torchiana, H. A. Van Coenen

San Francisco: Paul Elder and Company, 1930. Very Good in Very Good dust-jacket First Edition. SIGNED by author, [7.5x5.25in] [5], 281 pp., frontispiece of Torchiana as a Ranch Superintendent, 20 plates of 22 black and white images; Dark blue cloth covers with gilt lettering on spine; Cream dust jacket with black lettering on front and spine, image of Torchiana on front; Minimal shelf wear to edges and corners in rubbing, slight age toning of text, singed by Torchiana on front end paper; Some Shelf wear to dust jacket with small chips top and bottom of spine, edges, and corners, darken spine with some soiling and rub markings on surfaces, not price clipped. [Six-Guns 2226, The Rampaging Herd 2313, Cowan64 p 641. Item #13920

H. A. Van Coenen Torchiana (1867-1940) was a native of the Netherlands, immgrated to America to see the West and become a lawyer. In 1913 he was appointed to as Consul General in San Francisco. Before the appointment, he was a working cowboy and became a manager on large cattle ranches in California. This book is his story in the early years as a cowboy and life in California late 1800's to early 1900's. The book also contains material on Joaquin Murieta, Black Bart, Chris Evans, the Sontags and other California outlaws. It is also a cultural history of the changes in population from the early Spanish settlers to the rise of the Gringos.

Price: $175.00