Early Days of California:; Embracing What I Saw and Heard There, with Scenes in the Pacific
Philadelphia: John E. Potter and Company, 1862. Very Good. Later Edition. [7.5x5.25in], vi, 314 pp., [15] advertisements, 20 illustrated plates; Original dark black-green cloth covers with gilt lettering and illustration on spine, embossed borders on front and rear covers all edges trimmed; Some shelf wear to covers, dark green cloth tape repairs to edges, corners, and top and bottom of spine, cloth tape repair to rear and part of front joints, front and rear hinge repaired, lacking front free end papers, title page misprint of author's name as "J. T. Farnham", missing lower corner of p.121, text has slight age toning and no foxing. [Wagner 107:14, Cowan p. 203, Howes F49]. Item #14461
Thomas Jefferson Farnham [1804-1848] was an explorer and author of the American West. From Wagner, this book is a later edition of the “Pictorial Editions” that were produced mostly after Farnham’s death to meet the public’s curiosity and demand for information about California between 1849 to 1855. It is embellished with stock printers woodcuts with more or less relevant captions.
This book is a later edition that has a number of old non-archival repairs that has strengthen the hinges and covers for a very solid book. The text and illustration are very nice with only a few spots. The advertisements at the rear are interesting and not your usual publisher listings.
Price: $65.00