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Lysons, Daniel and Samuel Lysons, Magna Britannia; Being a Concise Topographical Account of The Several Counties of Great Britian.  London , Cadell and Davies, 1806 and 1810.  Volumes I and II, 4to’s, prize bindings, full polished calf lettered and heavily decorated in gilt, marbled edges, [xxi] 742pp. + errata sheet, 54 plates and maps, two of which are colored; [6] 296 [xxi], 297-889pp. + errata sheet, 70 maps and plates one of which is colored.  Volume one rear hinge starting, light shelfwear, plates mildly foxed, very good or better overall.  $450.00
A very handsomely bound set of Lyson’s exhaustive topographic history.  Volume one covering Bedfordshire,
Berkshire and Buckinghamshire with eleven unlisted plates.  Volume two relating to Cambridgeshire and Cheshire and containing two unlisted plates.

 

Humboldt, Alexander Researches, Concerning the Institutions and Monuments of the Ancient Inhabitants of America, with Descriptions & Views of Some of the Most Striking Scenes in the Cordilleras! London, Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme & Brown, 1814. 8vo, 2 vols in 1, ¾ morrocco over cloth, spine lettered and decorated in gilt, [iv] 411 [2] 324pp., 2 engraved pictorial title pages, 19 plates, 5 of which are hand colored, ex-libris, bookplate of Stuart W. Jackson. Covers detached, head of spine chipped, contents quite clean and tight, very good. ref: Sabin 33751. $500.00

First printing of the first English translation of Humboldt's archeological researches in Mexico, intended by the translator Helen Maria Williams to compliment Humboldt's important folio " Vues de Cordilleras". Sabin - "this translation of the text of the celebrated "Vues de Cordilleras" ia a valuable adjunct to the great folio of plates for students not familiar with the language of the original". In addition to the textual descriptions, Williams has reproduced 21 of the most important views and heiroglyphs, presented as 19 plates and 2 vignettes on either title page. A scarce and important early work on American archeology.

 

Dwight, Theodore Jr. The Northern Traveller and Northern Tour: with Routes to the Springs, Niagara, Quebec, The Tour of New-England, and the Routes From the South. With an Appendix, Containing The Western Traveller and Emigrant’s or Stranger’s Guide to the Valley of the Mississippi.
NY, Goodrich & Wiley, 1834. 5th edition, 16mo, modern cloth, 432pp., 15 of 19 maps and 11 of 12 plates Scattered foxing, one plate with small area of insect damage, overall clean and tight. $175.00
Ref: New Howes D-615.

 

Reed, William B., Proceedings of the Citizens of Philadelphia Relative To The Rail Road To Erie , And of the Convention At Williamsport , Lycoming County , PA.   Phila., J. Thompson, 1836.  8vo, wraps, folding map, 30pp.  Very light soiling and wear, nearly fine or better.  $400.00
Excessively scarce and early railroad prospectus issued to promote commercial communication between
Philadelphia and Lake Erie .  Inscribed by Wm. B. Reed, who authored and presented the proposition to Philadelphia citizens, to Charles B.Trego Esq[uire].  Reed was one of four original committee members and in 1838 was appointed Pennsylvania Attorney General, served a term in the state senate and later became Philadelphia District Attorney (see DAB).  Charles Trego was, at the time, a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and later served as state Geologist.

 

Rare Philadelphia Imprint in Fine Binding

Annual Report of the Watering Committee for the Year 1839, To The Select And Common Council of the City of Philadelphia. Phila., L.R. Bailey, 1840. Tall 8vo, signed binding in ¾ morocco over patterned silk, gilt embossed morocco label of T.Leaming Smith Esq., 44pp. Spine very lightly rubbed otherwise fine. This edition not cited by Sabin 62371. $275.00
Detailed accounts of expenditures, activities and income primarily relating to the Fairmont Water Works. Very handsomely bound for T.Leaming Smith Esq. Who was one of eight Watering Committee mambers at the time.

 

Miner, William Penn, History of Wyoming, in a Series of Letters. Phila., J.Crissy, 1845. 8vo, modern buckram, ex-library, [ix] 488 [2] 104pp. 2 plates, 1 only of two maps, 1st edition. Light scattered foxing, library markings, folding map repaired, about very good. $100.00
Sabin - "The most complete of all the histories of this valley, which has been the scene of many tragic events. It includes a copy of Lt. Col. Adam Hubley's Journal on the Western Expedition against the Indians under the Command of Major General Sullivan, 1779".
Ref; Sabin 49200; New Howes M-641

 

Report of the Commissioner of Patents for the Year 1843. House Doc.No.177, 28th Congress, 1st Session. [bound with] Report of the Commissioner of Patents for the Year 1844. Wash., Blari & Rives, 1844-45. 8vo, speckled calf over marbled boards, 520 335pp, numerous text cuts. Extremities showing light wear, scattered foxing, very good or better. $250.00
Much on Samuel Morse's Electromagnetic Telegraph with illustrations and seminal account of the first practical application between Baltimore and Washington. Morse applied for and was granted patent in 1844 for his work which would play a pivotal role in western expansion.

 

Shattuck, Lemuel Report of the Committee of the City Council Appointed to Obtain the Census of Boston for the Year 1845. Boston, J.H. Eastburn, 1846. 8vo, embossed green cloth, [vii] 179, 95pp., 2 large folding maps. Near Fine overall.  $375.00
Lengthy report compiling the results of said census with 95 pages devoted to ward boundary descriptions and 80 pages of tables. 18" x 16" steel engraved map by G.W. Boynton titled, A New and Complete Map of the City of Boston with Part of Charlestown, Cambridge & Roxbury. From The Latest Authorities bound at front and 18" x 20.5" lithographed map titled Sketch of the States of Massachusetts, Connecticut, & Rhode Island and Parts of New Hampshire & New York exhibiting the several Rail Road Routes Completed, Constructing, Chartered & Completed. Both maps were issued separately.
Ref: Sabin 79883; Modelski(US) 100.

 

Rockwell, John H., Canal Or Railroad Between The Atlantic And Pacific Oceans. 30th Congress, 2nd Session, Report No.145.  Washington, n.p., 1849.  8vo, full calf, [5] 678pp., 9 folding maps, Library of Congress duplicate.  Covers worn and scuffed, front hinge starting, spine heavily chipped, internally clean and tight, good or better overall.  $250.00
John Rockwell’s lengthy and elusive report concerning debates over proposed Trans-Oceanic communication routes, the issue again re-ignited following the acquisition of Upper California and New Mexico.  Also contains J.H. Alexander’s Memoir on inter-oceanic communication and Robert Mills proposal for a railroad from the Mississippi Valley to the Pacific coast with Mill’s map derived from Whitney.   Mill’s report is one of the earliest government publications proposing a Pacific railroad. Eight additional folding maps showing proposed canal routes across Central America.

 

Baldwin, Thomas and J. Thomas M.D., A New & Complete Gazetteer of the United States.  Phila., Lippincott, Grambo & Co., 1854.  8vo, full calf, folding colored map, 1364pp., marbled edges.  Covers lightly worn, scattered foxing, map with one outer fold toned and small area of loss in Illinois, bright color, about very good overall.  $375.00
Details

Fine Suite of Michigan Geological Maps

Jackson, C.T. Report on the Geological and Mineralogical Survey of the Mineral lands of the United States in the State of Michigan. Wash., SED 1, 31st Cong., 1st session, 1849. 8vo, ½ leather & marbled boards, 371-1215pp., 6 hand colored maps, 5 uncolored maps and 11 plates. Boards showing some wear and light worming, light internal foxing, about very good+ overall.  $275.00
US Geologist C.T. Jackson's important report on the mineral lands of upper Michigan. Large hand colored geological maps by Jackson and Foster and Whitney Also contains 241pp Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Although Hazen & Hazen call for 26 plates and 6 maps, this copy collates to Steeter, Karpinski and Marcou. Much more complete collation than usually seen for this work
.Ref: Marcou 356-60, 326-66,369; Karpinski 758-72; Streeter(MI) 6685; Hazen &Hazen 5655; Phillips(M) p.426

 

Tigre Island and Central America. House Ex.Doc. No.75, 31st Congress, 1st Session. Wash., GPO, 1850. 8vo, crude cloth, 328pp, 5 folding maps some colored. Text dampstained throughout, covers crudely rebacked, maps lightly toned with a few tears, good.$175.00
Documents relative to the British seizure of Tigre Island and the so-called Mosquito Kingdom. The folding maps are of cartographic interest particularly James Wyld's 22.5" x 32" Map of Central America shewing the Different Lines of Atlantic & Pacific Communication, lithographed by E. Weber and colored in wash and outline. John Disturnell found Wyld's map interesting enough to publish a very slightly modified copy under his name in 1851

 

Kane, Elisha Kent The U.S. Grinnell Expedition in Search of Sir John Franklin. A Personal Narrative.
NY, Harper & Brothers, 1854. 2nd edition, 8vo, gilt embossed cloth, frontis, 552pp., 12 plates, 3 maps one of which is folding. Ex-lib with markings. Spine ends reinforced with binder’s tape, otherwise clean and tight, very good. $150.00
Ref: Sabin 36998

 

Bartlett, William H., The History of The United States of America .  NY & London, George Virtue, c.1856/57.  Vols II & III only of III, royal 8vo, ¾ leather over pictorial cloth, aeg, 720, 726pp, 12, 33 plates.  Nearly fine or better.  $150.00 Volumes two and three of Bartlett ’s popular history very handsomely bound.
Ref: Sabin 3788

 

Marcy's Pikes Peak Gold Region

Marcy, Randolph B. The Prairie Traveler. A Hand-Book For Overland Expeditions. NY, Harper & Brothers, 1859. 1st edition, 16mo, modern cloth, teg, frontis, 340pp, 15 plates, folding map linen backed. Ex-lib Newberry Library with their markings and bookplate. Light Shelf wear, very good or better.  $600.00

Marcy's important travel guide composed from his notes and experiences in the west containing a wealth of minute detail. The map of the Pikes Peak Gold Region is, according to Wheat, "one of the best that appeared that year.." The large map shows with excellent accuracy the routes west at this time. A scarce and essential work on the Colorado Gold Region with desirable provenance.
Ref: Sabin 44514; New-Howes M-278; Wagner-Camp 335:1; Graff 2676; Streeter 2123; Wheat(TM) 984, 985.

 

Massachusetts , Report Of A Commission Appointed to Consider A General System of Drainage for the Valleys of Mystic, Blackstone, and Charles Rivers, Massachusetts , U.S.A.   Boston , Wright & Potter, 1886.  8vo, embossed cloth, [lxxxiv] 243pp., 6 photographic plates, 22 folding color maps and plans.  $75.00
Exhaustive preliminary report considering sewage system improvements to alleviate water pollution troubles.  Many large detailed regional maps.

City of Boston, Municipal Register: Containing The City Charter, The Rules And Orders Of The City Council, And A List of Officers of the City of Boston for the year 1869.  Boston, Alfred Mudge & Son, 1869.  8vo, gilt embossed cloth, large folding colored map, 218pp + 2 folding plates.  Covers and text clean and bright, folding map very clean and bright with small tear at binding stub, nearly fine overall.  $300.00
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[Transportation] International Railway Commission, Surveys and Explorations Central and South America. Wash., A. Hoen & Co., 1891-1898. 4to's, uniform red cloth, 3 vols in 4 parts + 3 portfolios, 1,300+pp., 121 photographic plates, 271 folding color maps and sections, 1 folding panorama, 32 folding tables. Ex-library, some light wear and soiling, text, maps and plates are quite clean. 1 of 1,770 copies distributed in the US. $500.00
The proposed Intercontinental Railway was to provide a line of communication from New York City to Buenos Aires, covering some 10,500 miles. This monumental survey effort details nearly 4,500 miles of Central and South American topography from Ayutla, Guatemala to Cuzco,Peru, representing the full extent of the official survey. 2,390 sets of the commissions report were printed with only 1,770 copies being distributed in the United States.

 



 

 

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