Original decorated blue cloth with gold and black vignettes to front cover. Hinges still holding well for such a thick book. Paper over hinges also holding but just starting to wear slightly on front paper. Color chromolith frontis is bright VG. All 250 illustrations are present. There is a mild stain to bottom margin only throughout but nothing gross. Visible mostly to first few pages. This is the rare first edition so while it is very serviceable you may want to get an inexpensive paperback edition to read because it is a fascinating and well written account of Western America in 19th century.