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Author: Forbes, Alexander
Title: 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, &c...
Place Published: London
Publisher:Smith, Elder and Co.
Date Published: 1839
Description:

xvi, 352 pp. Illustrated with 10 lithographed plates including the frontispiece, 8 of them from drawings by William Smythe; folding map with hand-coloring in outline (8vo) 22.2x13.5 cm. (8¾x5¼"), original blindstamped cloth. First Edition.

First edition of the first book printed in English to relate exclusively to California. The Zamorano 80 notes that, in addition, it "is remarkable for the fact that the author did not see California until long after its publication. The book was written from descriptions furnished by his agents in California... The author of the book was a partner of Barron, Forbes & Company of Tepic, Mexico, owners of the New Almaden mine in California. The publication of the book was supervised by the author's brother, John, in London. Forbes California has always been considered reliable and accurate." The map, "The Coasts of Guatimala and Mexico from Panama to Cape Mendocino with the Principal Harbours in California," shows California north & south, Mexico, etc. (including of course Texas, Florida, & most of Western U.S.) and has insets of Bodega Bay, San Francisco Harbour, San Diego, Monterey, Santa Barbara & San Gabriel, was specifically made for this book. It measures 37x49 cm. There were 32 ad pages at the end of some but apparently not all copies, not called for by Howes and not present in the current copy. Howes does call for an errata leaf facing p.339, not present here, and also not present in a number of other copies we have examined, with no signs of removal. Cowan p.217; Graff 1377; Howes F242; Zamorano Eighty 38

Spine sunned, top edges of covers slightly so, some rubbing to ends and corners; light foxing to preliminary leaves and plate margins, minor ill-creasing to map; very good or better, much nicer than usually found.