Heading: (San Francisco Directory)
Author: Parker, James M.
Title: The San Francisco Directory for the Year 1852-53: Embracing a general directory of citizens; a street directory; a new and complete map of the city; and an appendix of general information, an almanac, etc. First Publication
Place Published: San Francisco
Publisher:Published by James M. Parker... Monson, Haswell & Co., Printers
Date Published: 1852
Description:

[4], 5-20 pp. ads (incl. front cover & endpapers); 20, [4], [31]-113, [1], 32 pp.; [4], 21-48, [4] ad pp. (incl. rear cover & endpapers); single blank leaves at front & rear as issued; 7 inserted advertisement leaves within the text. "View of San Francisco from the Bay" lithographed by J.J. Le Count inserted following title page; double-page map of San Francisco inserted before p.[31]. (8vo) 23.3x14.5 cm (9¼x5¾"), original calf-backed printed boards, expertly rebacked with original gilt-lettered spine strip laid on. First Edition.

Rare, early directory of San Francisco with an important map. H.H. Bancroft calls this "The first really excellent directory" of San Francisco, and notes that it had "about 9,000 names, prefaced by an historic sketch and an admirable plan of the city, followed by a valuable appendix of general information and statistics." Both Parker's directory and that of A.W. Morgan, each published in 1852, vie for the distinction of the second directory of San Francisco, following Kimball's small 1850 directory. The map is titled "Map of San Francisco, Compiled from latest Surveys & containing all late extensions & Divisions of Wards. Expressly for Parker's City Directory." It shows the northeastern part of today's city, south to Mission Creek and west to Larkin Street, with some outlying areas and expansion onto landfill. This is No. 21 in Warren Heckrotte's unpublished Preliminary List of Maps of San Francisco. Bancroft History of California, VI, p.787; Cowan p.273; Greenwood 351; Howes P79; Quebedeux 67; Rocq 7983; Sabin 76092. With early inscription on front board, "T.J. Nevins, Superintendent Public Schools," and on front pastedown, "Superintendent of Public Schools, San Francisco, Cala." Nevins is mentioned in the directory. Inscription on the front blank, "Presented to the Pacific Union Club Library by Mr. Eugene Lent, June 1924"; Lent's bookplate on the verso of that leaf, and also on the back of the inserted lithograph. There is only one auction record for the sale of this directory since 1975, according to American Book Prices Current, the Clifford copy in 1994, which sold for $3,000.

Some rubbing and wear to covers, boards showing through at corners; foxing and some darkening to contents (but only slightly affecting the map and view, those being on better paper, though there is faint offset to the view from the facing text); very good condition. 2/21/2017: NOTE: The collation of this book is very complex. The present copy collates the same as the listing in Quebedeaux, Prime Sources, with all the inserts and advertisements, and is complete.