A[lfred] E. Mathews. Pencil Sketches of Colorado, Its Cities, Principal Towns and Mountain Scenery. [New York: A. E. Mathews], 1866. First edition Mathews's first view book, with magnificent and incredibly accurate views of Colorado.

Oblong folio (13 x 18.5 inches; 328 x 470 mm.). [2, title (copyright notice on verso)], [2, preface (verso blank)], [8] pages of descriptive text. Complete with thirty-six views on twenty-three hand-finished, tinted lithographed plates (using multiple tint stones on each plate) printed by Julius Bien (who produced the second folio edition of Audubon's Birds of America), depicting the principal towns, settlements and scenes of Colorado, and the mining processes used in the early days (sixteen plates are full-page, four plates have two views each, and three plates have four views each). Modern quarter maroon morocco over modern maroon cloth boards. With the gilt title stamp cut from the original binding and laid down on the front cover. Smooth spine ruled, lettered, and dated in gilt. New endpapers and flyleaves. Small scuff mark on spine affecting gilt rules at foot; original gilt title vignette on front cover a little scuffed and with a small dark stain or hole. Lower corner darkened throughout; lower corner of title and the two following leaves strengthened on the verso; most leaves with some edge browning. Evidence of dampstaining apparently having been washed in the lower margin, with some abraded areas; additional dampstaining in the lower gutter of several plates. Frontispiece trimmed (to 10.375 x 16.625 inches; 264 x 421 mm.) and mounted on modern stock, with triangular paper repair (measuring approximately .375 x 2.125 inches) at lower left corner, two vertical creases from the top edge, and foxing, mostly in the lower right corner; with modern hand-coloring and heightening with gum arabic. "Garden of the Gods" ([plate 19]) with two-inch diagonal tear into the image from the gutter; "Monuments, Near Monument Creek" ([plate 20]) with two-and-one-half-inch tear into the image from the outer edge; and "Gulch Mining.-Colorado Gulch," "Spanish Arastra-On Clear Creek," "The Stamp Process.-Mr. Sensenderfer's Mill," and "Shaft or Lode Mining" ([plate 21]) with two-inch tear into the image from the top edge; several additional plates with short marginal tears; all tears repaired on the verso. In general, the lithographs are generally clean and free from the problems seen in the margins; only very occasionally does foxing or small areas of discoloration appear in the images.

Mathews writes in his Preface: "The author herewith offers to the public a collection of lithographed sketches of Colorado, embracing its Cities, and most of its Principal Towns, together with some of the beautiful Mountain Scenery which abounds in this incomparable territory...[My aim is] to represent that portion of the country to which interest is attached on account of the rich gold and silver mines; and, if possible, to give non-residents an idea of the beauty and grandeur of the natural scenery in the mountains, which will compare favorably, in this respect, with any in the world. This work is not intended to contain a history of the country, but only a short description to accompany the illustrations, it is mere a collection of lithographed sketches bound together for convenience, and being in book form it is necessary that some description of the country and localities represented should be given."

References: Bennett, page 72; Graff 2709; Howes M-413 ("c"); Reps, Views and Viewmakers, pp. 263-267; Streeter 2171 ("These views are celebrated for their documentary accuracy-apparently contemporary viewers could identify in the street views the rigs of various townspeople").