Cantell Bigly (13 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Bruce Conner (illustrator). 1st Edition, Limited Edition. Aurifodina or Adventures in the Gold Region A fantastical '49er novel. by Cantell A. Bigly (G.W. Peck); James D. Hart (Preface) illustated by Bruce Conner, black cloth with gilt, limited print run of 400 copies. Published by The Book Club of California, 1974.

PAP. Condition: New. New Book. Shipped from UK. Established seller since 2000.

PAP. Condition: New. New Book. Shipped from UK. Established seller since 2000.

HRD. Condition: New. New Book. Shipped from UK. Established seller since 2000.

HRD. Condition: New. New Book. Shipped from UK. Established seller since 2000.

First Edition. First Edition. Very Good to Near Fine condition.

Hardcover. Condition: Near fine. First thus. Octavo.First Thus. 103pp. Preface by Professor James D. Hart. Collage illustrations by Bruce Conner. Black Cloth; gilt front cover and spine titling. One of 400 un-numbered copies printed in San Francisco at the Press of Andrew Hoyem. A reprint of the 1849 first American novel dealing with the California Gold Rush. Prospectus laid-in. This copy belonged to Tom Andrews, retired executive director of the Historical Society of Southern California with his bookplate on paste-down.

Black Buckram. Condition: As New. Bruce Conner (illustrator). Limted to 400 Copies. Black Buckram. As New. Limted to 400 Copies. 8vo. 104p.

Cloth. Condition: Fine. No Jacket. Bruce Conner (illustrator). First Edition. 104 pp. Beautiful little fine press book. Limited edition of 400 copies printed in San Francisco at the press of Andrew Hoyem. Bookplate of John Haskell Kemble on front paste-down.

Hardcover. Condition: Very fine. Limited to 400 copies printed by Andrew Hoyem. 104pp. Illustrations. Gilt-stamped and decorated black cloth. A fine copy. Inscribed to Kevin Starr by the author. Reprint of this Gold Rush era fantasy/satire, the first American novel dealing with the California Gold Rush. The extremely rare first edition was published in 1849. ".Peck's book has the distinction of being the first novel based on the Gold Rush. He copyrighted the work on February 1, 1849. The setting created by Peck is the mythical city of 'Aurum,' situated in the Sierra Nevada" (Kurutz). "A satiric extravaganza" (Sabin). [Kurutz: 490-b]. Signed by Author(s). Book.

Paperback. Condition: New. Print on Demand. This book recounts the remarkable adventures of the author, a hunter who, after uncovering tales of a gold-rich region, sets off on a perilous quest to find it. Upon reaching his destination, he stumbles upon a subterranean realm inhabited by a civilization far more advanced and prosperous than his own, where gold is the most common and unremarkable of materials. The author becomes a guest of the royal family and, through conversations with the prince, learns of the nation's history, laws, and cultural values. He discovers a society that, despite its material wealth, places the utmost importance on virtues such as temperance, kindness, and intellectual pursuits. Through the author's observations and interactions, this book explores themes of cultural relativism, the value of simplicity, and the pursuit of happiness in a world unmotivated by material gain. Overall, it offers a captivating and thought-provoking exploration of an alternate society and its implications for our own. This book is a reproduction of an important historical work, digitally reconstructed using state-of-the-art technology to preserve the original format. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in the book. print-on-demand item.

12mo, pp. [1-3] 4 [5] 6-103 [104: blank] [105-108: ads], original drab boards, no spine label. First edition. One of the earliest American lost race novels, and the first novel written by an American to be set in California. Seeking a route through the Sierra Nevada, the narrator finds "Aurifodina," a kingdom inhabited by an unknown race of golden haired people who have established a pastoral utopia and where gold is abundant and of little value. "This work is somewhat peripheral to the utopian tradition, but in the best tradition of the fantastic voyage to El Dorado." - Lewis, Utopian Literature, p, 144. "A satiric extravaganza ." - Sabin 5350. See DAB. Bleiler, Science-Fiction: The Early Years 204. Clareson, Science Fiction in America, 1870s-1930s 074. Howgego, Encyclopedia of Exploration: Invented and Apocryphal Narratives of Travel P11. Sargent, British and American Utopian Literature, 1516-1985, p. 50. Reginald 01280. Not in Bleiler (1948; 1978). Wright (I) 2030. Baird and Greenwood, An Annotated Bibliography of California Fiction 1664-1970 1995. Cowan (1933), p. 477. Kurutz 490a. Boards rubbed and spotted, outer joints repaired, possibly rebacked, a very good copy with tight, clean interior. An uncommon book. (#137403).

First edition. "One of the earliest lost-race novels written in America," Bleiler. Inscribed and signed "G.W. Peck" by the author in pencil, dated 1852. Original plain paper boards, lacking spine covering, mild browning and dampstaining throughout. Written to capitalize on the California Gold Rush, about which it is considered the first published work of fiction. Its narrator reaches the valley of Aurifodina, where gold is common and of little value, while iron and steel are highly valued by its advanced civilization. Presentation copies are rare, with none having appeared at auction according to Rare Book Hub and ABPC. The Book Club of California published a new edition, illustrated by Bruce Conner, in 1974. Bleiler, Science-fiction, the Early Years, 204; Kurutz, The California Gold Rush, 490.