Personal Narrative of Explorations and Incidents in Texas, New Mexico, California, Sonora and Chihuahua

[Larry McMurtry Collection] John Russell Bartlett

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[Larry McMurtry Collection] Bartlett, John Russell. Personal Narrative of Explorations and Incidents in Texas, New Mexico, California, Sonora and Chihuahua, Connected with the United States and Mexican Boundary Commission, During the Years 1850, '51, '52 and '53. New York: D. Appleton & Co. 1854. First edition. Two octavo volumes. [xxii], 506, [6, ads]; [xvii], 624 pages. Folding engraved frontispieces in both volumes, large folding map of the US and Mexican border area laid in to the front of Volume I, 13 tinted lithograph plates, 29 full-page woodcuts, and many smaller text cuts throughout. From the collection of Larry McMurtry, at his home in Archer City, Texas. His book, with personal brand-mark bookplate. Publisher s original cloth, lettered and decorated in gilt on the spine, and blind-stamped boards. Larry McMurtry s copy, with his bookplates [three bookplates present, with the additional on the rear pastedown endpaper of Volume II]. Howes B201. Streeter 173. Basic Texas Books 12. Cowan p. 13. Bartlett was appointed by President Zachary Taylor to run the survey of the border between Mexico and Texas.Bartlett's efforts led to one of the great books on the Southwest, providing the most complete picture of the area up to that time and for long thereafter. He was associated with John Carter Brown in forming the latter's Americana library, and was its first librarian. "…writing about the American West, Bartlett's book ranks alongside those of Fremont, Parkman, and Gregg as a classic. Within its pages is contained a panoramic view of the way of life of an entire region previously known only to a few." -Goetzmann (Army Exploration, pages 205-06). . Cloth chipped and worn at the top and bottom of the spines and on most corners, with some loss; corners bumped. Joints and hinges sound but for one two-inch tear at the front hinge of volume I. Bookseller tickets to the endpapers of both volumes. Illustrations and plates are very good to fine; Moderate foxing to some of the plates and tissue guards; fold out map is detached with light soiling and foxing, but overall is in very good condition. A very good set with excellent provenance. LMM-467. Seller Inventory # 467

Bibliographic Details

Title: Personal Narrative of Explorations and ...

Edition: 1st Edition