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New York: W.A. Davis, Printed by Order of the Corporation of New York. 1825 [-1826] Colden, Cadwallader D. Memoir, Prepared at the Request of a Committee of the Common Council of the City of New York, and Presented to the Mayor of the City, at the Celebration of the Completion of the New York Canals. Illustrated with hand-colored maps, portraits, engraved & lithographic plates, being 44 of 47 original plates [46 as listed in binder's directions; the 47th one, often not listed, being the Bakers Benefit Society engraving - scarce, but present here.] E-mail a request for the complete list of included "plates" (term includes maps), but here they do include the sought-after canal profile fold-out and the hand-colored New York State map (nearly identical to the Anthony Finley 1824 map, with three small modifications; here including, as well, a number of New York City Fire Company individual engravings and related text pages; Canal scenic engravings and Grand Celebration engravings, including the main 7-fold fold-out engraving; plus 9 facsimile manuscript letters bound at end from notables including Thomas Jefferson; includes at least 3 plates by George Catlin. Laid in are two circa-1960s auction results referring to the existence of 47 "plates". 10x7-3/4, original boards, contents loose within in the form of several integral signatures; rebacked. Peters, America., pp.228-232; Pearce, Early. 66; Howes C562 - One of the first recorded American books illustrated with lithographs, this one being produced from Anthony Imbert's company, following Grammar of Botany produced by Barnet & Doolittle in 1822 & a plate produced for the Analectic Magazine in 1819. A highly important book, commemorating the greatest feat in early American engineering history, the opening of the Erie Canal connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, among some 400 miles or more of canal-building. Also contains magnificent lithographic plates drawn by George Catlin, including the superbly illustrated Lockport plates. Additionally there is the hand-colored folding map, the one of the state of New York with a profile of the Grand Canal. Formerly (sea captain) H.P. Osborn's copy, with his engraved bookplate at front pastedown, also so stamped in ink to a front flyleaf and inscribed "To Osborn, Esq. Darling Master of his Brittanick Majestys Packer Swallow." Also, there is important manuscript material pasted within the book: An autograph letter signed from the Mayor of New York, Philip Hone, dated 4 October 1826, presenting this book and an award to Osborn to commemorate the canal celebration. Also, a second mounted ALS from Hone reports on the difficulty in finding a bound copy of the book for Mr. Osborn, and there is a mounted autograph presentation slip from the Mayor as well in a later part of the text. Mounted to the reverse of the "Fireworks" plate is a printed acknowledgement to the crew of the Swallow from the Mohawk Insurance Company for preventing fire destruction of the Schuylkill. Missing some plates, but with highly interesting provenance from a player in the canal project. Scuffed, spine defective; many quires and gatherings loose & sprung, expert repairs to versos of some plates, occasional foxing most notably at facsimile letters, else a good copy wanting restoration & rebinding, or perhaps individual re-sale or gifting of the plates and their associated text pages to interested parties. lg3.
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