PBA Galleries

[4], 386 pp. With 4 steel-engraved plates; 4 engraved maps, one of them quite large and folding. (8vo) 18.2x11.5 cm (7¼x4½"), later quarter leather & boards with a "tree calf" design. Second Edition.

One of two nearly identical editions published in 1850. The only distinction between the two issues are the words "Deuxieme Edition" printed at the head of the folding map in the later issue. Important and quite scarce account of Gold Rush California, called by Cowan "the most complete and extensive work descriptive of California published in France at this time"; included are chapters on New Helvetia, the gold region, and methods of mining. The plates include views of Pyramid Lake, Sutter's Fort, giant sequoias, and San Francisco. Two of the four maps are in Wheat, the larger of them being "Carte de la Nouvle. Californe dressée d'apres les travaux géeographiques de Mr Duflot de Mofras et du Colonel Fremont" (39x50 cm) (W-GR 155), the smaller is "Carte Particulière de baies de Monterey et de San Francisco..." (14x8.3 cm) (W-GR 156).

Provenance: Golder 6/83

References: Cowan p.207; Howes F201; Kurutz 236a; Sabin 24198; Wheat, Gold Region, 155 & 156; Orozco y Berra, no. 1068 lists the 1849 edition of map and notes the 1850. This is the only reference I know of listing the first edition of map.