PBA Galleries

xlvii,350pp. Eight handcolored plates, colored headpieces and decorations throughout. (4to) 23.5x15.6 cm (9¼x6¼”), tan buckram over green paper boards, printed paper spine label; green endpapers; nearly matching green paper dust jacket with gilt title and decoration on front cover, printed paper label on spine.

From a limited signed edition of 450 copies, and with the plates handcolored, this is one of 200 copies on Exeter book-paper.  The letters first appeared serially in THE PIONEER magazine of San Francisco in 1854-55 under the pseudonym of "Dame Shirley."  This is the first edition in book form.  "...These letters present a vivid and unexcelled picture of every-day life in the mines" - Howes.  "These superlatively readable and informative letters from a gifted young New England woman to her sister in 'the States' may well be accorded first place in any gathering of notable Gold Rush literature" - Wheat.