PBA Galleries

216 pp. (text ends in midsentence on p. 216, as issued). With 20 lithographed and engraved maps, plans, profiles, and plates (some in color or on tinted grounds, several folding). (Folio) 36.5x28 cm (14½x11"). printed wrappers.

First edition of this single part of a lengthy, bibliographically complex set published by the French government, with the the present part relating to geology and mining in California and Nevada. These reports were included in the larger work on Mexico  by the Commission Scientifique du Mexique because California and Nevada were formerly part of Mexico. Mining in California and Nevada was of intense international interes at the time - in 1859 silver was discovered at the Comstock Lode in Virginia City, and thousands of miners, loggers, and traders rushed to the region and towns sprang up, necessitating a railroad between Virginia City and Truckee through the Washoe Valley. The maps and plates in this report relate primarily to mining and geology, but often they contain fugitive details on the region before many of the towns and mining operations were abandoned. The plates were drawn by Erhard Schieble and all but one were printed by Lemercier. They are superb renditions of their subjects by some of the more accomplished mapmakers and view makers of the time, printed in a country at the height of its excellence in this type of work.

A partial list of the maps and plates includes:

• Carte de la Haute Californie et de la Nevada dressee par E. Guillemin-Tarayre d'apres les derniers documents 1867. 28.4x20.9 cm. California, Nevada, and part of Arizona.
• Types des Tribus de Grand-Bassin I.II. Shoshone. III. Washoe. IV.V. Pah-Utah. 25.5x17.7 cm. Lithograph from photographs, on tinted ground. Native Americans of the region (including Utah).
• Carte de Panoramique de la Region metallifere de Washoe (Etat de Nevada) par E. Guillemin-Tarayre.... Circular panorama measuring 49 cm. Bird's-eye panorama of the Washoe mining district; inner circle colored to indicate types of terrain; outer circle consisting of an uncolored view of mountains, towns, mining operations, roads, etc. Named locations include Lake Tahoe, Pyramid Peak, Silver Mountain, Carson River, Morning Star, Mount Washoe, etc.
• District of Washoe Plan et Coupe du Filon de Comstock 1864.... 25.5 x 43.5 cm.
• Nevada Geologie et Mineralogie. 25.5 44 cm. Uncolored plate with 8 elements, including profile of the Mono Lake area, District of Pine Forest, profile of Virginia City, geysers at Mono Lake, and mining shaft at Antelope.
• Carte Metallurgique de la Haute Californie et de la Nevada dressee par E. Guillemin-Tarayre d'apres les derniers documents 1867. 28.5x21 cm. Metallurgical map keyed in yellow, brown, green, grey, and blue.
• Carte Geologique de la Haute Californie et de la Nevada dressee par E. Guillemin-Tarayre D'apresles recherches des Geologues du Pacific Road, du Geological Survey et celles de l'Auteur 1867. 28.5x21 cm. Geological map keyed with shades of green, blue, pink, brown, sienna, etc.