Beschreibung:

Title: The Gold Regions of California: Being a Succinct Description of the Geography, History, Topography, and General Features of California: Including a Carefully Prepared Account of the Gold Regions of that Fortunate Country. Prepared from Original Documents and Other Authentic Sources Author: Foster, G[eorge] G. Place: New York Publisher: DeWitt & Davenport Date: 1848 Description: 80 + [12] ad pp. With woodcut frontispiece map. 25x15 cm. (9¾x6"), modernquarter morocco & marbled boards, spine lettered in gilt. First Edition, or issue. Rare, early pamphlet on the Gold Regions, the first "considerable" one according to Edward Eberstadt, who also states that the author was the first to suggest going to California in companies or associations. Foster, in the introduction, also predicts that a fortune could be made by the enterprising wheelwright, blacksmith, carpenter, shoemaker, etc. The body of the work itself is a compilation of some of the earliest reports of the gold discovery and features the writings of Farnham, Mason, Doniphan, Larkin, Folsom, Fremont, Colton, and others, as well as articles from the June and August issues of The Californian. The map is, according to Wheat, one of the earliest to mention the Gold Region. The later issues, or editions, of which there were two the first year, were virtually identical to the first except for the edition statement on the title-page. The original wrappers, which also contained the edition statement, are not present on this copy. Graff 1387; Howes F287; Kurutz 250a; Mintz 160; Rock 15810; Streeter 2529; Wheat Books 77; Wheat Maps of the Gold Region 39. With old, small, circular rubberstamp of the Denver Public Library to the verso of the title-page, just visible through the recto. Lot Amendments Condition: Foxing to contents, heavier at the front, else very good in fine modern binding, page edges untrimmed. Item number: 232461