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The lovely, strong engravings are accompanied by chatty essays about the ambience of the areas depicted. Views are of waterfalls in Georgia, to Indians and rock formations in Missouri to the mountains of New York and New England. The lovely format is that of a gift book. The engravings are witness to the profound influence that artists such as Bodmer and Bartlett had on the reading public. $650
Henry B. Dawson. Battles of the United States by Sea and Land. Illustrated by Alonzo Chappel. New York: Johnson, Fry & Co., 1860. Two quarto volumes. 38 steel engravings plus two engraved title pages, after paintings and drawings by Alonzo Chappel. Bound in original half leather with stamping in gold. Gilt page ends. The usual scuffing to leather. Some slight staining to the interior.
A superb collection of steel engraved prints accompanying a military history of the United States. The images were drawn by Alonzo Chappel, a noted historical artist who illustrated a number of volumes in the mid-nineteenth century. Included in these two volumes are some portraits of military figures and many battle scenes from the Revolution, War of 1812 and Mexican-American War. As with a large number of publications on the eve of the American Civil War, this one recalled the glories of history to provide a common bond which might help keep the country together. The intention failed, but the product is beautiful. $600
Picturesque American Scenery. Boston: Estes & Lauriat, 1883. 4to. Twenty-four steel engravings, with original tissue guards. Engravings in excellent condition. Bound in cloth cover with embossed decorative border and title. Board hinges slightly cracked. Otherwise, firm and in very good condition.
This view book contains, "A series of twenty-five beautiful steel engravings from designs by W.H. Bartlett, George L. Brown, and Thomas Moran, with text by N.P. Willis and others." During the 1870s, view books were in high demand due to the great popularity. The two major popular works of this genre in the nineteenth century were William Cullen Bryant's Picturesque America and N. P. Willis' earlier American Scenery. This book of views and accompanying description and poetic text can be seen as part of this lineage of popular American view books, and it borrows the same format as the earlier publications. It is wonderfully illustrated with twenty-one steel engravings by W.H. Bartlett, and one by Thomas Moran. Bartlett particularly associated with the views which appeared in American Scenery, and these plates are taken from that original publication. These prints were extremely popular from the their first appearance, and they established Bartlett's reputation as the premier 'picturesque' travel artist, a reputation he has retained to this day. $425
William H. Brown. [Facsimile of] Portrait Gallery of Distinguished American Citizens, with Biographical Sketches and Fac-similes of Original Letters. Hartford: E.B. & E.C. Kellogg, 1845. Here are the 27 portraits on separate sheets in the box issued in 1931 when a reproduction with text and facsimiles of documents were issued. Gold stamped blue buckram box. Some bumping at corners. Prints are in excellent condition. $750
List of plates (unobtrusive library stamp on back of each):
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Pre-1800 Americana