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Colonial America Books:

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  1. Cotton MATHER: Magnalia Christi Americana, 1702. First edition, first state. Likely rebound in the 19th C. in full brown morocco with five raised bands on the spine, author and title gilt stamped, simple gilt bordered covers and spine compartments. Front joint is weakening but remains flexible, all pages are present, including the publisher's advertisements in the back. The map of New York and New England is a very good facsimile, professionally inserted into the volume, preserving the original portrait of Mather in the frontispiece. This work is described by many scholars as the most significant source material written about life in 17th C. America. Similar example offered for $6,000. Inferior copies sold at $2,500-$3,500, some ten years ago. VG

  2. Samuel CLARKE: Sermons, 1749. The first three volumes of an 11 volume set. Seventh edition stated. Contemporary? binding: navy calf with decorative gilt stamped borders on the covers, four raised bands with decorations, Arabic volume numbers, and an applied red label: "Clarke's Sermons" in the compartments, gilt text block all around. Covers rubbed, spine ends worn, corners bumped, joints stressed but intact. High quality laid paper, with no foxing, occasional water stains. Handwritten bequeathment notes in the endpapers mention a father gifting the set to his son, William L. Wharton, and "Mrs. Jacob, given her by General Mead," which one can only speculate is a misspelling of Meade, the General who defeated Lee at Gettysburg. A larger sample of 9 in a similar binding sold for $350 recently. Scarce. G

  3. Thomas HUTCHINSON: The History of the Colony/Province of Massachusetts Bay, 1765 & 1768. Two volumes, both second edition, rebound in full brown morocco, gilt text block all around, dentelles. Front cover of Vol. II is lightly sunned at the top. Some foxing in the leaves, but very well preserved copies. Sales history: $100-$300. Offered at $375-$2,000 VG+

  4. Charters of the British Colonies in America, 1774. Includes charters granted by King William and Queen Mary, to the inhabitants of Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Georgia, as well as the text of the first charter granted to Massachusetts Bay. Rebound in ¾ brown morocco over green linen. Slight fading of spine, light shelf wear to bottom edges. Foxing on title page, but not much more, a few pencil marks. Fully intact, as published. Scarce. One sold earlier this year for $825. Offered at $775-$2,000 VG+

  5. Benjamin FRANKLIN: The Way to Wealth, or Poor Richard Improved, 1795, bound together with five French titles: La Science du Bonhomme Richard, Lettres de Franklin, Dialogue Entre La Goutte et Franklin, Quelques Mots Sur L'Amerique: Avis a Ceux Qui Voudroient Aller S'etablir dans Cette Contree (A Few Words About America: Notice to Those Who Want to Settle in This Country). First edition, half bound in brown calf over brown paper. Possible contemporary binding is worn, front cover detached, spine label missing. High quality paper, printed in France, only occasional spots on leaves. Sales history: 6 examples $600-$2,000. Offers: 5 examples $1,600-$4,000, some in fine bindings. Could be rebound. G

  6. Major John ANDRE: The Cow Chace, in Three Cantos, 1789. First edition, first issue. A small paper volume, hand-stitched lightly in wrappers, with supporting bookseller documents identifying it as the largest, uncut example of the work. Housed in folded book-cloth, sleeved into a slim morocco clad slipcase shaped like a cigar carrying case, with a lid. Title gilt stamped on spine of case. Case is near fine, excellently crafted, booklet is crumpled and creased, but intact. Scarce, none sold or offered. 160 copies are listed in university, public or historical society libraries, but unable to verify if in-fact true first issues. A limited edition reprint from 1866 was sold for $250 in 2015. G

  7. Joshua Hett SMITH: Major Andre, 1809. Small volume, companion to work above, examining the causes of Major Andre’s death while serving as adjutant-general to the British crown in America. Andre was chief of intelligence operations and was captured after attempting to negotiate Benedict Arnold’s surrender of the fort at West Point. Washington ordered him executed. Rebound in claret morocco over claret linen with simple gilt stamped "Major Andre - Smith - 1809" sideways on spine. Gilt text block all around. Little wear to binding. Paper is not very good quality, but well kept, light foxing throughout, some text is fading. Scarce historical document. One offered in poor condition: $144. VG

  8. H. Trumbull (pub.): The Pirates: a brief account of the horrid murder of the captain and mate of a Buenos Ayrean prize schooner, on the high seas in July 1818 by William Holmes, Thomas Warrington and Edward Rosewaine: comprising a part of the crew of said vessel to which is added a brief sketch of the important trial of said prisoners at the Circuit Court of the United States in January 1819, 1819. Small format, first edition. Paper is of poor quality, with foxing throughout, but well kept in a more-recent full straight-grain green morocco binding with a plain sideways title stamped into the spine. None listed for sale or sold. Maybe 100 known copies in collections of university libraries and in US Supreme Court records. VG

  9. Thomas CHURCH: The History of Philip’s War, 1829. Bound in full cowhide, with an applied label: "Indian Wars" on the spine. Leather covers have swollen areas, common for original bindings of the era. The paper is not of high quality but has been very well kept. Work is intact, with rare frontispiece illustration. Damaged or non-illustrated examples have sold, and are offered, for around $50. Intact examples with one frontispiece have sold for around $200. One is offered for $275 with two frontispieces, another is offered for $850 with one frontispiece. Scarce. G

  10. Henri TERNAUX-COMPANS (ed.): Voyages, Relations et Memoires de l’Amerique, 1837-40. Sixteen volumes taken from a variety of source material, all ¾ bound alike in dark green calf over light green morocco. Gilt stamped titles on the spines. Light shelf wear to bottom edges of covers and corners. Medium quality paper, light foxing throughout. First French language editions to chronicle the discovery of the Americas. Not a lot of sales history, but some of these titles are being offered by reputable booksellers in their original pamphlet state for $200-$1,500 depending on condition. These were bound a good time after publication, and well preserved. A collection of these works, in 10 volumes, with a different custom binding, is offered at $15,000. VG+

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