Description
The deluxe “Meadville Edition” of The Canyons of the Colorado by John Wesley Powell, published in 1895.
Quarto, xiv, [2], [17]-400pp, [1p ad]. Publisher’s three-quarter maroon morocco, maroon pebbled cloth, title stamped in gilt, raised bands. Marbled endpapers, top edge gilt. Archival repairs to both hinges, solid text block. Light rubbing to tips of the spine, shelf wear to pebbled cloth. Internally clean, free of notable foxing or wear. Includes the one-page advertisement for the Santa Fe Railroad.
Complete with frontispiece portrait, 10 double-page folding panoramic views, and hundreds of woodcut illustrations.
(Howes P527aa) (Graff 3335)
The first edition of Powell’s complete account of his exploration of the Colorado River in 1869 and 1871-72, one an estimated 100 copies privately printed.
From Farquhar: “One of the basic documents of Colorado River history. This book differs in so many respects from the report of 1875…that it is here given the status of a separate title. Not only has the narrative been revised and augmented, but there are several new chapters and a great many new illustrations… Altogether, it is a handsome book; also a scarce one” (Farquhar, Colorado River, p. 43)
