Manual of the Corporation
of the City of New York. This
serial was begun as an enlargement of the City Hall directory, it appeared first
in 1841, the issue for that year being compiled by S.T. Willis. In 1842 it
passed under the editorship of David T. Valentine, clerk of the Common Council.
Annually thereafter until Mr. Valentine's death in 1866 it was issued under his
management. No volume was issued in
1867. In 1868 the publication of a new series was begun, but this proved to be
much less valuable from an historical standpoint than the volumes edited by
Valentine. Illustrated with many lithograph views of various
sites of interest in New York City, these books contain information on nearly every aspect of New York
life, including historic events. Unfortunately, these books are becoming
increasing hard to find complete with their plates, as may have fell victim
to people utilizing the lithographs within. These volumes were
published without a picture index, however the master index for illustrations
was published in 1906. A xerox copy for that year will be supplied with each
volume. Listed
within the description is the number of plates in each volume.
Valentine D.J. New York City. Manual of the Corporation of the City of New York 1853 .New York. D.J. Valentine 1853 b/w lithographs views, maps, fld.plt. Original black embossed gilt dec.cloth., Fair- G. Contents G. Wear and small tear to top edge of spine, wear at heel of spine, cracked hinges. Archival tape repairs to folding maps, some gatherings loose. There large foldout map in front is present, but detached and has several archival tape repaired tears to the folds. 1854 pencil inscription to ffep. Small thick 8vo (7 ½” x 5”). 505pp. +, 3 folding maps (one map missing pp 260), and 14 full page lithographs depicting views and sites of interest in New York City. (Wh.729); $250.
Valentine
D.J. New York City. Manual of the Corporation of the City of New York 1854
.New York. D.J. Valentine 1854 b/w lithographs views, maps, fld.plt.
Original black embossed gilt dec. cloth., G. Contents V.G. wear and small loss of
cloth to top edge of spine, wear at heel of spine, tear to internal map. Vintage
library stamp title page verso. 1854 pencil ownership ffep. Small thick 8vo (7
½” x 5”). Complete 560pp. +, 3maps( including a large front foldout NYC map), folded
plates and 15 full page lithographs depicting views and sites of interest in New
York City. (Wh.730); $275.
Valentine
D.J. New York City. Manual of the Corporation of the City of New York 1855
.New York. D.J. Valentine 1855 b/w lithographs views, maps, fld.plt.
Original black embossed gilt dec.cloth., G.,
wear and small pc missing to top edge of spine, wear at heel of spine,
cracked hinges. Missing front end papers, missing one plate. This issue did not
have a map as a frontispiece , but rather has a foldout out
scenic lithograph. Vintage
library stamp title page verso. Small thick 8vo (7 ½” x 5”). 600pp. +,
maps, folded plates and 14 lithographs depicting views and sites of interest in
New York City. (Wh.731); $275.
Valentine
D.J. New York City. Manual of the Corporation of the City of New York 1856 .New
York. D.J. Valentine 1856 b/w lithographs views, maps, fld.plt. Original black
embossed gilt dec. cloth., G. Contents V.G. wear and small tear to top edge of
spine, wear at heel of spine. Vintage library stamp title page verso. Small thick 8vo (7 ½” x 5”). 600pp. +,
maps( including a large 17” x 21 front foldout NYC map), complete w/all
folded plates and 24 full
page lithographs depicting views and sites of interest in New York City. A very
good and richly illustrated volume (Wh.732); $345.
Valentine D.J. New York City. Manual of the Corporation of the City of New York 1865 .New York. D.J. Valentine 1865 chromolithographs views, maps, fld.plt. Original black embossed gilt dec.cloth., G., wear and small pc missing to top edge of spine, wear at heel of spine, cracked hinges. Small thick 8vo (7 ½” x 5”). 879pp. +, complete w/all maps, folded plates ( a large, nicely detail front folding map) an 17 full page chromolithographs depicting views and sites of interest in New York City. These manuals from the 1860’s utilized chromolithography stunningly, as opposed to the b/w lithography of the 1850’s.(Wh.734); $300.
1805 DESCRIPTION OF NEW ORLEANS. The Balance and Columbian Repository. Hudson (New York), Sept 24 1805. 11 1/8” x 9 1/8”. 8pp. Nice detailed 1 ½ page description of New Orleans.. Rag stock, overall VG condition, moderate light foxing, spine split, from bound volume.
Albumen image. 6 1/2" x 7 1/8" , on cream mount. Nice view of the town band, No photographer's id, Image has nice appeal, b/r corner has crease, corners of mount chipped, o/w VG
OMAHA,
NEBRASKA. Ca. 1880 7 3/4'x9 1/2" albumen image on a 8" x 10" cream mount
mount showing a band in foreground, the town in the middleground. The previous
owner that I purchased this from said there was a piece of period paper
identifying it as July 4th, Omaha Nebraska, but unfortunately couldn't locate
it. I haven't done any homework on this piece, so I can't confirm id. Small
piece of b/l mount off, o/w VG.(R002); $125.
PROPHETSTOWN, ILLINOIS.
Albumen photograph, 5 1/2" x 6 1/4 (scan
is slightly enlarged to show detail) ca1860's Prophetstown, Illinois. North Side
of 3rd looking toward Main . The Seely House is seen in the street scene. No
Photographers id. Overall VG condition, though probably trimmed to present size
at some point. (R001); $65.
From the 1885 publication of the PORTRAIT & BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM OF WHITESIDE
COUNTY, IL. " Settlement was made on the site of this village when it was
in the precinct of Prophetstown with a view of forming a town. About the year
1845 an attempt was made by Col. Seely and others to establish the town on what
is now section 1, Portland Township. Quite a number of buildings were put up
there, and among these was a hotel building. This project was a failure, and
Prophetstown grew right along. The hotel building that as put up in prospective
village of Portland was afterwards moved over to Prophetstown and forms now a
part of the Seely House."
THE MAPPING OF NORTH AMERICA; THREE CENTURIES OF MAP-MAKING 1500-1860 . GOSS, John; The Mapping of North America; Three Centuries of Map-making 1500-1860. Secaucus, Wellfleet Press, [1990], First American Edition. folio; 184 pp, frontis, 85 full-page maps, of which 80 are in color, all finely reproduced, bibliog. orig cloth, F/f dj , fine Each map is described with well-researched information, plus a good overall introduction. The evolution of mapping shows how the perceptions of the world changed as more areas were explored. Includes many of the finest and most famous maps, many works of art in themselves (Wh.727)$75.
THE CARTOGRAPHY OF NORTH AMERICA 1500-1800. Portinaro, Pierluigi and Franco Knirsch Crescent Books, New York 1987 Fine in Fine DJ; 319 pgs. Folio. (320pp.). With 180 extensively captioned maps, nearly all in full color and over 90 supplementary illusts. An authoritative reference work. (Wh.726)$45.