[Rarebooks] fs: AMERICANA sale- 19th C. South/Central American Exploration & Canals

[Joslin Hall Rare Books]

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Take 50% off any of the books on our Americana shelves-
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CONTENTS of this Offering:

Barnard, THE ISTHMUS OF TEHUANTEPEC (1852)

Davis, REPORT ON INTEROCEANIC CANALS AND
           RAILROADS BETWEEN THE ATLANTIC AND
           PACIFIC OCEANS (1867)

Herndon & Lardner, EXPLORATION OF THE VALLEY
           OF THE AMAZON (1854)

Page, LA PLATA, THE ARGENTINE CONFEDERATION,
           AND PARAGUAY (1859)

Selfridge, Thos. Oliver. REPORTS OF EXPLORATIONS
           AND SURVEYS TO ASCERTAIN THE PRACTICABILITY
           OF A SHIP-CANAL BETWEEN THE ATLANTIC AND
           PACIFIC OCEANS BY THE WAY OF THE ISTHMUS
           OF DARIEN. (1874)

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Barnard, Major J.G. THE ISTHMUS OF TEHUANTEPEC: being the results of a 
survey for a railroad to connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, made by 
the Scientific Commission...

New York; D. Appleton & Company: 1852. The rapid growth of California and 
Oregon in the mid 19th century gave new impetus to the search for a fast 
way to freight goods and people from the East coast to the West coast and 
back. The rising popularity of the railroad opened up one possibility, and 
the quest to link East and West via a short railroad somewhere in Central 
America was on. The Isthmus of Tehuantepec, the shortest route between East 
and West in Mexico, was explored by Major Barnard's party as one possible 
route.

There were others, each with their own adherents. Honduras became an 
attractive option as the political situation in Mexico deteriorated, and 
the Panama railroad was begun in 1850 and finished in 1855. The text to 
this study is augmented with wonderful colored plates showing scenery and 
natives. Hardcover. 6"x9.25", 295 pages, plus 14 colored lithographic 
plates, 1 folding map, 1 folding chart and a plate showing a geological 
section. Recently rebound in new marbled boards and cloth, with a leather 
spine label; covers lightly soiled; contents with minor browning and 
scattered spotting, but overall a very nice copy.  A second volume, 
containing 8 folding maps, was issued, but is not present here.  [02414] 
$500.00 // $250.00

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Davis, Rear-Admiral Charles H. REPORT ON INTEROCEANIC CANALS AND RAILROADS 
BETWEEN THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEANS.

Washington; Government Printing Office: 1867. A compilation of the various 
routes and plans proposed for canals and railroads between the Atlantic and 
Pacific, including Tehuantepec, Honduras, Nicaragua, Chiriqui, Costa Rica 
and Panama. Hardcover. 6"x9", 37 pages, plus 14 folding maps; original 
pebbled cloth; covers with some wear and soil, somewhat faded; a small 
amount of internal soil and spotting; map 14 rather raggedly but cleanly 
torn from the book with tears along several folds - no tape repairs of any 
kind, and no loss; except for this, with fresh, clean maps. [02710] $250.00 
// $125.00

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Herndon, Wm. Lewis & Lardner Gibbon.  EXPLORATION OF THE VALLEY OF THE 
AMAZON, made under direction of the Navy Department.

Washington; Robert Armstrong: 1854. The idea for this expedition was, as so 
many were, based on commercial exploitation of the Amazon basin. In fact, 
Herndon's brother-in-law, Matthew Maury, advocated sending planters and 
their slaves to the region, and helped to organize the expedition. The two 
began at Lima and Herndon explored the Amazon itself while Gibbon traveled 
the rivers to the south. The result was an excellent and thorough survey of 
the inhabitants and geography of the Amazon, its tributaries, and the 
Andes. The plates illustrate the inhabitants, villages, river, mountain, 
jungle and village scenes.

3 vols. Hardcover. 6"x9", iv + 417 pages, plus 16 lithographed plates; x + 
339 pages, with b/w illustrations in the text of native tools and 
artifacts; plus 36 lithographed plates; map volume with 2 large and one 
small folding maps; text volumes with slightly soiled covers, a little 
sunning; some variable internal spotting and browning, affecting both some 
text gathers and some plates; map volume with soiled and worn covers, spine 
threadbare; largest map with some soil, spotting and split folds; smallest 
map a little chipped along one border. [02703] $500.00 // $250.00

AS ABOVE, 2 vols. Hardcover. 6"x9", iv + 417 pages, plus 16 lithographed 
plates; x + 339 pages, with b/w illustrations in the text of native tools 
and artifacts; plus 35 (of 36) lithographed plates; with three maps bound 
in, the largest one linen-backed; first volume an ex-library rebind, in 
blue cloth; text volumes with slightly soiled covers, a little sunning, 
head chip; some variable internal spotting and browning, affecting both 
some text gathers and some plates. Volume 2 lacking the plate at page 24. 
[02704] $250.00

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Page, Thomas J. LA PLATA, THE ARGENTINE CONFEDERATION, AND PARAGUAY.

London; Trubner & Co.: 1859. "Being a narrative of the exploration of the 
tributaries of the River La Plata and adjacent countries during the years 
1853, '54, '55, and '56, under the orders of the United States government". 
The author was made a Commander and given command of an exceptionally 
handsome, but somewhat experimental, 400 ton steam brigantine named the 
"Water Witch". Illustrated with a number of b/w illustrations and plates, 
including city and town views, a plate showing natives fishing with arrows, 
Argentine cowboys lassooing bulls in a swamp, and much more...

Hardcover. 6"x9.5", 632 pages + several pages of advertisements; large 
folding map; original patterned cloth covers, covers sunned and with some 
soil; ex-library with a big old (19th century) library sticker on the 
spine; library bookplates, marks, etc; map detached and with some soil and 
several 2-4" closed tears; some scattered internal soil and spotting; 
slightly shaken. [02413] $200.00 // 4100.00

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Selfridge, Thos. Oliver. REPORTS OF EXPLORATIONS AND SURVEYS TO ASCERTAIN 
THE PRACTICABILITY OF A SHIP-CANAL BETWEEN THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEANS 
BY THE WAY OF THE ISTHMUS OF DARIEN.

Washington; Government Printing Office: 1874. An extremely important survey 
of the various possible canal routes through Central America. Selfridge had 
attained some fame in the Civil War as commander of the ill-fated 
Cumberland; in fact, he managed to have three ships sunk out from under him 
during the course of the War. He was also the uncle of Thomas Selfridge, 
who was the first aviation casualty, killed while making the first test of 
a machine gun to be fired from an airplane (piloted by Orville Wright). But 
back to this survey.

This is an interesting report not only for the subject matter, but for the 
details and illustrations it contains. The full list of officers and 
civilians participating is attached, which tells us that the exceedingly 
detailed and fine full-page lithographs were prepared from photographs 
taken by T.H. O'Sullivan. Selfridge's detailed instructions are also 
included, among them the note that since cooperation from the natives will 
be essential, he should provide himself with suitable trading merchandise 
which should not, however, include either firearms nor spirituous liquors. 
The report also includes a detailed account of the explorations, which will 
provide armchair tourists with hour upon hour of harmless stimulation, 
whether accompanied by spirituous liquors or not.

Hardcover. 9.5"x12", 268 pages, plus 14 lithographed plates and 17 folding 
maps; covers with some soil and fading; spine a bit corroded, inner hinges 
taped; a little internal soil, soil to map edges at folds, etc., but 
overall internally very nice. [02723] $275.00 // $137.50

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JOSLIN HALL RARE BOOKS, ABAA
Fine books of the 16th-20th centuries
on the decorative and fine arts & design

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Northampton, Massachusetts 01060 USA
telephone (413) 247-5080

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