[Rarebooks] FS: Scarce 6 Volume PICTURESQUE AMERICA

[Kaaterskill Books]

We offer for Sale:

Bryant, William Cullen; Bunce, Oliver Bell. 
PICTURESQUE AMERICA; OR THE LAND WE LIVE IN. [TWO 
VOLUMES IN SIX]. New York: D. Appleton and Co., 
(1872). Profusion of plates and illustrations. 
Folio. Publisher's brick red pebbled cloth 
stamped in gilt and black. Sabin 62692 (2 vol. 
issue). BAL 1732.2.

"A delineation by pen and pencil of the 
mountains, rivers, lakes, forests, water-falls, 
shores, canõns, valleys, cities, and other 
picturesque features of our country. With 
illustrations on steel and wood, by eminent 
American artists." Blanck notes two editions (no 
priority) this being no.2 with the statement 
"edited by William Cullen Bryant" on each title 
page and the re-written, extended preface bearing 
Bryant's name at the end. This edition was the 
one also issued in six volumes. Rare as a six 
volume set in publisher's cloth (usually seen in 
two volumes, occasionally four).

While Oliver B. Bunce did the main literary work, 
Bryant edited and reviewed the everything to "see 
that no nonsense crept into the text" (BAL 
p.355). "This truly superb work consists of a 
complete description and elaborate pictorial 
illustration of the greater part of the North 
American Continent. It portrays the great 
mountain-ranges, the lakes, the valleys, the 
grand primitive forests, the cascades, the 
magnificent rivers, the towns and cities, in 
brief, all the picturesque aspects of our land 
from Canada to the Gulf, from the Atlantic to the 
Pacific. For several years artists were specially 
employed in visiting different parts of the Union 
for the purpose of procuring designs for this 
work. The views, hence, are not only original and 
trustworthy, but possess the vividness of 
personal observation, and include the movement 
and life characteristic of each locality. The 
volumes are something more than a gallery of 
landscapes; they exhibit our people in their 
methods of living and traveling, delineate the 
picturesque phases of commerce, as well as the 
sublime forms of our hills, show the often 
beautiful setting of our cities, and portray the 
active and brilliant panorama of our bays and 
rivers. All the marvelously varied phases of our 
country are set forth with the utmost fullness, 
so that the work in its completeness forms a 
splendid pictorial cyclopaedia of American life, 
scenery, and places. The illustrations of this 
great work alone cost fully one hundred and 
thirty thousand dollars. The engravings consist 
of steel and wood. The steel plates are printed 
on heavy, toned plate-paper; the wood 
illustrations are of the finest character, and 
abundantly interspersed through the text, which 
is printed on heavy, extra- calendered, toned 
paper; the size imperial quarto," (From the 
publisher's advertisement in the Gems of the 
Centennial Exhibition, Phila. 1876).

Very good or better copies, wear to a few spine 
ends, minor edgewear, the odd light foxing else 
contents about fine. A beautiful set in uncommon 
issue.  [34251] $1200.00 

http://www.kaaterskillbooks.com/img/34251.jpg

Regards,

Charles Kutcher
Kaaterskill Books
P. O. Box 122
East Jewett, NY 12424
email: books at kaaterskillbooks.com
phone: 518-589-0555
www.kaaterskillbooks.com
Members ABAA/ILAB

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