[Rarebooks] FS: Vizetelly's great hoax. "Four Months Among the Gold-Finders of Alta California" London: 1849.

[Kenneth Karmiole]

(CALIFORNIA) [Vizetelly, Henry]. FOUR MONTHS AMONG THE GOLD-FINDERS OF ALTA CALIFORNIA: Being the Diary of an Expedition from San Francisco to the Gold Districts. By J. Tyrwhitt Brooks, M.D. [pseud.]. Second Edition. London: David Bogue. 1849.  12mo. xviii,207,(1)pp. Plus (16)pp. of publisher's ads. Illustrated with a frontispiece lithographed map of "The Gold Districts of Alta California." Early 20th c. half calf over cloth, brown calf spine labels. T.e.g. Previous owner's rubber stamp on front free endpaper and at top blank margin of the title page.    $300.00 (trade discount allowed)
This second edition, published the same year as the first.  It was widely believed to be authentic, but, in fact, it is a work of fiction. Vizetelly had never been to California. He confessed decades later that it was based on other publications and reports, and was written with the assistance of the publisher, David Bogue, "in about ten days." Kuritz. THE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH, 653a. Howes: The Final Edition V134.

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