RC = RARE, COLLECTIBLE ITEMS These books are being made available on eBay.com and vialibri.net (noted where currently listed on these sites).

RC 1877 ARIZONA AS IT WAS. by Hiram C. Hodge.
Author Hodge came to Arizona long before it became a state (which was 1912), seeking its climate to relieve suffering from bronchial and pulmonary diseases, as did many others during this and later periods (in his case it seems to have worked). He toured what is now the state in 1874, 1875, and 1876 observing and writing articles, first publishing in book form in 1877 as Arizona As It Is, Or The Coming Country...through Hurd and Houghton of New York City. Hodge wrote on Arizona's mineral, agricultural, grazing, and other resources--and of its climate, scenery, and prehistoric ruins. The book's 28 chapters tell further how the U. S. acquired the territory from Mexico, origin of the name Arizona, mission church at San Xavier, of its mountains, rivers, forests, flora, wild animals, towns, Indian tribes, schools, railroads, newspapers, military posts, travel routes and distances, and also the prices of produce, provisions, and labor. Rio Grande Press reproduced Hodge's book first in 1962 as Arizona as it was 1877, then again in 1965 as 1877 Arizona as it was, the book described here. Introduction is by United States Senator Barry Goldwater. The present copy was acquired directly from the publisher by VistaBooks and has never circulated, so is in that sense new; it is also Very Good or Fine as some use those terms. 273 pages, map, a few illustrations, index. See sample pages, illustrations.
ISBN: None. Library of Congress Card Catalog: 625-17907. 1965. /Order #: RIGR1229 cloth$140.00. RC Also available on eBay and vialibri.net.

RC ANDERSONVILLE: a story of rebel military prisons. by John McElroy, Late of Col. L 16th Ills. Cav. 1879 first edition, red cover. Published by D.R. Locke, Toledo. From title page: "Fifteen months a guest of the so-called Southern Confederacy. A private soldier's experience in Richmond, Andersonville, Savannah, Millen, Blackshear, and Florence. The Andersonville prison for Federal soldiers was notorious for its harsh conditions; of 45,000 prisoners (4 times its capacity and a population greater than that of many U.S. cities at that time), nearly 13,000 died. There was little food, not much shelter, and poor water. The prison was established near the end of the Civil War and lasted less than 2 years, its warden being hanged for his offenses in 1865. The account details the grim life of the captives; their sometimes brutal, even fatal, treatment by their captors; their longing for escape and attempts to get out; and their failures. Included also are accounts of other rebel prisons. There are 655 +xxx pages, 154 illustrations (listed by page number) of prison features and conditions, inmates, and their captors. One shows an overview of the stockade interior. Size is 6 in. x 9 in. and 2 in. thick. The narrative is divided into 83 chapters as an important work of American history--or of any analysis of incarceration. The prison site is now included in the Andersonville National Historic Site, administered by the National Park Service as is the nearby Andersonville National Cemetery where many of the former inmates are interred.
Condition: All pages are intact, with some foxing and smudging; there is a tear on page 33 with nothing missing. The book is rebound in a red cloth cover and the binding is tight, with a sticker on the inside back cover from Herman Bindery dated May, 1965. A curiosity is an inscription on the front of the first original page in the book (with the back of this page a scene showing a view of part of the camp and its occupants) that is dated April 13, 1876, which was before the book was copyrighted in 1878. There is another signature on a front page apparently added after the re-binding. See sample pages, illustrations.
ISBN: None. Order #: VINT3750 cloth$350.00. RC Also available on eBay and vialibri.net.

RC ANDERSONVILLE: a story of rebel military prisons. by John McElroy, Late of Col. L 16th Ills. Cav. 1879 first edition, blue cover. Published by D.R. Locke, Toledo. From title page: "Fifteen months a guest of the so-called Southern Confederacy. A private soldier's experience in Richmond, Andersonville, Savannah, Millen, Blackshear, and Florence. The Andersonville prison for Federal soldiers was notorious for its harsh conditions; of 45,000 prisoners (4 times its capacity and a population greater than that of many U.S. cities at that time), nearly 13,000 died. There was little food, not much shelter, and poor water. The prison was established near the end of the Civil War and lasted less than 2 years, its warden being hanged for his offenses in 1865. The account details the grim life of the captives; their sometimes brutal, even fatal, treatment by their captors; their longing for escape and attempts to get out; and their failures. Included also are accounts of other rebel prisons. There are 655 +xxx pages, 154 illustrations (listed by page number) of prison features and conditions, inmates, and their captors. One shows an overview of the stockade interior. Size is 6 in. x 9 in. and 2 in. thick. The narrative is divided into 83 chapters as an important work of American history--or of any analysis of incarceration. The prison site is now included in the Andersonville National Historic Site, administered by the National Park Service as is the nearby Anderson ville National Cemetery where many of the former inmates are interred.
Condition: All pages are intact, with light foxing and smudging. Covers look better than the illustration but spine is starting to fray at top and bottom. The book is bound in blue cloth cover wit gilt image of prison stockade but the binding is not strong. See sample pages, illustrations.
ISBN: None. Order #: VINT3755 cloth$390.00. RC Also available on eBay and vialibri.net.

RCTHE BEARS OF YELLOWSTONE (cloth). by Paul Schullery.
Tells of Yellowstone National Park's two species of bears--black and grizzly: how to tell hem apart and differences in their habits including foods, denning, mating, and cub growth. Includes management of bears over time, famous bears, how to live with and camp with bears. Bibliography, index, color and black-and-white illustrations,176 pages. Author has written extensively on western natural history and national park topics. See sample pages, illustrations (coming).
ISBN: 0-934948-01-1. 1980. Order #: YELL5135 cloth$120.00. RCAlso available on eBay and vialibri.net.

 

 

RCTHE BEARS OF YELLOWSTONE (paper). by Paul Schullery.
This revision of the cloth edition, like the cloth, tells of Yellowstone National Park's two species of bears--black and grizzly: how to tell hem apart and differences in their habits including foods, denning, mating, and cub growth. Includes management of bears over time, famous bears, how to live with and camp with bears. Bibliography, index, black-and-white illustrations, 176 pages. Updated bear observation data and reference notes added for chapters. Author has written extensively on western natural history and national park topics and at the time of this edition was employed in the Research Division of Yellowstone National Park, but observes that the material is his own report. 318 pages + x. Published by High Plains Publishing Co. Condition: new as it has never circulated from a wholesaler's inventory. See sample pages, illustrations (coming).
ISBN: 1-881019-00-4. 1992. Order #: MISC3655 paper$95.00. RCAlso available on eBay and vialibri.net.

 

RC THE COLOR OF HORSES. by Dr. Ben K. Green.
The scientific and authoritative identification of the color of the horse, by a veterinarian and expert on horse colors. Explains how the colors are produced by characteristics of the pigmentation in hair follicles and how colors are associated with other characteristics of horses--stamina, intelligence, soundness. Colors can change with age as well, with some colors having greater resistance to abrasion, sunlight (or the reverse), moisture, etc. Particular colors can be more associated with various breeds--quarter horses, draft horses, etc. The Color of Horses is a standard reference on race tracks, farms, and ranches worldwide. The book begins with a description of horse breeds and their characteristics, addresses two main color categories: bay, brown, black, grey, and dun which have dark hair and dark hides; and self colors such as chestnut, sorrel, buckskin and copper dun which have light hair and light hides.

127 pages with 34 color paintings of horses and their colors and how this is translated to and displayed in the colors of various horses. A classic reference guide fir horse owners and horse lovers. 9 3/4" x 10 1/2". Published by Mountain Press, 2001, second printing (1st edition was by Northland Press, 1974. This copy has never circulated, having been on a wholesaler's shelf since printed; although out of print, its conditon is therefore new. No flaws, no markings. See sample pages, illustrations.
ISBN: 0-87842-437-7. /Order #: MOPR1222 paper$120.00.RC Also available on eBay and vialibri.net.

RC CURLERS AND CAMPING. by Betty Tucker.
A guide for the single female (perhaps with her children): why to go, where to go, how to go, including what to do if.... Illustrated, 36 pages, index. See sample pages, illustrations (coming).
Check stock. ISBN: 0-910856-42-7. 1971. /Order #: LASI4899 paper$95.00. RC

 

RC DRUMMERS AND DREAMERS. by Click Relander.
History of eastern Washington Indian people, mainly the Wanapumas or River People, from about the time of early contact with the white race. A prophet developed in the tribe who advocated return to older ways and beliefs and a religion-like culture developed in response that produced more prophets. Relations and arrangement with the U.S. government are presented, along with individuals involved.. Development of dams on the region;s river further changed the lifeways the region's peoples. Historical photos, 345 pages, index. See sample pages, illustrations (coming).
ISBN: 0-9141019-09-0. 1986. /Order #: NWIA3717 paper$90.00.RC

 

RC ELEANOR EELLS' HISTORY OF ORGANIZED CAMPING: the first 100 years. by Eleanor Eells.
Definitive history of the field of organized camping--the summer camp. Breaks history into 4 periods: pioneers at early camps (1861-1910), growth of organized camping movement(1910-1918)/, periods of challenges (1918-1945)and of acceptance (1945-1961). Chronicles greats and near-greats of those who first began organized camping. Historic photos, 174 pages. See sample pages, illustrations (coming).
ISBN: 0-8763-085-1. 1986. /Order #: AMCA8050 paper$135.00. RC 

 

 

RC GUIDE TO YOSEMITE. by Ansel Hall, in charge of information, Yosemite National Park. Pocket guide (4 in x 6 1/2 in) from 1920 explores the roads and trails of this California Park, where Hall was a pioneer in providing information and museum services and development for the National Park Service at Yosemite. Also described are the rock-mass cliffs and promontories, the waterfalls and minor waterfalls, the early Indians and the discovery of the valley by white men. Of historical and geological interest is Hall's discussion of how an early theory of the origin of Yosemite Valley by Professor Josiah Whitney had been entirely displaced and the origin was now being considered with reference to the relative roles of glaciers and water erosion, referencing Dr. F. E. Matthes of the U. S. Geological Survey. Interestingly, John Muir is not mentioned in this context, although he is now credited with providing the glaciation theory as the correct alternate to the cataclysmic theory of Whitney. In fact, a cursory glance at the text reveals little mention of Muir, even though Muir is ikn other venues largely credited with getting the larger park established as well as its protecting Sierra Club and had already written extensively on park features. Large "swimming tanks" were present at Yosemite Lodge and Camp Curry, still present in 2024. A map of Yosemite Village shows that the Old Village, on the south side of Yosemite Valley, was at the time a prominent development; now there is little at that location. Where the present Yosemite Village is located on the north side of the valley there was a "menagerie" of several wild animals captured in the region [quite contrary to national park policy today], chief of which were a mountain lion and a number of bears. The map shows the location of Best's Studio (now Ansel Adams Gallery) when Ansel's to-be-father-in-law operated a painting studio there. There were about twenty campgrounds for free use in the valley in addition to lodging. Today there are four campgrounds and they are not free. Hall expected more of hikers than we might today; for instance, he suggests 7 hours for the one-way hike from Yosemite Valley to Ten Lakes, 17 miles one way. Hall was instrumental in securing funding and construction of the Yosemite Museum, still in use today, and founded the first of the park cooperating associations (known at first as natural history associations and more recently morphing into conservancies, now contributing more to the park and the parks than ever before. A later book by Hall is Handbook of Yosemite National Park, another item that has been done in many different forms in the century since its first printing.
This copy of Guide to Yosemite was produced by Sunset Publishing House (predecessor of Sunset Magazine) of San Francisco and later Menlo Park, California, as a first edition in 1920. It contains 98 pocket-sized pages + 8 front pages and has 3 maps: an aeroplane view of valley features, of Yosemite Village, and a contour map of the valley region with roads and trails (that map is present and intact except for a 2 inch tear on one of the map folds). Many of the trails shown are still in use, but some have been partly relocated or are no longer extant; for instance the Capitan Trail leading from near Cascade Creek to El Capitan and a series of trails west of the Wawona Road and north of Chinquapin. The Tioga Road is in an earlier alignment than that of today. These simple references, as well as the locations shown on the maps, make this early guide a valuable historical record of this important national park.
Condition: The book's cover is a brown color with a textured pattern, and is secured with staples and glue; it is firm, with a slight crease on the front. Cover type and illustration of Half Domes with clouds and trees is black; no type on back cover. While the text is mainly unmarked, there is an x in each margin of pages 2 and 3. There are crude penciled drawings on a blank opening page and on page 99, plus a penciled name and address on the title page and page 98. It is intriguing that the penciled name is that of Margaret C. Jorgensen of Santa Rosa, Calif. in that Yosemite Village map entry 22 locates the Old Jorgensen Studio; could there be a connection? As lister of this item I wish to explain my association with Yosemite as once, half a century after author Hall and much like him, I was the chief park naturalist there, and now another half-century and more has gone by! Hall's book has been in my collection much of that time. An additional aside is that, when it was determined by the park service that Jorgensen's house near the Merced River in Yosemite Valley (again, at Yosemite Village map entry 22) was slated for removal but first would be used for building fire training, I was a member of the brigade that burned it. (Another Jorgensen structure was relocated to the park's Pioneer Yosemite History Center.) See sample pages, illustrations.
ISBN: None. Order #: VINT3661 paper$95.00.RC Also available on eBay.com and vialibri.net.

RC FIRE IN SIERRA NEVADA FORESTS: a photographic interpretation of ecological change since 1849. by George Gruell.
The face of the Sierra has filled in-and that, Gruell says, is not a good thing; not for wildlife, not for the forest and not for the future of the range's ecosystems." - Bettina Boxall, Los Angeles Times.
Fire in Sierra Nevada Forests examines the woodlands through repeat photography: re-photographing sites depicted in historical photographs to compare past vegetation to present. 256 pages, 7.25 x 10.25. Published by Mountain Press. See sample pages, illustrations (coming).
ISBN: 0-87842-446-6. Order #: MOPR9062 paper$95.00. RC 

 

RC HANDBOOK FOR RANGERS & WOODSMEN. by J. L. B. Taylor, Forest Ranger, United States Forest Service.
1916 copyright by J. L. B. Taylor; 1917 first edition, first thousand published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York. Describes the job skills needed by early forest ranges--packing and riding horses, constructing telephone lines, carpentry work, felling timber, surveying land, fire fighting, identifying livestock brands, dealing with injuries, poisons, locating campsites, using a hat as a drinking cup. A practical manual for getting things done in the field. Includes an appendix of management units, measurement units, finding distant elevations, blasting charges, knot tying, weights of materials. An illuminating insight into the myriad kinds of situations an early ranger might deal with, often on his own in solving a problem. Appendix lists management units, tables for measuring lumber, and more. A glossary defines words of the trade. For instance, a "spill" is "a rolled or twisted paper used in lieu of a match after being ignited at an open fire (commonly used in the south and southeast)". There is also a lengthy index. 420 pages, 4 1/4 in x 6 3/4 in. Extensively illustrated with line drawings of tools, implements, construction drawings, animals and animal parts, plus foldouts describing myriad nails and screws.
Condition: Covers are of dark blue cloth with gilt title on spine. Slight rubbing on some corners of covers and they appear a bit more limp than they probably were when new over a century ago. Inside cover has some wrinkles, one of which has a 2 inch tear but which is in place. There are 3 small darker spots and a tiny tear on the upper right side of the inside cover pages. Two names appear, one with an address of State College, Pa. (known for its forestry program). On the next two pages are the initials of one of those whose address appears earlier, in a nice script. No markings found within text. No inscriptions on inside back cover area, but some small darker spots are present. Condition by eBay standard is Good. See sample pages, illustrations.
ISBN: None. Order #: VINT3664 soft-cloth$130.00. RC Also available on eBay and vialibri.net.

RC AN ILLUSTRATED FLORA OF YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK. by Stephen Botti.
Covers every vascular plant species in Yosemite, with 1100 water-color paintings plus pen-and-ink drawings.516 pages, large-format. An uncirculated copy from a book distributor; it is considered new as it has never been sold.  See sample pages, illustrations (coming).
ISBN: 0-939666-98-7. /Order #: YOCO9013 paper$950.00. RC 

 

RC JOHN BROWN'S RAID AT HARPER'S FERRY, WEST VIRGINIA: 1859. by a West Virginia Congressman who witnessed the fight (Alexander R. Boteler), by a prisoner taken during the fight (John. E. P. Dangerfield), by a radical abolitionist (F. B. Sanborn) who helped with fundraising. Published by Outbooks, Golden, Colorado, 1st edition, only printing, 1980, 2000 copies printed; out-of-print in 1997. The theme of this publisher (now VistaBooks) has been to present important episodes of American history with accounts that were produced near the time of the events, often by participants. Although the book title locates West Virginia, the present location of where the fight occurred, at the time of the fight the area was Virginia. It is important to note that Harpers Ferry was not the first attempt by Brown to bring his issue forward; that happened earlier in Kansas. Among those assisting on the side in his fundraising were Emerson and Thoreau. These accounts were first published in Century Magazine for 1883 and 1885. Illustrations came from those issues and also form Harpers Monthly (1857), Building the Nation (1882), and The Memorial Story of America (1892). Included is a map of the fight area, overviews of Harpers Ferry, and portraits of Brown. There is a foreword by Neal F. Randell, Park Interpreter, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. A special feature is the center-spread collage showing each of the 21 raid participants plus Brown--whether killed (9), escaped, captured , and executed or hung (7).

Conditon: Very Good, a copy from publisher's file that never circulated; called "new" by some. There is slight smudging on back cover. In 2/24 we found no other copies available.
32 pages + paper covers, 6" x 9", drawings, maps, portraits. See sample pages, illustrations (coming). See also A Voice from Harper's Ferry, by Osborne P. Anderson.

ISBN: 0-89646-055-X. Order # VIST0055 paper$150.00. RC 

 

RC OF GARRYOWEN IN GLORY: The History of the Seventh United States Cavalry Regiment. by Chandler.
This is the Army unit of the Battle of Little Big Horn fame. The song "Garryowen" was Custer's theme song. Period covered is from 1866 to inactivation in 1957--troop movements, engagements, forts where stationed. Small tear on dust jacket. Never circulated from VistaBook's inventory; in like-new condition. See sample pages, illustrations (coming).
ISBN: . /Order #: EXPO0442 cloth$200.00 RC

 

 

RC OLD TIME POSTERS FROM THE GREAT SPORTING DAYS: 22 handsome, turn-of-the-century posters in full color. Stackpole.
22 handsome, turn-of-the-century posters featuring hunting/fishing magazine covers and ads in full color. Ads from Winchester, Peters, Remington, DuPont, Smith & Wesson, Marlin,Western, and more. 11"x16", suitable for framing. Mainly guns and hunting; some fishing. Recall the adventure and nostalgia of the Golden Sporting Age. Slight bend in cover. See sample pages, illustrations (coming).
ISBN: 0-8117-2163-9. 1982. Cover bent and scuffed. /Order #: STAC3261 paper$120.00. RC 

 

RC THE PAPAGO (Tohono O'odham) and PIMA INDIANS OF ARIZONA. by Ruth M. Underhill.
Noted anthropologist describes everyday life, religion, arts, and government of two Arizona tribes--family life, gods,beliefs, dances, music, making fire, cooking, weaving, marriage, houses, and more. First published in 1930s; this is a reprint by Filter Press. 74 pages, illustrated with photographs and drawings. See sample pages, illustrations (coming).
ISBN: 978-0-86541-059-6. /Order #: FILT0487 paper$155.00. RC

 

 

RC PLANTATIONS OF LOUISIANA. by Jess DeHart.
Guides the traveler on tours of homes throughout the state and offers historical briefs and also introduces the basic architectural styles of Louisiana plantations (such as Creole Classic, Louisiana Greek Revival, Louisiana Colonial), featuring over 300. Describes architectural styles of Louisiana plantation homes--how to recognize them, their significance, and their locations to help understand this important link with the region's history. Illustrated, 13 maps, 176 pages, index. See sample pages, illustrations (coming).
ISBN: 0-88289-338-6. /Order #: PELI2813 paper$395.00. RC 

SIERRA CLUB BULLETIN & SIERRA
Go to Sierra Club Bulletin for listings

RC SILENT SPRING. by Rachel Carson, with drawings by Lois and Louis Darling. 1962 first printing of first editon of monumental work on environmental concern, backed by citations of sources listed from page 301 to 355, Carson also authored Under the Sea-wind, The Sea Around Us, and The Edge of the Sea. She is one of the most important environmental writers of our time, and she and her Silent Spring are given much of the credit for initiating the so-called environmental movement (Paul Brooks in Audubon, January 1987). Thus it is now also an important historical work. The book was attacked by the chemical industry, to the point where President Kennedy set up a panel of his Science Advisory Committee and its report completely vindicated her thesis (Brooks again).

Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company of Boston, Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 60-5148. Includes index. Cover is dark green cloth with gilt letters for title on front and on spine. Two corners are slightly bumped and there is a tiny bit of rubbing on the bottom of the spine. There is no dust jacket. There is an owner's name on a front page and an owner's name and address (in Yosemite National Park) on another front page (owner is the seller, a park naturalist of Yosemite National Park and later chief park naturalist at the park). Bookseller's stamp is on the inside back cover, showing an acorn design from Best's Studio (now Ansel Adams Gallery), Yosemite Valley. It seems prophetic that the book has an association with a spot where an earlier environmental movement began with the 1864 setting aside of Yosemite, even before Yellowstone in 1872. There are 368 pages, plus front matter. The book is 6 inches by 8 1/2 inches. Binding is tight. All pages are intact. Based on the standards provided by eBay for antiquarian and collectible books, its condition is judged as between Like New and Very Good. The book has had a single owner to date. See sample pages, illustrations.

Following is information that supports the first edition designation. There is no dust jacket so that factor cannot be compared with those that do have one:

The Biblio book search site reports the following:
The first edition of Silent Spring was published in 1962 by Houghton Mifflin Co. The book has a green dust jacket with a $5.00 price stamp, green boards, and 'First Printing' on the copyright page. A Book of the Month Club issued in 1962 looks similar but does not have printings on the copyright page, and the dust jacket bears Book of the Month Club instead of price point." [This copy has "First printing" on the copyright page.] Thus this copy is not a Book of the Month Club issuance. It is also not ex-library. 
Further information is that Riverside Press is printed on the copyright page, and again from Biblio: "First editions from Riverside have the words 'First Published (year)' on the copyright page with no additional printings listed" [This copy has "First Printing", differing slightly]. The owner of the book is the seller. The book bears the sticker on the inside back cover of Best's Studio (now Ansel Adams Gallery) a Yosemite Valley book seller, where the owner was living as a national park naturalist as shown by his address stamp from that time on the first title page. Both probability from these marks and recollection from the owner/seller are that it was purchased early and retained as a one-owner item. 

Please also consider the following information from the internet and the pictures there that show aspects identifying first editions. [Copy the following and post it into a browser from the site First Edition Points (eBay does not allow links): "First Edition Criteria and Points to identify Silent Spring by Rachel Carson".]  This copy of Silent Spring in the present eBay listing shows all the aspects listed by that source; these can be seen in the inclded images. Potential buyers are invited to view comparable listings of stated first editions on sites such as vialibri and biblio.
ISBN: None. Order #: VINT3647 cloth$490.00. RC Also available on eBay and vialibri.net.

Bonus with Silent Spring: select 3 free books from The Proposed Yosemite National Park; The Yellowstone National Park; Ecologue: the environmental catalogue and consumer's guide for a safe Earth; Footprints on the Planet: a search for an environmental ethic; The Voice of the Earth; The True State of the Planet; Miracle Under the Oaks; Natural Areas and Yosemite; Nature's Keepers: the new science of nature management; The Green Encyclopedia; Help Save the Environment with Postcard Power; The History of the Sierra Club; The Way of the Earth: encounters with Nature in ancient and contemporary thought; Oh, Ranger: a book about the national parks; The National Parks (by Freeman Tilden)--subject to availability.

RC STEEP TRAILS (VINT3628). by John Muir, edited by William Frederic Bade.
1918. First edition of Muir's adventures and explorations of western scenes, with introduction by William Frederic Bade dated May 1918, with the copyright dated September of that year. Muir died at the end of 1914 so this is a posthumous edition yet the writing is largely taken from contributions he made to books and magazines from the late 1800s. Topics range among Mount Shasta (including the essay recounting Muir's survival in a snowstorm by getting warmth at a hot spring), Salt Lake City (and bathing in the Great Salt Lake), southern California, Nevada's farms, forests, timber, and glacial history plus ghost towns even then, Washington State, Oregon, and the Grand Canyon. Muir includes one harrowing winter sojourn into Yosemite's Tenaya Canyon but overall Steep Trails indicates how much roaming Muir did beyond his Yosemite. There are 24 separate excursions and accounts, 12 black-and-white photos are included, 9 by Herbert W. Gleason. 391 pages +xii, index. Size is 5.5 in. x 8.5 in.

The book's cover is a pale greenish-gray with a color photo believed to be Mount Shasta in northern California. No dust jacket. Viewed from above the book's top, pages have gilt edges. There is some minor bumping and a hardly discernible spot on the back lower right where a price sticker may have been removed. There is a gift inscription dated 1919 on the first page facing the inside cover; no other marks. Binding is tight; all pages and illustrations are present. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company of Boston and New York. Printed on last page is "The Riverside Press, Cambridge-Massachusetts, U. S. A." Using eBay's standard for book condition, this copy of Steep Trails ranks as Very Good. This copy has been in a private collection for some 50 years. See sample pages, illustrations.
ISBN: None. /Order #: VINT3628 cloth$290.00. RC Also available on eBay and vialibri.net.

RC STEEP TRAILS (VINT3634). by John Muir, edited by William Frederic Bade.
1918. First edition of Muir's adventures and explorations of western scenes, with introduction by William Frederic Bade dated May 1918, with the copyright dated September of that year. Muir died at the end of 1914 so this is a posthumous edition yet the writing is largely taken from contributions he made to books and magazines from the late 1800s. Topics range among Mount Shasta (including the essay recounting Muir's survival in a snowstorm by getting warmth at a hot spring), Salt Lake City (and bathing in the Great Salt Lake), southern California, Nevada's farms, forests, timber, and glacial history plus ghost towns even then, Washington State, Oregon, and the Grand Canyon. Muir includes one harrowing winter sojourn into Yosemite's Tenaya Canyon but overall Steep Trails indicates how much roaming Muir did beyond his Yosemite. There are 24 separate excursions and accounts, 12 black-and-white photos are included, 9 by Herbert W. Gleason. 391 pages +xii, index. Size is 5.5 in. x 8.5 in.

The book's cover is a pale grayish and does not have a color photo. No dust jacket. Viewed from above the book's top, this copy's pages do not have gilt edges. There is some minor bumping. There is a gift inscription on the first page facing the inside cover and an owner's signature; no other marks. Binding is tight; all pages and illustrations are present. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company of Boston and New York. Printed on last page is "The Riverside Press, Cambridge-Massachusetts, U. S. A." Using eBay's standard for book condition, this copy of Steep Trails ranks as Good to Very Good. This copy has been in a private collection for some 50 years. See sample pages, illustrations.
ISBN: None. /Order #: VINT3634 cloth$195.00. RC Also available on eBay and vialibri.net.

RC STICKEEN. by John Muir.
1st edition, 1909, 3rd impression, 1909 on title page. ISBN: None. Order #: VINT3688 cloth$550.00. See description, sample pages, illustrations.Also available on eBay and vialibri.net.
1st edition, 1909, 24th impression, 1922 on copyright page. ISBN: None. Order #: VINTST3699 cloth$150.00. See description, sample pages, illustrations. Also available on eBay and vialibri.net.
1st edition, 1909, 4th impression, 1909 on title page (ex-library). ISBN: None. Order #: VINT3704 cloth$300.00. See description, sample pages, illustrations. Also available on eBay and vialibri.net.
1st edition, 1909, 4th impression, 1912 on title page (ex-library). ISBN: None. Order #: VINT3705 cloth$190.00. See description, sample pages, illustrations. Also available on eBay and vialibri.net.

STICKEEN: the story of a dog. by John Muir,
1st edition thus, 1909, Riverside Literature Series RLS231. ISBN: None. Order #: VINT3708 cloth$300.00. See description, sample pages, illustrations. Also available on eBay.com and vialibri.net. RC

RC THE TETONS: Interpretations of a mountain landscape (cloth). by Fritiof Fryxell.
1938 first edition with author's gifting notation in front: "To Dean and Mrs. E. H. Kraus with the sincere appreciation of 'the Base Lake contingent.' --F. M. Fryxell". At the bottom of this same page is "June, 1942" in the same script and fine pen. Fryxell was an early Grand Teton National Park ranger-naturalist who made numerous first ascents of the peaks there, authored numerous books on its geology and completed several more for Francois Matthes on Yosemite and Sierra Nevada topics, and was affiliated with the U.S. Geological Survey, as well as a professor of geology. In World War II as assistant chief of the Military Geology Unit, Fryxell was responsible for analyzing the terrain of projected battle sites.(It is intriguing that there has long been a military installation in Nebraska at a Base Lake, yet that name does not appear on a lake in Wyoming or at any other place in the United States, so a possibility is that Fryxell had been associated there during the war. It also is that the Dean of the College of Literature, Science and the Arts at University of Michigan in 1942 was E. H. Kraus, a professor of mineralogy, who was married. It does not take much imagination to posit that Kraus in some way assisted Fryxell's military geology work and Fryxell recognized that with a gift. (These are strong clues as to who Fryxell signed this copy for and help us surmise that this copy was once owned by Dean Kraus.) Published by University of California Press by Samuel T. Farquhar, University Printer (brother of Francis P. Farquhar, a Sierra Nevada mountaineer who authored several books on that region and its history and was a Sierra Club president).
On the tan dust jacket of this book is the notation in red type: "A guide for visitors to the Grand Teton National Park, and a delight for travelers by the fireside." Fryxell contrasts the Tetons with nearby Yellowstone National Park and describes the mountains and their rocks and faults and explains how the scenic features were formed, including their later glaciation, then describes the present landscape and even the cloudscape with personal observations. Black-and-white photographs show both scenery and rock samples; two diagrams give the distribution of the rock types in both plan and cross-section views. A fold-out map is attached. Size is 5.25 in x 7.75 in, 76 pages, illustrated, map, index.

The dust jacket is in good condition, lightly soiled, having no tears, with the front inside flap clipped diagonally at its top; back jacket flap is intact. Cloth covers are rust-colored; on the front cover is printed the title; the back is blank. Inside pages are unmarked except for the gifting inscription. All pages and illustrations are present and intact and the binding is tight. The map has a 1-inch tear where it is attached; otherwise is solidly in place and smoothly folded. Using eBay's rating of condition, this book is judged Very Good. See sample pages, illustrations.

ISBN: None. /Order #: VINT3653 cloth$480.00. RC Also available on eBay and vialibri.net. See a similar title: VINT3654 (1984; paper)

RC THE TETONS: Interpretations of a mountain landscape (paper). by Fritiof Fryxell.

Fryxell contrasts the Tetons with nearby Yellowstone National Park and describes the mountains and their rocks and faults and explains how the scenic features were formed, including their later glaciation, then describes the present landscape and even the cloudscape with personal observations. Black-and-white photographs show both scenery and rock samples; two diagrams give the distribution of the rock types in both plan and cross-section views. A fold-out map is attached. Size is 5.25 in x 7.75 in, 76 pages, illustrated, map, index. Published by Grand Teton Natural History Association, 6th printing, 1984. Condition is Like New/Very Good: No markings on book. Cover not wrinkled or torn. Binding solid. Pages all intact. Map secured firmly. This title has had one owner and has been in a private collection over 50 years. See sample pages, illustrations.

ISBN: None. /Order #: VINT3654 paper$160.00. RC Also available on eBay and vialibri.net.t. See a similar title: VINT3653 (1938; cloth)

RC A TOUR ON THE PRAIRIES. by Washington Irving.
1835 edition of this classic. Pages spotted (foxed moderately), all pages intact, binding strong, decorative design on covers and inside covers, leather spine with gilt type set on ridges, slight bumping of corners and some rubbing at edges, no marks except two pencil notations on front pages. Based on condition standards of eBay, the book is Good. This book has been in a private collection for at least 50 years of its n early 200 years of existence. Published in Paris by Baudry's European Library and bears the date 1835 on the title page; has no advertising. Irving describes his trip as to the "Buffalo Prairies" (now Oklahoma around Fort Gibson, established 1824) with many observations of native Osage, Pawnee and other Indians as well as settlers and the armed rangers who accompanied his travels, of wolves, hunger, and the homes and farms of settlers--presented in 35 chapters including hunting of buffalo, deer, and bear. An original account, now historic, of this region. 270 pages + x. See sample pages, illustrations.
ISBN: None. /Order #: MISC9373 cloth$350.00. RC Also available on eBay and vialibri.net.

RC THRILLING ADVENTURES AMONG THE EARLY SETTLERS, by Warren Wildwood, Esq.
embracing desperate accounts with Indians, Tories, and refugees; daring exploits of Texas rangers and others, and incidents of guerrilla warfare; fearful deeds of the gamblers and desperadoes, rangers and regulators of the west and southwest; hunting stories, trapping adventures, etc., etc., etc.

This is a first edition from 1861, published by John E. Potter & Co. of Philadelphia. Illustrated by 200 engravings. Cover is green cloth with black embossed drawings and somewhat dulled gilt background behind abbreviated title "EARLY SETTLERS". Spine also carries embossed decoration with "ADVENTURES OF EARLY SETTLERS." over gilt background.

Frontispiece drawing is by W.B. Jackman, full page protected with light paper, "The Death Struggle" showing horseback knife fight between Indian and settler, with another Indian looking on through some foliage. Author provides a preface, and there are 61 adventures listed in the "Contents and Illustrations" including "Adventures of Daniel Boone, "David Crockett's Fight with a Bear", "The Swamp Robbers of Louisiana", "Thrilling Escape from a Prison Ship".

The item has been in a private collection at least the last 50 years of its over 160 years of existence. Condition judging by eBay's standard is Very Good, amazing considering its age: There is slight rubbing of spine at top and bottom and along edges, with dulling of gilt background of title, but design elements still strong and clear as shown in the cover illustration. Pages are intact, no discoloring and no markings. Binding is solid. Some wear beginning on inside cover margin. Light soiling of back cover at top. No structural defects. 384 pages, 5.5" x 7.5". See sample pages, illustrations.

ISBN: None. /Order #: VINT3624 cloth$350.00. RC  Also available on eBay and vialibri.net.

RC #USE OF THE NATIONAL FORESTS. by U. S. Forest Service. 
1907 description of the multiple-use concept of the national forests--threats, values. 42 pages. See sample pages, illustrations (coming).
ISBN None. /Order #:  MISC9371 cloth$96.00. RC 

RC THIS ITEM HAS SOLD. A VOICE FROM HARPERS FERRY: A Narrative of Events at Harper's Ferry with incidents prior and subsequent to its capture by Captain Brown and his men. by Osborne Perry Anderson, "one of the number" [of raiders]. Anderson, a freeman and abolitionist, was among those led in 1859 by John Brown to capture a federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (West Virginia since 1863), intending in that way to bring attention to the slavery issue by attacking the government that supported it and with the hope of starting an uprising of citizens and slaves that would resolve the issue of slavery in the South, ending that practice. He expected that once his catalyst was set, the rest would be spontaneous, but his and his team's efforts were not joined. Instead, after a battle with mortality on both sides, he and his group were captured by federal troops and Brown, after a trial, was hung as were two others of the party. Osborne fought in the raid, lived, escaped capture, was wanted, migrated to Canada, and wrote this pamphlet as the only insider account on Brown's side of the raid. It is an important record of the Civil War and American history: one might say this raid of October 16-18, 1859 was the first incident of the war and 14 months later in January, 1861, this first edition was printed, soon to be followed in April by the start of the Civil War at Fort Sumter. One wonders how American history might have differed had Brown's raid and its purpose succeeded. 7 1/4 " by 4 3/4". 65 pages (of 72).

Condition: All pages by Anderson are present (through page 62) as is poetry from New York Tribune on pages 63-65 but pages 66-72 of poetry are missing (available in reprints and copies can be provided). A copy archived in the Harvard University Library shows the book bound in cloth covers with a marbled design; this binding may have been added after publication, as other copies do not show a cover. The copy listed here does not have covers and neither do the copies in the Library of Congress or the Oberlin College show covers on the book. A "shadow" along the left side of the front page (that page seems also to be the cover) may represent a partial binding was once there. Pages are spotted in places but the text is easily read. There is a stamp from the Library of Fred M. Harris on page 2, which presumably was a personal collection, so the book is not here considered ex-library. The present copy has been in the private collection of the lister the past 50-some years. A search has so far found no other of this first edition in circulation; a very few are in archival libraries such as the Library of Congress and there are reprints. The cover says the printing was done at Boston "printed for the author" but there is no indication who the printer was, perhaps due to a preference for anonymity as the Civil War was then about to begin or had just begun and Virginia was still in the throes of settling on which side it would be on, or just had. Perhaps a clue to who printed this for Anderson is inclusion of poetry from the New York Tribune. Too, as a youth, Anderson associated with Mary Ann Shadd and her family, also free black abolitionists; later in Canada as Mary Ann Shadd Cary, she was "North America's first black female newspaper publisher", of the Provincial Freeman; she is said to have assisted Anderson. (www.history.net--Tom Huntington). Noting the location of printing as Boston, one might speculate that Emerson and Thoreau of that region might have been involved, as they had anonymnously supported Brown as he prepared his offense.

Valuation This could be described as a "priceless" item for its historical importance. It is also priceless in its rarity in the sense that no other listings for sale of this title have been found in at least the past 8 months. There are only a few copies in major libraries, indicating extreme rarity. It is thus a problem to put an appropriate price on the listed copy and we have opted in spite of its missing back-matter pages for a price that will keep it from being sold at less than its worth, unknown, while allowing offers. True, we are in business but we also want this item to go where it will be cared for and that can only be done with resources not available to most. Inquiries that explain and support what an appropriate price and destination should be are welcome, as are like offers. Others interested in Osborne's account of the John Brown raid can find accounts to read on the internet as well as reprinted editions.
ISBN: None. Lister's #: VINT3773 paper $2000.00 or offer; TBD (inquire). RC Also available on eBay and vialibri.net. Also see John Brown's Raid at Harper's Ferry, West Virginia: 1859--three accounts: by a West Virginia congressman who witnessed the fight, by a prisoner during the fight, and by a radical abolitionist; with a foreword by Park Interpreter, Harpers Ferry National Park, puiblished by this lister.

RC WONDER LAKE TO MULDROW GLACIER (map). by Bradford Washburn.
Large-scale topographic map of trails, historic climbing route for Mt. McKinley approach. Details the famous foot-trail leading from the Denali Highway southward across the McKinley River and Clearwater uplands, and up the valley of Cache Creek to the base of Mt. McKinley. Scale 1:24,000 (2,000 feet to 1 inch); contour interval 20 feet. 12"x24" shipped folded 6" x 9".
ISBN: None. 1980. /Order #: MOUN2674 map$94.00. RC 

 

 

RC WETLAND HERITAGE: the Louisiana duck decoy. by Charles W. Frank, Jr.
Depicts the step-by-step development ofthis folk art and offers valuable advice on carving techniques as well as tips for collectors, with list of master carvers.  Now considered a distinctive and acclaimed art form of this region. Surveys the many decoy collections and carvers--for art aficionados as well as collectors and those who simply appreciate. How decoys are made and, when necessary, repaired. 320 color photos, 192 large-format pages. See sample pages, illustrations (coming).
ISBN: 0-88289-398-X. 1985. /Order #: PELI2830 cloth$95.00. RC 

RC #WOOD STOVES: how to make and use them. by Ole Wik.
Thoughts on use of wood for cooking/heating and getting it, design elements, ovens, dampers, hotwater systems, list of manufacturers. Photos, diagrams, 204 pages. See sample pages, illustrations (coming).
ISBN: 0-88240-083-5. /Order #: ALNO3167 paper$97.00. RC

RC YOSEMITE CLIMBER: action photographs from the world's leading rock-climbing area. by George Meyers.
Essays and dramatic action photographs give insights into the challenges and rewards of climbing Yosemite's great rock walls and spires. Shows technical problems on smaller cliffs, intricacies of longer multi-pitch free climbs and the complexities of living on, and climbing the awe-inspiring big-wall routes of El Capitan. Color photos, 96 large-format pages, 9 in. by 11 1/4 in., map of Yosemite Valley climbing areas, 5 pages of detailed captions describe each included photograph. Author Meyers is an experienced Yosemite climber, as are those who provide keynote essays: Molly Higgins, John Long, John Sheard, and Bill Westbay--each explaining a different aspect of Yosemite climbing. Published by Diadem Books, 1979, 2nd impression. This copy has never circulated; has been on a wholesaler's shelf until this listing; is in new condition with no flaws. Pictorial hardbound covers. See sample pages, illustrations
ISBN: 0-906371-09-0. 1979. Order #: WILD1757 cloth$195.00. RC

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