Early California Travels Series

Los Angeles: Glen Dawson, 1954. Limited Edition. Hardcover. Near fine. Most volumes stated edition size of 200, volumes 1 through 20 (continuous), duodecimo size, approx. 1600 pp. total, with two pieces of related ephemera. Per the check-list, "The Early California Travels Series is a set of small volumes relating to the history of California printed by a number of different California printers." The list of printers is indeed impressive, making this Series fascinating both for its subject matter and the representation of printers it provides.

This offering includes Volumes 1 through 20 (continuous); the authors, titles, and printers included are: I: Coulter, Thomas. "Notes on Upper California, A Journey from Monterey to the Colorado River in 1832", printed by William M. Cheney in 1951; II: Dye, Job Francis. "Recollections of a Pioneer 1830-1852, Rocky Mountains, New Mexico, California", printed by the Toyo Printing Company in 1951; III: Netrel Le, St. Edmond; Wagner, Blanche Collet (Translator). "Voyage of the Heros, Around the World with Duhaut-Cilly in the years 1826, 1827, 1828 & 1829", printed by Grant Dahlstrom at the Castle Press in 1951; IV: Meadows, Don. "Baja California 1533-1950, A Biblio-History by Don Meadows", printed by the Plantin Press in 1951; V: Botta, Paolo Emilio; Bricca, John Francis (Translator). "Observations on the Inhabitants of California 1827-1828", printed by William M. Cheney in 1952 (140 copies); VI: Powell, Lawrence Clark. "Land of Fiction, Thirty-Two Novels and Stories...", printed by Grant Dahlstrom at the Ampersand Press in 1952 (325 copies); VII: Rudkin, Charles N. "Father Kino at La Paz, April 1683, A translation of the Relación Puntual of 1683", printed by the Cole-Holmquist Press in 1952; VIII: Robinson, W.W. "The Indians of Los Angeles, Story of the Liquidation of a People", printed by the Press of Muir Dawson (composition by Saul and Lillian Marks) in 1952; IX: Wilbur, Marguerite Eyer (Editor). "Vancouver in California 1792-1794, The Original Account of George Vancouver, Volume One", printed by the Toyo Printing Co. in 1953; X: Wilbur, Marguerite Eyer (Editor). "Vancouver in California 1792-1794, The Original Account of George Vancouver, Volume Two", also printed by the Toyo Printing Co. in 1954 (n.b., Volume Three was published as number XXII which is not included in this set.); XI: Isaacs, A.C; Farquhar, Francis P. (Introduction). "An Ascent of Mount Shasta: 1856", printed by the Feathered Serpent Press in 1952 (250 copies); XII: Farquhar, Francis P. "The Books of the Colorado River & the Grand Canyon, A Selective Bibliography", printed by Ward Ritchie in 1953; XIII: Ruschenberger, W.S.W.; Kemble, John Haskell (Introduction). "Sketches in California 1836", printed by the Plantin Press in 1953; XIV: Wallace, William Swilling. "Antoine Robidoux 1794-1860, A Biography of a Western Venturer", printed by Grant Dahlstrom at the Castle Press in 1953 (450 copies); XV: Arlt, Gustave O. (Translator). "Ferdinand Deppe's Travels in California in 1837", printed by Saul and Lillian Marks at the Plantin Press in 1953 (190 copies); XVI: Tarakanoff, Vassili Petrovitch. "Statement of My Captivity Among the Californians...", printed by the Plantin Press in 1953; XVII: Walker, Joel P. "A Pioneer of Pioneers, Narrative of Adventures Thro' Alabama, Florida, New Mexico, Oregon, California, &c.", printed by William M. Cheny, and this volume SIGNED BY CHENEY, in 1953 (197 copies); XVIII: Berton, Francis; Rudkin, Charles N. (Translator, Editor). "A Voyage on the Colorado - 1878", printed by the Cole-Holmquist Press (300 copies) in 1953; XIX: Glover, William; Bailey, Paul (Foreword, Notes, Bibliography). "The Mormons in California", printed by Paul Bailey, and this volume SIGNED BY BAILEY, in 1954 (197 copies); XX: Wagner, Henry R. The First American Vessel in California. 1954.

Included are two related pieces of ephemera: the first "A Check List of the Early California Travels Series, 1951-1956", listing the volumes from 1 through 34, with 35-37 "To Be Issued Shortly", a single sheet folded thrice to form six pages (five of which have printing), measuring 7 1/8" by 4 3/4" when closed; the second titled "James Kirker, The Only Surviving Portrait", issued for subscribers to the series in 1952, a single sheet folded once to four pages, measuring 6" by3 3/4" when closed.

___DESCRIPTION: All volumes hardbound, variously in cloth, plain or decorated paper, some with cloth spines, a few with decorated endpapers, illustrated variously, two of the volumes signed by the printer (see above); duodecimo size (7 3/8" by 5 1/8"), pagination varies, each volume approximately 40 to 120 pp.

___CONDITION: All volumes about fine to fine, a few with extremely light rubbing at joints and/or corners; all have clean boards, strong, square text blocks with solid hinges, the interiors uniformly clean and bright, the sole prior owner markings we see a tasteful Ex-Libris on the front pastedown of each volumes; a few volumes with extremely light silverfish marks, a few with minor wear. The two pieces of ephemera fine but for a bit of toning, clean and without wear.

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