A Sojourn in California by The King's Orphan; The Travels and Sketches of G.M. Waseurtz af Sandels, a Swedish gentleman who visited California in 1842-1843 by Van Sicklen, Helen Putnam (Editor) - 1945

San Francisco: The Book Club of California, Printed at the Grabhorn Press, 1945. Limited Edition. Hardcover. Near fine/near fine. One of 330 copies (unnumbered), folio size, 103 pp., with dust jacket and prospectus. This narrative follows the travels of Dr. Sandels, a self-described physician, mining expert, and naturalist whose true identity remains shrouded in mystery. The manuscript purported to be his is of observations made during a year's journey in pre-Gold Rush California and includes views of towns, missions, and early depictions of Native Americans, Mexicans, californios, and many others. His drawings present a first impression of a remote and singular place captured with the wit and naivete of a first-time visitor (N.B., info from the Society of California Pioneers website).

This book printed by the Grabhorn Press, one of the most highly renowned private presses in America in the twentieth century, run by brothers Edwin and Robert Grabhorn; selected as one of the Fifty Books of the Year and included in the Exhibition of Western Books (Rounce & Coffin Club). With the original dust jacket and the prospectus.

___DESCRIPTION: Bound in red and yellow patterned paper boards, natural canvas spine, paper spine label with red lettering, title page in red and black, opening initial of introduction in red, heading on opening page of text in red and black, twenty-seven illustrations, four in colour, on nineteen leaves, three maps; hand-set Centaur type on machine-made paper, folio size (approximately 13" tall), pagination: (i)-xii, (1)-85, blank (86), Indices (87-90), colophon page (91); printed at the Grabhorn Press for The Book Club of California in arrangement with The Society of California Pioneers, limited edition of 300 copies (plus another 30 printed on special papers, not for sale), unnumbered. Plain brown paper dust jacket. Prospectus a single sheet folded once to four pages, front a facsimile of the title page, second page blank, third page contains information about the forthcoming book ("Price: $22.50, plus 56 cents tax for sales in California"), back page blank.

___CONDITION: Book is in near fine condition with bright colourful boards, a strong, square text block, corners straight and not rubbed, the interior is clean and bright, and it is entirely free of prior owner markings; stray, light spots of soiling to the canvas spine, both hinges, while solid, are just starting at the (approximate) bottom two inches; dust jacket is near fine with very minor edgewear, mostly at the head and tail of the spine. The prospectus is good plus, complete, clean and without tears, but with overall shallow creases.

___CITATIONS: Grabhorn Press Bibliography no. 417, BCC First 100 Books No. 63.

___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.

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