Rare books from BICKERSTAFF'S BOOKS, MAPS &C.

Castle William's heritage as a military installation dates to 1634 when cannons first were deployed in an earthen fort to defend Boston Harbor. British officials used the fort as a refuge in the tumultuous times leading up to the American Revolution; on their way out of Boston in March, 1776, the British destroyed the Fort. It was quickly rebuilt by Bostonians. The present view shows the rebuilt Fort with an oversized American flag waving above. The Fort served as an active military installation during the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Spanish-American War and World Wars I and II. Known as Fort Independence since 1797, the Fort today is a state park. Stauffer attributes the engraving to Samuel Hill, who did many of the plates for the Massachusetts Magazine. Uncommon. References: Lewis: A Guide to Engravings in American Magazines, 1741-1810: p. 10. Stauffer, American Engravers Upon Copper and Steel: 1397. John Carter Brown Archive of Early American Images: Record no.5437-4. Cresswell,… Read More

Early Maine Murder Trial Gone AwryAn account of a murder trial in Malta, now Windsor, in the District of Maine. Paul Chadwick was a surveyor on what was then the northern frontier of Maine and in an area where disputed land titles were common. Chadwick was shot while conducting a survey by a group of landowners disguised as Indians. Despite fairly overwhelming evidence of the guilt of the accused, the jury found all not guilty. Previous owner's (Rice Dudley) book label on front pastedown. Another early owner's name (Moody Kent) in ink in several places.References: Shaw & Shoemaker: 21516 (3 locations). Sabin: 47985. Williamson: 5651. Noyes: 505. Skillin: 10-32. McDade: 641. Condition: 186, 2 pp. Original blue/gray paper-covered boards, with chipping. Paper spine, cracked and eroded. Original paper spine label, with vertical separation. Occasional foxing and staining, mostly very light. A solid example of a scarce early Maine imprint.

This is the first general history of Maine, written in the post-Revolutionary War time period that saw several state histories published, including those by Belknap, Jefferson and Ramsay. Despite its distinctly chilly initial reception and the less than impressive editorial standards, Sullivan's History
is a cornerstone work in any collection of Maine material.
The History
includes as the frontispiece Osgood Carleton's A Map of the District of Maine Drawn from the latest Surveys and other best Authorities by Osgood Carleton. The map, measuring 20 5/16 x 16 3/8", includes an inset titled A Map of those parts of the Country most famous for being harassed [sic] by the Indians. Carleton's map was the most detailed done of Maine to that time.
At the head of the title page is an inscription which has been lined out: "For D. Laincourt[?] from his Friend, the Author."
References: Evans: 29589. Howes, USiana: S-1122. Sabin: 93499. Williamson, A Bibliography of the State of Maine: 9608. Thompson:… Read More

Christoph Ebeling, a German professor of history and classical languages, produced "[o]ne of the most comprehensive, detailed and sympathetic geographic descriptions of America" in the early years of the new republic (Walter Ristow, "The Ebeling-Sotzmann Atlas von Nordamerika," in The Map Collector, March, 1981). Ebeling engaged Berlin-based cartographer Daniel Sotzmann to prepare an 18-map atlas to complement his multi-volume geography of the United States, Erdbeschreibung und Geschichte von Amerika. The project foundered, however, and only ten state maps were ultimately produced during the years 1796-99. Despite being compiled in Europe, the Ebeling/Sotzmann maps are generally considered among the best maps of the ten states available at the time.

The New York map draws on the best available relevant maps of the time – those by Sauthier, Pownall, Ratzer, De Witt and Carey.
All of the Ebeling-Sotzmann maps are extremely scarce; only a handful of institutions have a complete set of the ten… Read More

Contemporary Image of the First Capitol of the United States
In September, 1788, Congress selected New York City as the temporary site of the new government. "The citizens of New York, desirous of testifying their attachment to the new national government, and of making their city the place of permanent residence of the Federal Legislature, have enlarged and repaired their city Hall, and made it a convenient and elegant structure, worthy of the respectable body for whose use it is designed." (Columbian Magazine, p. 473).
The conversion of City Hall to the "Federal Edifice," or Federal Hall, was directed by L'Enfant at a cost of $65,000. The Executive offices, the Senate and House chambers and the Supreme Court were all housed in this building. It was the nation's first Capitol under the Constitution. Although New York City's tenure as the new nation's capital was brief (lasting only until 1790), Federal Hall was the site of several highly significant historic events. Washington's inauguration… Read More

Washington's First State of the Union Address & Jefferson's Report on Currency, Weights and Measures
Mathew Carey's American Museum was published from January, 1787 to December, 1792. According to Mott, it shared with The
Columbian Magazine the honor of being America's first successful magazine. This is volume eight (of twelve volumes with six issues each) with the issues from July through December, 1790.
The volume contains two signature pieces from the early Federal period -- Washington's first State of the Union address (Appendix II, pp. 47-48) and Jefferson's report on currency, weights and measures (Appendix II, pp. 35-46). Among the other noteworthy content is Ferdinando Fairfax's "Plan for liberating the negroes within the United States," essentially a gradual, voluntary, government-assisted emancipation with relocation of the freed slaves to a new colony in Africa.
Reference: Mott, A History of American Magazines 1741-1850: pp. 100-103.Condition: Original calf binding with red title… Read More

First Official Printing of Maine's ConstitutionA very scarce example of the first printing of the Maine Constitution. As noted on the verso of the title leaf, 200 copies were ordered "printed for the use of the Legislature." In contrast, the next printing ordered by the Legislature -- in 1825 -- was for 10,000 copies. OCLC locates examples at six institutions. References: Noyes, Maine Imprints to 1820: 931. Skillin, A Bibliography of Maine Imprints, 1785-1820: 20-70. Not in Williamson, A Bibliography of the State of Maine. Thompson: Important Maine Maps, Books, Prints and Ephemera: 28A. (The Thompson copy sold for $1,840 in 2003.) Sprague, The Mirror of Maine: see 11 (for the 1825 edition). Shoemaker, A Checklist of American Imprints for 1820: 2075.Condition: Contemporary calf. Boards well-scuffed and with small gouged area. Significant chipping of spine leather; hinges and joints cracked. Age-toned and areas of staining throughout. An unsophisticated but appealing example of… Read More

Important Lunar Mapping at the Start of the Space RaceThe space race between the U.S. and Russia began in the late 1950s as an outgrowth of the Cold War. One result of the 1957 launch of Sputnik I by the Soviet Union was the sparking on an interest in lunar geology by Arnold Mason of the Military Geology Branch of the U.S. Geological Survey. Using earth-based telescopic imagery, Arnold and colleagues would devote two years to producing the three landmark maps of the moon included in the Engineer Special Study of the Surface of the Moon. The three maps are:* Generalized Photogeologic Map (Sheet 1) – "the first major lunar map to show stratigraphic relationships: that is, it attempted to display the chronological order of the formation of the moon's surface features."* Lunar Rays (Sheet 2) – which "plotted the source craters and extent of the moon's most prominent ray systems " (ejecta from asteroid crashes on the moon's surface). * "Physiographic Divisions of the Moon (Sheet 3) – which "applied… Read More

Delightful 1928 Pictorial Map of Dartmouth College
This wonderful pictorial map depicts the Dartmouth College campus in the late 1920s. It was apparently distributed to donors to the College's Alumni Fund. The artist, Jens Frederick Larson, served as Dartmouth's architect in residence from 1919 to 1947, during which period he was responsible for the design of Baker Library and the Tuck Mall. An uncommon map, with only two institutional holders noted on OCLC.Condition: Age darkened. On brittle paper with cracking and splits now corrected and stabilized with an archival tissue backing. Some staining in the margins. [ICN 3735.]

A very uncommon map of the Sea of Tranquility area that would be the site of the first moon landing in 1969. According to a description of a related larger-scale map in a 2020 Bonham's auction, "[NASA] mission planners created this internal Manned Spacecraft Center chart a few months before the flight in 1969."
The map encompasses the area from 14 degrees South to 14 degrees North Latitude and from 0 degrees to 42 degrees East Longitude. The coordinates of the Eagle's landing site were 0.675 degrees Latitude North and 23.47 degrees Longitude East – very near the center of the mapped area.
The map is numbered "MSC – 6238 – 69" in the lower right margin. As it was meant for internal use only, the map appears to be significantly less common than the LAC Lunar Chart series and the USGS geologic chart series. We were unable to locate an online reference to the map on the Lunar and Planetary Institute website.
Condition: Rolled, never folded. Some crinkling in the lower margin. Tear at… Read More

Scarce Chart of Oahu: Pearl Harbor to Diamond Head
This is a wonderfully detailed chart of the Pearl Harbor/Honolulu area. It names Diamond Head, Waikiki, Honolulu (with street grid shown), and Pearl Lochs (later, Pearl Harbor) and locates numerous landmarks: school, windmill, leper asylum, prison and several areas with heavy surf and breakers.
The chart appears to be directly derived from a larger, separately issued chart of the same title that covered a somewhat larger area (Hydrographic Office Chart no. 867). The larger chart was first issued in 1880 and updated at least through 1901. While a very short segment of Oahu R.R. is shown just west of Honolulu on the present chart, the much longer stretch of the railway that looped around the northern portion of Pearl Lochs is not shown here as it is on the 1899 edition of the larger map. Since the main portion of the Oahu Railway was completed in late 1889, it suggests that the present map was completed prior to that date. We have been unable to… Read More

This delightful pictorial map focusing on the North Pacific Ocean was distributed as a premium in connection with the syndicated radio program, "Air Adventures of Jimmie Allen." The program, featuring Jimmie Allen as an adventurous 16-year old pilot, ran from 1933 to 1937 and from 1946 to 1947 and was sponsored initially by the Skelly Oil Company.

Background on the show appears on the Radio Days Theater of the Mind Museum website (http://radiodaysmuseum.org):
"Broadcast History: 1933 to 1937 and 1946 to 1947.
The writers of Jimmie Allen had been flying aces in World War I. They came up with the idea of a show about a boy pilot while at a party in Kansas City and used their experience as pilots to create and write the show.
The show was one of the first to capitalize on the idea of a club as a promotional tool. To join the Jimmie Allen Flying Club all a child had to do was apply at any Skelly Gas Station (the initial sponsor). As a member the child received a whole host of goodies ranging from a… Read More

Newsmap was a poster/newspaper issued weekly during World War II by the U.S. War Department to military installations and government and civic groups working on War Department projects. Issues generally contained one or more maps as well as reports of recent military actions. A good overview of the history and content of the Newsmaps is provided by the University of North Texas Digital Library. https://digital.library.unt.edu/explore/collections/NMAP/

This issue features a dramatic, full-sheet map of the world with countries color-coded by their affiliation and with the locations at which U.S. troops were stationed. The reverse side of the Newsmap features a half-sheet world map which has been annotated with recent significant events, such as, "RAF Bombs Berlin, Interrupts Anniversary," "American Subs Sink Six More Jap Ships," and "Battle for Stalingrad Ends in Soviet Victory." In addition, there are summary reports of activities at ten fronts.
Reference: David Rumsey Historical Map… Read More

This colorful pictorial map captures the lore of the Old West. The map features prominent pioneer trails such as the Oregon Trail, the Santa Fe Trail and the Pony Express route. Among the many notable events highlighted on the map are the battle of the Alamo, Custer's last stand, Pat Garrett's shooting of Billy the Kid and numerous Indian battles.
The map is framed by portraits of 26 prominent personalities Bat Masterson, Anne [sic] Oakley, Sitting Bull, Judge Roy Bean, Martha Canary ('Calamity Jane'), Doc Holliday, Geronimo and Davy Crockett.
Danny Arnold was a Canadian who toured England with a Wild West Show in the 1960s, taking advantage of the British fascination with as the American "Old West" at the time. Presumably the map was sold as a souvenir to those who attended the shows.
References: No examples noted on OCLC. Not in David Rumsey Map Collection.
Condition: Sheet size: about 25 x 34 ¾." Original fold lines, with some showing wear. Occasional soiling and wrinkling; minor edge… Read More

Newsmap was a poster/newspaper issued weekly during World War II by the U.S. War Department to military installations and government and civic groups working on War Department projects. Issues generally contained one or more maps as well as reports of recent military actions. A good overview of the history and content of the Newsmaps is provided by the University of North Texas Digital Library. https://digital.library.unt.edu/explore/collections/NMAP/

This issue features a large and dramatic map of the Philippine Islands. The reverse has two additional maps: Southern France, and an untitled map of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Reference: Not in David Rumsey Historical Map Collection.
Condition: Sheet size: about 47 x 35," folding to 8 ¾ x 11 ¾." Folded as issued. Some soiling; a few minor breaks at fold intersections;.
[Note: Several other Newsmaps from World War II are currently in stock. Please inquire if interested.]
[ICN
7729.3.]