Thornton, Jessy Quinn

Oregon and California in 1848 ... with an Appendix, including Recent and Authentic Information on the Subject of the Gold Mines of California, and other Valuable Matters of Interest to the Emigrant. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1849



2 volumes, in 12s (7 3/4 x 4 7/8 in.; 198 x 125 mm). Wood-engraved frontispieces and 10 wood-engraved plates, large folding engraved map by J. H. Colton partially handcolored in outline and with the gold regions highlighted in yellow, one 8-page and two 4-page Harper catalogues bound at the end of second volume; scattered foxing, light browning to several plates, map with marginal tear into image. Publisher's blind-stamped, ribbed salmon cloth, spines gilt-lettered, yellow-coated endpapers; spines and edges of covers slightly faded, extremities rubbed with some minor chips and tears to heads and feet of spines, front  joint of first volume splitting.

Henry H. Clifford (Dorothy Sloan, 24 October 1994, lot 74)

Cowan, p. 638; Graff 4143; Streeter sale 5:3155; Wagner-Camp 174:1; Wheat, Books of the California Gold Rush 208; Wheat, Mapping the Transmississippi West 593; Wheat, Maps of the California Gold Region 73; Zamorano 80 74

First edition, quite a good copy withal. "Thornton was one of the real pioneers of Oregon and California, arriving in Oregon in 1846. He has always been considered a good authority and this book is among the best of its times. The first printed account of the sufferings of the Donner Party is found in this book. The map accompanying Thornton's work is the famous Colton map of the Western United States, including Oregon, California and Texas" (Zamorano 80).