Parkman, Francis, Jr. | A classic journey to the Rockies in a superb association

Parkman, Francis, Jr.

The California and Oregon Trail: Being Sketches of Praire and Rocky Mountain Life. New York: Putnam, 1849

12mo (189 x 126 mm). Additional tinted engraved pictorial title-page and tinted engraved frontispiece after Darley by Childs; scattered foxing. Publisher's blue blindstamped cloth, spine gilt-lettered; some rubbing, spine faded, spine ends frayed, hinges cracked.

First edition, second printing. Association copy, inscribed by Parkman's sister, Caroline, on an initial blank, "Eliza A. Lambard with the affectionate regards of her friend, Caroline Parkman, April 1849."

Parkman travelled the Oregon trail in 1846, ostensibly to recover his health. The resulting account of his journey, and of the Indians and frontier settlers he encountered, is one of the great literary and historical narratives of American experience and "the classic account of the emigrant journey to the Rockies" (Grolier).

Parkman suffered from very weak sight and Caroline Parkman was the chief copyist of this book. Only two copies inscribed by Parkman himself are known. This copy includes carte-de-visite photograph portraits of both Parkmans mounted on front pastedown.

PROVENANCE

Eliza Lambard (inscription) — Arthur Poillon (bookplate) — Jay T. Snider (bookplate)

REFERENCE

BAL 15446; Graff 3201; Grolier/American 58; Howes P97; Sabin 58801; Wagner-Camp-Becker 170:1b