IRVING, Washington

The Crayon Miscellany ... No. 1. Containing a Tour on the Prairies. [WITH] No. 2. Containing Abbotsford and Newstead Abbey. [WITH] No. 3. Containing Legends of the Conquest of Spain.

Philadelphia: Carey, Lea, & Blanchard, 1835. First Editions. Original Publisher's Cloth. Three volumes. 12mo. Pp. xv, 17-274; 230; ix, [2], 12-276. Uniformly bound in the publisher's green cloth with printed paper spine labels. With some foxing to the first volume only, along with a small chip to the spine label of that volume. Contemporary owner name (John E. Godfrey) in ink and pencil on each front pastedown. Very Good. Item #7196

First American editions of the complete Crayon Miscellany.

The third volume is the first edition, preceding the London edition by two months; the first two volumes are first American editions, each published just one month after the respective London firsts. First printing, first state binding of Tour, without "No. 1" on the spine label, and the noted 24 leaves of publisher's ads at rear. Abbotsford with 16 publisher leaves; four at the rear of Legends

In 1832 Irving joined the party of Indian Commissioner Henry Ellsworth on his expedition to Osage Agency and the Pawnee hunting grounds. "Everything relating to aboriginal life or manners, had an attraction for Washington which he could not resist. The hard fur-trapper, with his trusty rifle, and his dusky bride, scorning with the fierce pride of independence the sweets of civilization; the wild warrior of the plains, in his swift foray on the herds of he civilized intruders on his domains, or in the bloody invasion of a neighboring tribe, all had for the author a warm coloring which he loved to paint." (FIELD, 186).

All three volumes are in notably good condition: A handsome, presentable set. HOWES, I86; SABIN, 35139; WAGNER-CAMP, 56.

Price: $800.00