San Francisco: The Grabhorn Press, 1939. Stapled. Quarto size, [4] pp. This publication by the renowned San Francisco-based Grabhorn Press is a keepsake from the annual meeting of The American Institute of Accountants in 1939, and contains brief, humorous descriptions of some attractions in San Francisco and California's Pacific Slope..... More
[Nevada City, California]: 1881. Leather bound. Folio size, 626 pp., with accompanying "History of Nevada County" While the California Gold Rush may have begun in 1849, mining activities continued for many decades and this bank ledger offers a glimpse into the individuals and businesses that were still in operation in..... More
New York: The Neale Publishing Company, 1917. First Edition. Hardcover. Twelvemo size, 235 pp. Written after the author had passed 88 years of age, this important early work follows his decision as a young man to leave his home in the East to seek gold in California in 1850. The..... More
San Francisco: The Book Club of California (printed by Robert Grabhorn and Andrew Hoyem), 1969. Limited Edition. Hardcover. One of 500 copies, oblong elephant folio size, [178] pp. The Book Club of California publication number 133, being a sequel to Robert Becker's earlier club publication of 1964 (no. 118). This..... More
Anaheim, California: Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, Out West Co. Print[er], L.A., [1905]. Wraps. Octavo size, 29 pp. plus one map. A somewhat scarce promotional brochure published in 1905 by the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce extolling the many virtues of the City. Opening with a short "History of Anaheim" the brochure..... More
San Francisco [Oakland]: B. C. Vandall, Publisher [W. B. Hardy, Bookseller and Stationer], (1878). Hardcover. Octavo size, 756 pp., with the original map lithographed by Grafton Tyler Brown. A somewhat scarce directory, as of this writing we see no copies online (we searched for the years 1875 through 1890) and..... More
San Francisco: Thomas C. Russell, 1922. First and Limited Edition. Hardcover. First edition in book form, octavo size, 405 pp., signed by Thomas Russell. This the first edition in book form of the letters of Dame Shirley, in which she recounts her experiences living in a mining camp in California..... More
Los Angeles: Glen Dawson, 1951-1954. Limited Edition. Hardcover. Most volumes stated edition size of 200, volumes 1 through 20 (continuous), duodecimo size, approx. 1600 pp. total, with two pieces of related ephemera. Per the check-list, "The Early California Travels Series is a set of small volumes relating to the history..... More
San Francisco: The Grabhorn Press, 1933. Parker, Arvilla. Limited Edition. Hardcover. One of 500 copies, quarto size, 107 pp., with note to Subscribers and original mailing label. Nicholas Dawson (1819-1903), the partly self-educated schoolteacher infected with wanderlust, spent much of his life travelling on foot across America. His wanderings brought..... More
Los Angeles: Glen Dawson [Printed by Mallette Dean], 1959. Dean, Mallette. Limited Edition. Hardcover. One of 225 copies, duodecimo size, [71] pp. This the first time Fr. Vizcaino's diary was published; it was discovered by Woodward "among the hundreds of unknown manuscripts in Biblioteca Naconal de Mexico in Mexico City"..... More
San Francisco: Samuel Levinson, 1915. Corbett, Bertha. Hardcover. Octavo size, 99 pp., in dust jacket. "What We Saw at Madame World's Fair" is the story of two sisters at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in 1915. This world's fair was held in San Francisco, California, and featured such dazzling attractions as..... More
San Francisco: The Book Club of California [printed by E. & R. Grabhorn (the Grabhorn Press)], (1931). First and Limited Edition. Hardcover. One of 300 copies, folio size, 293 pp. From the description in the BCC bibliography: "The journal covers three years of travel from Greenville, Illinois, to St. Louis..... More
San Francisco: The Book Club of California [Yolla Bolly Press], 1994. Limited Edition. Hardcover. One of 450 copies, folio size, 91 pp., in slipcase. An essay on early California winemaking, first published in Adelaide, Australia, in 1885, with reproductions of historical photographs, wine industry trade cards and labels illustrating the..... More
Kentfield, California: The L-D Allen Press, 1955. Limited Edition. Hardcover. One of 220 copies, quarto size, 112 pp., in original acetate wrapper, with prospectus. Born "Francis Brett Hart" (1836-1902), Harte is known for his short stories depicting life during the California Gold Rush; over the course of forty years he..... More
Redwood Park, California: The Hill Studio, n.d. Wraps. Undated, likely 1899-1902, oblong folio, pp. A stunning album of the "old" California Redwoods, with twelve mounted hand-coloured photogravure plates. Per the web site of Arts and Culture, submitted by History San José, the album "California Redwood Park" (which is now Big..... More
San Francisco: Journal of Commerce Press, 1850 [reprinted 1897-1898]. 3rd Printing. Hardcover. Duodecimo size, 139 pp. Charles Proctor Kimball (1821-1894) is now mostly remembered for this, the first "real" San Francisco directory. Like many, he came to California in July 1849 but failed in his attempts at gold mining. Beginning..... More
Boston: Alexander Moore, 1871. First Edition. Hardcover. First printing, small quarto size, 69 pp. plus ten leaves with photographs. Professor Samuel Kneeland (1821-1888) was so taken by the wonders of Yosemite during his first trip that upon arrival home he took it upon himself to publish this early guide for..... More
San Francisco: (Printed at the Yolla Bolly Press for) The Book Club of California, 1991. Limited First Edition. Hardcover. One of 400 copies, quarto size, [112] pp., inscribed by the author. A biography and bibliographical checklist of George Wharton James (1858-1923). James was the author of over twenty major books..... More
San Francisco: The Book Club of California [printed at the press of Robert Grabhorn and Andrew Hoyem], 1972. Limited First Edition. Hardcover. One of 450 copies, folio size, [156] pp., with prospectus and original sales receipt. The curious misconception that California was an island was recorded by a minimum of..... More
San Francisco: Industrial Indemnity Company, 1955. Adams, Ansel. First Edition. Wraps. Octavo size, 26 pp. The fascinating history of the land and building at 155 Sansome, commissioned by the Industrial Indemnity Company. Written by noted San Francisco historian Oscar Lewis (1893-1992, not to be confused with the New York anthropologist..... More
Fairfax, California: The Roxburghe Club of San Francisco (printed by Mallette Dean), 1958. Limited Edition. Hardcover. One of 125 copies, octavo size, 40 pp. Henry Miller Madden (1912-1982?) served as the University librarian at CSU-Fresno for thirty years, and was, in addition, an author, scholar, and translator in his own..... More
San Francisco: A. M. Robertson (printed at The Philopolis Press), 1912. Mathews, Arthur F. First Edition. Hardcover. Octavo size, 118 pp., inscribed by Alexander McAdie. This volume is a thorough examination of weather patterns in the city of San Francisco, famous for its year-round fog, written by American meteorologist Alexander..... More
San Francisco: A. M. Robertson (Philopolis Press), 1909. Mathews, Lucia K.; Mathews, Arthur F. Limited Edition. Hardcover. One of 500 copies, duodecimo size, 47 pp., inscribed by Alexander McAdie. Written by American meteorologist Alexander McAdie (1863-1943), who made many advances in the field of meteorology and was also in charge..... More
San Francisco: John Henry Nash, 1929. Wilke, William. Limited Edition. Hardcover. One of 1000 copies, quarto size, 386 pp., this copy in a full vellum binding. Cornelius Cole (1822-1924) was a politician who became an important figure in California politics after his arrival there in July 1849; he became District..... More
Moving Parts Press for The Book Club of California, 2011. Rice, Felicia. Limited Edition. No binding. Number 12 of 75 copies, illustrated broadside, signed and numbered by artist Felicia Rice. The Book Club of California, one of the oldest book clubs in the U.S. for collectors and lovers of the..... More