Illustrated with numerous plates of facsimile letters, reproductions of engravings, photographs, etc.; folding facsimile of the California Star, March 15th, 1848 (1st local mention of gold discovery). This edition extra-illustrated with manuscrripts, documents, prints, etc. 10¼x7, half linen & boards, paper spine label. No. 119 of the 50-copy Author's Section of the Argonaut Edition, from a run of 2250 copies. Second Edition.
Signed by Howell and Watson on the limitation leaf. Superb edition of the work first published in 1889 as Sixty Years in California, with textual additions and numerous new illustrations and facsimiles. This Author's Edition extra-illustrated with 26 additional items including two leaves of the original typed manuscript of the book, with notes and corrections, concerning a voyage he made from San Diego to San Francisco; original letter from the Purser of the U.S. Frigate "Congress" (Commodore Stockton's flag ship at Monterey in 1946) to his flag officer, written in 1860; a fragment from the original log of the American Schooner "Julia Ann" which landed in San Francisco in 1841 under the command of Capt. Leidesdorff; the broadside announcing martial law in San Francisco immediately after the 1906 earthquake and fire; and a number of others. Added to the lot is a group of approx. 44 additional illustrations, apparently proof sheets, some being duplicates, many with typed captions, all in an envelope addressed to Mr. John Howell, on which is written in pencil "William Heath Davis, Pictures not Wanted." Adams Herd 659; Cowan p.160; Graff 1020; Howes D136; Kurutz 170b; Zamorano Eighty 27.
Condition:
Some soiling to boards, spine rubbed, corners showing, a few stains; limitation leaf and list of additional material coming loose; else very good, the rare and desirable Author's Section of the Argonaut edition, with additional original material.