83, [1] + 18 ad pp. Folding lithographed map, with the routes to California and Oregon hand-colored, affixed to rear pastedown, as issued. (12mo) 15.4x9.5 cm (6x3¾"), original blindstamped cloth, gilt cover title.
Important early guide book published just four years following the discovery of gold in California. Howes considered this "the best hand-book for the central route available at the time." A lawyer from Bloomington (now Muscatine), Iowa, Horn was an "experienced overlander" (in the words of Gary Kurutz), and his guide book is a stage-by-stage delineation of the route across the plains and mountains to California and Oregon. Pp. [69]-83 consist of business advertisements, mostly of Iowa businesses of interest to the traveler about to embark on the great journey. The map is titled "Map to Illustrate Horn's Overland Guide to California and Oregon. Published by J.H. Colton...," and Wheat notes it is "highly reminiscent of Colton's widely used 1849 `Map of California, Oregon, Texas, and the territories adjoining,'" though it does not embrace as much territory. The "Gold Region" is so indicated. The map measures 33x50 cm (13x19¾") including the decorative border. The book itself is a later issue of the 1852 first edition, with additional business advertisements, the addition of opinions of the press to the "Certificates" page, the reversal of pages 77 and 78, etc. The map was the same in both the first and second issued. There was a third issue, or edition, of the book, dated 1853, with the map the same except for a change in the date.
Provenance: John Howell-Books
References: Cowan p.292; Graff 1952; Howes H641; Kurutz 343b; Mintz 238; Sabin 33021; Streeter 3170; Wagner-Camp 214; Wheat Gold Rush 105; Wheat Transmississippi map 751.