Picturesque California and the region west of the Rocky Mountains, from Alaska to Mexico. Edited by John Muir. Containing over six hundred beautiful etchings, photo-gravures, wood engravings, etc., by eminent American artists. San Francisco and New York: The J. Dewing Company, Publishers, MDCCCLXXXVIII [i.e. 1888-1890]. 48.5x36 cm (folio), 10 parts: pp. [i-iv] v-xii [1] 2-478, 120 plates, each with a printed plate guard, other illustrations in the text, some printed in blue, red or brown, text leaves and plates glued into pictorial white wrappers with overlapping edges printed in black, each part enclosed in a pictorial gray cloth portfolio printed in red and black. First edition, first printing. The "India Proof Edition," one of four deluxe formats of the first printing, the others being "Imperial Japan Edition," "Connoisseur Edition" and the lesser "Edition de Luxe." The wrappers of parts 1-2 imprinted "The J. Dewing Company;" wrappers of parts 3-10 imprinted "The J. Dewing Publishing Company; A second title page issued with part 10 reads: "Edited by John Muir. Picturesque California: The Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Slope ... New York and San Francisco: J. Dewing Publishing Company, [1888]." Jacob Blanck, Bibliography of American Literature 14744, terming this issue "[Printing A]," misdates the title page of volume one "MDCCCLXXXVII" for "MDCCCLXXXVIII." Issued by subscription in a variety of formats. Despite the title page and copyright dates, this work was published between 1888 and 1890. During the course of publication The J. Dewing Company was succeeded by J. Dewing Publishing Company. Later still the firm name reverted to the J. Dewing Company. The J. Dewing Company imprint appears on the printed wrappers of the earliest parts and on the title page of Volume I of the first printing. All other formats are presumed reprints. Muir contributed seven articles to this work, three on the High Sierra and Yosemite Valley. These contributions, "Peaks and Glaciers of the High Sierra," "The Passes of the High Sierra," and "The Yosemite Valley," are based on earlier magazine and newspaper articles. The 120 plates feature a stunning array of etchings and photogravures from works by American artists, including Thomas Moran, Julian Rix, Frederic Remington, Thomas Hill, C. D. Robinson, William Keith, W. B. Styles, Harry Fenn and many others. Cowan (1933), p.486. Currey and Kruska 257 (Format A). Kimes 172. BAL 14744. Zamorano Select 87. The contents of each part were glued into French-folded white paper wrappers with, in all cases, cloth gauze reinforcement along the spine. As the glue and gauze deteriorated over the years, some of the wrappers are detached and split along spine fold and the contents are loose. The plates are in excellent condition as are the plate guards. The cloth portfolios are worn and cloth ties are missing. This is "impression 1140." Provenance: This set was originally owned by Saint Patrick's Seminary and University, Menlo Park, California (founded 1898), and has their library stamps on the half title leaves. Sold 2009, Heritage Auctions, auction 6020, lot 37202, sale price $1553.50. (#168048).
No statement of printing.