A HISTORY OF THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO AND INCIDENTALLY OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. San Francisco: A. L. Bancroft & Company, 1878. 22x14.5 cm (octavo), pp. [1-5] 6-11 [12-13] 14-17 [18-19] 20-498, flyleaves at front and rear, publisher's decorated terra cotta cloth stamped in black, gold and blind, brown coated endpapers. First edition, first printing. "The most reliable and standard authority that has yet appeared upon the period it includes." (Cowan). "Impressive work by the historian of the Society of California Pioneers ... (Wheat). John Shertzer Hittell (1825-1901), journalist, author, statistician, born in Pennsylvania, emigrated on foot from Illinois to the mines in northern California in 1849. "In 1852 he moved to San Francisco, forming a connection in the following year with the ALTA CALIFORNIA, which lasted until 1880 ... [His later work] was done for the publishing house of H. H. Bancroft. Possibly his most valuable book, aside from his statistical studies, was A HISTORY OF THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO AND INCIDENTALLY OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA (1878)" (DAB). Cowan (1933), p. 283; Howes H539. Wheat, Gold Rush 99. Light rubbing to cloth along bottom edges, , light stain on rear cover; partial hairline crack along inner front hinge which is still holding tight, a very good copy. (#179168).
Price: $750.00
No statement of printing.