Washington Irving memorial with 10 mounted salt prints
(IRVING, WASHINGTON). Washington Irving. Mr. Bryant’s address on his life and genius. Addresses by Everett, Bancroft, Longfellow, Felton, Aspinwall, King, Francis, Greene. Mr. Allibone’s sketch of his life and works. With eight photographs
New York: Putnam, 1860
10 original mounted salt print photographs (2 more than the 8 called for on the title and listed in the contents). Original green cloth, a.e.g. Fading to photographs. Very good.
First edition. Presentation copy inscribed by the publisher to S. Austin Allibone, who contributed the sketch of Irving’s life and works. Allibone was a leading American editor, author, and bibliographer who is best known for his Critical Dictionary of English Literature and British and American Authors. Other contributors include Longfellow, Bryant, Everett, and Bancroft.
This presentation copy contains 10 mounted salt print photographs, two of which (“Sunnyside – from a large photograph” and “The burial place of Washington Irving”) are not listed in the Contents. Putnam spared no expense in the production of this memorial volume in honor of Irving, who died in late 1859. Irving had generated tremendous sales for the publisher, and they remained among the firm’s most profitable works for years to come.
Very scarce. BAL notes that a prospectus stated that only 150 copies were to be produced.
$2,500