first edition
1836 · London
by Irving, Washington
London: Richard Bentley, 1836. First Edition. All three volumes of this complete set are in very good condition in their original 1/4 black cloth and light brown paper covered boards with printed, paper labels on the spines. Volume 1 has been re-sewn and rebacked with Japanese tissue repairs to the hinges. All three volumes are small octavos of 7 3/4 by 4 3/4 inches with the upper and lower tips of all the boards are worn through and bent. The front and rear paste downs for each volume have the residual glue from what may have been some sort of tape. The printed paper title labels are all rubbed and slightly damaged with small chipping making the printed text a challenge to read. Volume I contains 317 pages of text followed by 2 pages of ads from the publisher. Volume II contains 320 pages of text and is missing its final end page. Volume III contains 294 pages of text. The pagination error on page 308 is evident. Howes in his bibliography, U.S. Iana states: "Classic account of the first American attempt at settlement on the Pacific coast, 1811 - initial action towards substantiating our claim to Oregon - including the earliest extend relation of Wilson P. Hunt's overland expedition from St. Louis to that settlement." (Langfeld & Blackburn, p35; Howes, I-81) (Inventory #: TB28966)