Chronicles of Border Warfare, of a History of the Settlement by the Whites, of North-Western Virginia: and of the Indian Wars and Massacres, in that Section of the State; with Reflections, Anecdotes, &c...
Clarksburg, VA: Joseph Israel, 1831. Full Leather. Very Good binding. Item #9558
12mo. 319, [1 (blank)], [1 (advert)] pp. First edition. Bound in contemporary calf with title label on the spine; as usual, this copy is lacking the table of contents that was very occasionally inserted later. Binding is remarkably tight and solid; an owner name repeated on the front endpaper as well as what looks to be an aggressive bookplate removal on the pastedown that has left some of the binder's board showing; textblock is moderately to heavily foxed with occasionally light printing as is common with this edition; scattered pencil underlining, marginal bracketing, marginalia.
Uncommon to find this title in such good condition. "Of this scarce book, very few copies are complete or in good condition. Having been issued in a remote corner of Northwestern Virginia, and designed principally for a local circulation, almost every copy was read by a country fire-side until scarcely legible. Most of the copies lack the table of contents. The author took much pains to be authentic, and his chronicles are considered by Western antiquarians, to form the best collection of frontier life and Indian warfare, that has been printed" Field 1690. Streeter makes a note of it being one of the gorier compilations, Streeter 1107; Howes W-601, "aa"; Sabin 104928; Ayer 338; Haynes 21727.
Price: $400.00