*SOLD*
 
The California and Oregon Trail: Being Sketches of Prairie and Rocky Mountain Life
Francis Parkman
New York, 1849
 
First book edition, first issue(ad leaf preceding the frontispiece) – the work was first serialized in Knickerbocker Magazine from 1847-1849. One of only 1000 copies. Original publisher’s slate blue cloth. Some areas of rubbing on the spine, sparse foxing on the preliminary and rear pages, else a Near Fine copy so fresh and bright that Thanos would confuse it for an Infinity Stone. Housed in a somewhat fragile custom slipcase with chemise. One of the key Americana texts of the 19th century, the perpetually ill Parkman set out to explore the still mysterious western frontier.
 
The Harvard educated 23-year-old embarked from St. Louis and traversed the Great Plains, Black Hills, and the Rockies – providing vivid accounts of the Sioux Indians. A mixture of history and adventure literature, it was an instant bestseller. Lauded by the great Herman Melville despite what he deemed a pretentious title(the publisher expanded the title to include California to take advantage of gold fever) and his somewhat hypocritical critique of Parkman’s characterization of Native American culture. An absolute classic, and utterly rare in this superlative condition.