James, Edwin

3 volumes, 8vo (8 7/8 x 5 5/8 in.; 224 x 142 mm). Three frontispieces, five uncolored plates by J. Clark after S. Seymour, one folding map; scattered foxing throughout, vols. I and III lacking half-titles, vol. I with closed tear to folding map, paper flaws to T5 and T6: vol. II with closed marginal tear to T2: vol. III with closed marginal tear to D7, paper flaw to margin of H6. Original brown paper covered boards, paper labels to spines; joints of vol. I weak but holding, chips to heads and tails of spines, some loss to labels, rubbing to extremities.

J. Radcliffe Esq. (signature to title-pages) — Richard M. Brown (bookplate to front pastedowns)

Abbey 'Travel' 650; Howes J-41; Sabin 35683; Wagner-Camp 25

3 volumes, 8vo (8 7/8 x 5 5/8 in.; 224 x 142 mm). Three frontispieces, five uncolored plates by J. Clark after S. Seymour, one folding map; scattered foxing throughout, vols. I and III lacking half-titles, vol. I with closed tear to folding map, paper flaws to T5 and T6: vol. II with closed marginal tear to T2: vol. III with closed marginal tear to D7, paper flaw to margin of H6. Original brown paper covered boards, paper labels to spines; joints of vol. I weak but holding, chips to heads and tails of spines, some loss to labels, rubbing to extremities.
The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The condition report is provided to assist you with assessing the condition of the lot and is for guidance only. Any reference to condition in the condition report for the lot does not amount to a full description of condition. The images of the lot form part of the condition report for the lot provided by Sotheby's. Certain images of the lot provided online may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the lot. In particular, the online images may represent colours and shades which are different to the lot's actual colour and shades. The condition report for the lot may make reference to particular imperfections of the lot but you should note that the lot may have other faults not expressly referred to in the condition report for the lot or shown in the online images of the lot. The condition report may not refer to all faults, restoration, alteration or adaptation because Sotheby's is not a professional conservator or restorer but rather the condition report is a statement of opinion genuinely held by Sotheby's. For that reason, Sotheby's condition report is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice regarding the condition of the lot.

First London edition, published in the same year as its Philadelphia counterpart, containing a few additions to the text and three new plates.An account of the US government expedition under Major Stephen Long, originally named the "Yellowstone Expedition" and designed as the most ambitious expedition to date of the trans-Mississippi West. The reality was a much reduced party which James accompanied as botanist and geologist. The expedition travelled up the Missouri and then followed the Platte to its source in the Rocky Mountains before moving south to Upper Arkansas. From there the plan was to find the source of the Red River, but this being missed, the Canadian River was explored instead. This London edition was published in the same year as the Philadelphia first edition and differs in some respects from the American edition in both text and illustration.