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Dedicated By the Author To His Parents -- With Unfolded Original Color Example of Ferry's Map of California
Presentation copy of Hipolyte Ferry's Description de la Nouvelle Californie Geographique, Politique et Morale, described by Cowan as "the most complete and extensive work descriptive of California published in France at this time," which is joined here by a rare separately published full original publisher's color example of this fine map of the Western United States, prepared to illustrate the second edition of Ferry's book.
This example of the book is a presentation example in a deluxe binding, with a presentation inscription from Hypolite Ferry to his father and mother. The map is paired with an unfolded, hand-colored deluxe example of the map on thicker paper, which is normally seen uncolored and folded into the book.
Ferry based his text on many sources and quoted extensively from Jacques Antoine Moerenhout. He included chapters on New Helvetia, the gold region, and methods of mining - Kurutz.
The views include possibly the first depiction of the big trees of California (see Howell 50), as well as a view of San Francisco in 1850, another of Sutter's Fort, and a scene of Pyramid Lake after Colonel Fremont.
Ferry's map credits the maps of Fremont and Duflot du Mofras as the sources of the map. The map was copied by Marzolla the following year in his Nuova California, one of the best maps of the period. Ferry highlights the gold regions and provides an extensive key locating numerous places. Some of the more subtle gems hidden in the topography are illustrations of deer, bear, a jaguar (?) and an Indian Village. A marvelous map, being the best French produced map of the the Gold Regions to accompany a contemporary account of French Gold Miner.
The book includes 3 additional full-page maps: one showing Monterey, San Francisco Bay, and Bodega Bay [which merits its own entry in Wheat (156)]; another of the Isthmus of Panama; and the last of Cape Horn.
A rare and underappreciated map, complete with the book, and with exceptional provenance.
Provenance
Inscribed presentation from the author to his parents: "À mon bon père, à ma bonne mère / Respectueux hommage de leur fils / Hypolite Ferry."
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