Crofutt's Overland Tours
Chicago: Arthur Day & Co., 1888. First edition. Hardcover. Small thin quarto. 252, [4]pp. + folding map. Limp dark green cloth, with blind-stamped ruling, and faded gilt lettering on the front cover. Period floral endpapers. A hugely comprehensive and delightful travel and tourism guide to the Western United States, issued during the heart of the Old West period.
The guide reflects a time after the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, which had made traveling to this part of the United States far more easy and accessible. The guidebook is illustrated throughout with numerous woodblock engraved images of landscapes, nature scenes, wildlife, cityscapes and buildings, including double-page plates, all rendered in great detail. Artists include Robert Bross and Durbin Van Vleck (1833–1898). Pasted on at the front endpaper is a detailed fold-out map of the Western United States, as issued, with the book's tour route colored in red. When completely folded out the map measures 22 3/4 x 17". Also included are multiple indices, illustrated period advertisements related to tourism, and a few blank pages to be used for readers to make travel notes.
Binding with minor rubbing and bumping to extremities, and some rubbing and fading to the gilt lettering on the front cover. Starting at interior front cover, but book block is still tight. Map pulling loose slighlty at the top, and verso of map with age-toning/offsetting, not affecting image. Map in overall very good shape. The very last text page of the book has a tear at the bottom resulting in very minor loss of text. Interior very clean throughout with only some very minor age toning. Binding in very good-, interior in very good condition overall. Protected in modern mylar. vg- to vg. Item #54165
Subtitle: Consisting of Nearly Five Thousand Miles of Main Tours, and Three Thousand Miles of Side Tours. Also Two Thousand Miles by Stage and Water.
*Period notes on the front free endpaper in pencil from a previous owner, Fannie M. Stein, stating that she purchased the guide presumably at a railway stop near the "Dale Creek Bridge", in Wyoming, dated "June 16th, 1889". Also included on the same page is an ink stamp from the selling firm of Barralow Bros, Cheyenne, W.T. (Wyoming Territory).
Price: $175.00