Kolbe & Fanning
Auction 165 3 Dec 2022
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Bound with Gold Dust from the S.S. Central America
Bowers, Q. David. A CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH HISTORY, FEATURING THE TREASURE FROM THE S.S. CENTRAL AMERICA: A SOURCE BOOK FOR THE GOLD RUSH HISTORIAN AND NUMISMATIST. Newport Beach: California Gold Marketing Group, 2002. Folio [35 by 27 cm], original full red morocco, both covers bordered in gilt, small black-and-gold vignettes of mining equipment within floral sprays in corners; front cover with gilt depiction of the Central America in center; spine with five raised bands, lettered in gilt with gilt depictions of the ship, an 1857 double eagle, scales and mining equipment in the compartments; two black lettering pieces, gilt; decorative endpapers depicting a mining scene within which a recessed hollow holds actual gold dust recovered from the shipwreck behind a clear window; envelope affixed to rear board with two color photographs illustrating the gold ingot that this copy originally accompanied; all page edges gilt. 1055, (1) pages; profusely illustrated, including many full page illustrations. Housed in original cloth and leather slipcase, as issued. A few tiny rubs to the binding, as usual; else fine. The exclusive deluxe edition of this monumental work, the most detailed study of the history of the California Gold Rush ever undertaken from a numismatic perspective. No. 65 of 400 copies issued, most of which were presented to buyers of ingots in the various sales offering material from the S.S. Central America. These visually impressive and sumptuous special editions include actual gold dust recovered from the Central America visibly housed in a small compartment within the binding itself. The massive size of the volume, and its resulting weight, is tough on the binding, and most copies seen exhibit rubbing from the leather lining of the slipcase.
Estimate: 1000 USD
Bowers, Q. David. A CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH HISTORY, FEATURING THE TREASURE FROM THE S.S. CENTRAL AMERICA: A SOURCE BOOK FOR THE GOLD RUSH HISTORIAN AND NUMISMATIST. Newport Beach: California Gold Marketing Group, 2002. Folio [35 by 27 cm], original full red morocco, both covers bordered in gilt, small black-and-gold vignettes of mining equipment within floral sprays in corners; front cover with gilt depiction of the Central America in center; spine with five raised bands, lettered in gilt with gilt depictions of the ship, an 1857 double eagle, scales and mining equipment in the compartments; two black lettering pieces, gilt; decorative endpapers depicting a mining scene within which a recessed hollow holds actual gold dust recovered from the shipwreck behind a clear window; envelope affixed to rear board with two color photographs illustrating the gold ingot that this copy originally accompanied; all page edges gilt. 1055, (1) pages; profusely illustrated, including many full page illustrations. Housed in original cloth and leather slipcase, as issued. A few tiny rubs to the binding, as usual; else fine. The exclusive deluxe edition of this monumental work, the most detailed study of the history of the California Gold Rush ever undertaken from a numismatic perspective. No. 65 of 400 copies issued, most of which were presented to buyers of ingots in the various sales offering material from the S.S. Central America. These visually impressive and sumptuous special editions include actual gold dust recovered from the Central America visibly housed in a small compartment within the binding itself. The massive size of the volume, and its resulting weight, is tough on the binding, and most copies seen exhibit rubbing from the leather lining of the slipcase.
Estimate: 1000 USD