The Story of the Ferry. Being an Account of the Ferry, between Dobbs Ferry, Westchester Co., NY and Snedens Landing, Rockland Co., NY on the Hudson River, established about the year 1698. Also Nicholas Gesner's Diary and other papers relating more or less to the history of Palisades, NY.
New York: Privately published, ca. 1903. First edition. Hardcover. Extraordinarily rare history of Molly Sneden's ferry, Sneden's Landing and Palisades, NY with much historical information, illustrated with real photo illustrations tipped in.
Vol. II in typescript (pp 106-150), with 49 photographs numbered 27-75, including 4 panoramic photos & photographic illustrations of maps. (with) Vol. III - an index published June 16, 1903, pp (8); LIII; red & black title page, "Index Only of the Story of the Ferry". 16 real photo illustrations including 3 panoramic photos & numerous photographs of maps, one original map with hand colored & manuscript additions. Vol. II and III complete in themselves, LACKS Vol. I. Chapters include: 'Some Trees Near Palisades, NY', 'The Big House', 'Library Beginnings', 'The Kings Woods'. Vol. II - OCLC: 4283057 referring to the Index Volume, without giving the Index Volume an OCLC number. The OCLC listing references 75 photographs; this copy has 63 photographs. Four libraries are listed as having copies, NY Public, State, Historical Society and Rockland Community College.
Compiled by Winthrop S. Gilman Jr. [1839–1923] of Gilman, Son and Co., a NY banking house. Gilman was the founder of the library in Palisades NJ - this book was clearly a labor of love in an extremely limited edition, volumes 1 & 2 possibly existing in only 4 copies; the Index volume existing in only 12 copies, this copy listed as no. 9 by the author, inscribed to Mr. Harvey Conklin of Closter, NJ, June 16th 1903. An additional note in manuscript by the author states that a 4th copy of the book was prepared at the behest of Mrs. Kenny E. Lawrence and the complete work in two volumes was made for the New York Historical Society Library, November 12th, 1903.
This description from OCLC:4283057- "Title page, preface, table of contents, and index (liii p. in v. 1) are printed; text (v. 1-2) is typewritten; v. 2. has no title page./ "Three copies only of these papers have been prepared", one of which is in the Library of Congress. This copy, originally presented to the Palisades Library replaces the original New York State Library copy, the greater part of which was destroyed in the fire of 1911. A fourth copy was later prepared for the New York Historical Society Library./ An index, a separate copy of the preliminary group of liii pages, forms the only item salvaged from the NYSL library fire./ Copy 2 of v. 1 consists of the printed, but no typewritten matter, and 53 of the 75 plates. Inserted is an incomplete "Index only" with red and black title page, dated June 16, 1903, "no. 12 of the twelve copies prepared" with author's presentation note dated March 4, 1904."
With a 1911 ALS letter to Grover Asmus of West Hoboken from Arthur Mack of The Palisade Press, describing the history of the book. "This book about Molly Sneden's ferry and the adjacent towns of Sneeden's Landing and Palisades NY is the result of painstaking and devoted research by Mr. Winthrop Gilman a resident of Palisades and founder of the public library there, located in the historic "Big House". The book has never been printed. Only two copies, in typewritten form accompanied with photographs, are in existence..." Also with a book store receipt to John Rawson.
Royal 8vo, half brown calf and marbled paper boards, with 5 raised bands on spine, gilt deco. Spines quite worn, gilt titles on spine, Vol. II title label lacking, gilt flower endpapers; Vol. III marbled end papers. Stiff board pages with photos, with typescript text laid down. Corners, edges rubbed, Vol. II spine head/foot ruffled, Vol. III crack at front cover/spine but internally clean, bindings tight.+. Very good overall. Item #20626
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