Towns of New England and Old England, Ireland and Scotland.
Boston: State Street Trust Company of Boston, 1920; 1921. First edition. Hardcover. An extra-illustrated copy of this history of New England, privately bound, belonging to Walter Merriam Pratt, Governor General of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants from 1948-1954.
The two volume set with much additional material taken from various earlier sources including original engravings & maps. At the end of Volume 2 is a long section consisting of a typed roneographed architectural history of 1890s Boston (State Street) illustrated with real albumen photographs and text describing the buildings and streets, with manuscript annotations.
The 1890s photographs in this section include: An 1894 view of State Street looking west from Chatham Row; the Public Library in Copley Square taken around the time of its opening in 1895; Milmore's statue of the Sphinx, Mount Auburn Cemetery; the West End of Boston around 1880; Faneuil Hall; State Street Looking N.W. from top of Exchange Building taken 1894; State Street Looking East from Seventh Floor of Massachusetts Hospital LIfe Building; Boston Looking East from the Dome of the State House (after 1872); and View North from Seventh Floor of 50 State Street.
The added material is of Massachusetts and other New England areas.
These are: a folding map titled, "An Exact Map of New England, New York Pennsylvania (sic) & New Jersey from the latest Surveys", John Lodge, London, 1778; engraved plates including the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth; views around Plymouth; portraits (Gibbon, Darwin, Longfellow, Edward Everett, Roger Sherman, Samuel Adams, George Peabody), colleges and seminaries (one for Yale & one for the Charlestown Female Seminary's June 1857, a magnificent 4pp prospectus complete with courses, prices and a bank note engraved vignette of the institution. We were unable to find this year in OCLC); Massachusetts views (from Mt. Holyoke, Northampton, Boston and Bunker Hill, Faneuil Hall from the water, Boston from Dorchester Heights, Cemetery of Mount Auburn; Maine, Desert Rock Light House; a very unusual lithograph of Manchester Village & surrounds, Vermont.
The set was published to commemorate the tercentenary of the Landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, Mass. The title continues, "Connecting Links between Cities and Towns of New England and Those of the Same Name in England, Ireland and Scotland; Containing Narratives, Descriptions, and Many Views, Some Done from Old Prints; Also Much Matter Pertaining to the Founders and Settlers of New England and to Their Memorials on Both Sides of the Atlantic".
4to, two volume set complete, the original printed paper wrappers bound in. Three quarter calf and dark blue gilt stamped cloth over boards. Top edges gilt. Silver gilt patterned end papers. The Bookplate of Walter Merriam Pratt at the front paste down of each volume. Part I, frontispiece, 225pp; Part II, frontispiece, 225pp, additional 12pp of typed manuscript pertaining to Boston, with 9 albumen photographs laid down. Red title labels at spines chipped with some loss to titles.
A very desirable and unusual set with much contemporary material added by Mr. Pratt in the late 1890s. Very good condition. Item #23420
Price: $1,750.00