Discovery and Exploration of the Mississippi Valley; with the original narratives of Marquette, Allouez, Membre, Hennepin, and Anastase Douay
New York: Redfield, 1852. First Edition. Cloth. 8vo. Publisher's cloth with gilt lettering to spine and blind-tooled decoration on covers. With the large folding map of the Mississippi. lxxx, 268 pp.
Top strip of spine covering missing, and right edge of spine cover loose. Front board detached. Interior is excellent, and map is in very good condition.
This is a first edition of an important volume by "father of American Catholic history" John G. Shea. This book is the product of Shea's study of various Catholic missions aimed at converting indigenous people. Notable both for its biographical sketches of the missionaries and as an ethnography of the indigenous communities which were targeted. Though the binding of this copy is damaged, it is uncommon to find the original folding map, particularly in such good condition. (Sabin 80002; Howes S357; Wikipedia). Fair. Item #1651
Price: $75.00