Naval Sketches Of The War In California
New York: Random House, 1939. Limited Edition. Folio (14 3/4 x 11 1/2"). Not paginated. Color reproductions of 28 drawings made in 1846 - 1847 by Wm. Meyers, gunner on the U.S. sloop-of-war "Dale". Descriptive text by Capt. Dudley W. Knox. Introduction by Franklin D. Roosevelt. Printed at the Grabhorn Press. Half white vellum spine over marbled paper cover boards. The faintest of wear to the vellum spine else a fine copy. Item #20880
In 1838 William Meyers went to sea aboard a trading vessel to the West Indies. Shortly thereafter, he joined the U. S. Navy and was a gunner on the Cyane in 1842 when Commodore Jones prematurely seized Monterey. During the War with Mexico he was again in California as a gunner on the Dale. His depictions of the American conquest of California and gold mining activies are of great historical importance, The color plates were reproduced from the original drawings in the collection of Franklin D. Roosevelt. (Grabhorn 317).
Price: $300.00