Cape Cod – Henry David Thoreau – 1896 | Illustrated by Amelia Watson, 2 Vol Set

Cape Cod by Henry David Thoreau is a firsthand account of the author’s walks across the Massachusetts shoreline. This 1896 two-volume edition was printed by the Riverside Press and features the scenic beach artwork of Amelia M. Watson on the tops, sides, and bottoms of pages. Thoreau observes shipwrecks, lighthouses, shifting dunes, fishermen, and seaside plants.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Cape Cod
• Author(s): Henry David Thoreau
• Illustrator(s): Amelia M. Watson
• Publisher: Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company; Cambridge: The Riverside Press
• Edition: Riverside press, 1896.
• Format: (12mo); two volumes
• Binding: Original illustrated green cloth
• Size:  7.5in X 5.25in (19cm x 13.5cm)
• Collation:
  • Vol. I – vi, [2], 173, [1]
  • Vol. II – [6], 208
• Illustrations: Illustrated throughout on top, side, and bottom of pages
• Contents Include:
  • The Shipwreck
  • Stage-Coach Views
  • The Wellfleet Oysterman
  • The Highland Light
  • Provincetown
• Provenance: Ownership inscription: Sarah Ella Seaward

Condition:

Very Good. Text-block tight and secure. Light rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Illustrations crisp with no loss of color.

Why Collect This?

• 1896 Riverside Press: known for their beautiful printings
• Beautiful color art placed page margins, uncommon for books from any era
• Suitable for collectors of 19th-century naturalist writing

Item Number: #28961