1854 – John Bartlett Exploration in Texas & Mexico | “Greatest Book on American Southwest!”

Beginning in 1850, American president Zachary Taylor commissioned a survey of the United States-Mexican border. This expedition, led by John Russell Bartlett, provided important and groundbreaking contributions to the knowledge of the American Southwest, particularly the geographical and topographical attributes.

The result of the survey brought Bartlett’s Personal Narrative which has become one of the greatest books on the American Southwest. This account contains valuable historic and scientific material and is regularly considered the most accurate record of the area. It describes in detail the Seri people of northern Mexico and nearly 200 words that are now archived by the Bureau of Ethnology.

This fine, two-volume set includes an incredible folding map of Mexico and Southwest United States as well as other full-page illustrations depicting findings and events of the expedition, city views, monuments, and geographical wonders.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Personal Narrative of Explorations and Incidents in Texas, New Mexico, California, Sonora, and Chihuahua Connected with the United States and Mexican Boundary Commission, During the Years 1850, ’51, ’52, and ’53
• Author(s): John Russell Bartlett
• Publisher: New York, D. Appleton
• Edition: First Edition, 1854
• Format: (8vo), two-volume set
• Binding: Modern Leather; hardcover boards
• Size:  9 in x 5.5 in (22.9 cm x 14 cm)
• Collation:
  • Vol I: 506 pp
  • Vol II: 624 pp
• Illustrations: Folding map of Mexico and the Southwest U.S., numerous full-page illustrations throughout
• Contents Include:
  • Detailed Reports from the Boundary Expedition
  • Ethnographic Notes on Indigenous Peoples
  • City Views and Landscape Plates
• Provenance: signed – J.A. Talcott [sp?]
• Reference(s): Howes B 201; Wagner-Camp 234:1; Streeter 173; Sabin 3746; Cowan 36; Abbey Travel 658

Condition:

Near Fine, rebacked in modern leather over tight, secure hardcover boards. Pages remain clean with illustrations intact. The folding map and full-page plates are complete and well-preserved.

Why Collect This?

• First edition of a foundational source on the U.S.-Mexico Boundary Commission
• Contains the huge, original folding map and many other full page plates
• A primary ethnographic source on the Seri people and Indigenous linguistics

Item Number: # 29580