Bancroft's Works in full morocco

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Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Title: The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft
Place Published: San Francisco
Publisher:A.L. Bancroft & Co.
Date Published: c.1883-1890
Description:

39 volumes. Illustrated with maps, many folding. (8vo) 23x14 cm (9x5½"), original publisher's full black (or dark brown) morocco ruled in gilt, spines decoratively tooled & lettered in gilt, gilt inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt.

Set of Bancroft's Works in a deluxe publisher's binding. This is one of the more desirable of the bindings available, which ranged from cloth or sheep at the low end to polished tree calf and several types of morocco at the top. The massive compilation on the history of the American West and adjacent portions of the continent was monumental in its scope. Masterminded by the historian Hubert Howe Bancroft, with contributions by many leading scholars, the work is based largely on original source material, interviews with participants in the events, and other first-hand accounts. Cowan remarks poetically, "As time passes and prejudice drifts into obscurity, these works become more and more strongly entrenched each year. For scholars and investigators they will always remain the greatest source of authority." Howes notes the work as "a colossal co-operative undertaking; nothing approaching it has ever been attempted in this country." Each volume with personal rubberstamp of former owner F.C. Marks on preliminary leaf.Due to the size and/or weight of this lot extra shipping and/or handling charges may apply.
Condition Report: About half with some rubbing to spine and/or joints, perhaps a dozen more severely, one spine damaged with portions of leather flaked off, chips to some spine ends, three spines faded; still very good overall, in need of a bit of refurbishing to some volumes.