Thomas Russell printing of the Shirley Letters

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Author: Shirley, Dame [Clappe, Louise Amelia Knapp Smith]
Title: The Shirley Letters from California Mines in 1851-52
Place Published: San Francisco
Publisher:Thomas C. Russell
Date Published: 1922
Description:

[1], l, [2], 350, [1] pp. Illustrated with 8 hand-colored plates from old prints, with tissue-guards. (8vo) 20.8x13 cm (8¼x5½"), custom binding by Russell in crushed velvet has been rebacked, gilt lettered morocco labels, gilt corner vignettes. No. 193 of 450 total copies (& one of 200 on buff California bond-paper). First Book Edition.

Signed by Russell on the limitation page. Written by Louise Clappe, to her sister, as she accompanied her husband to Rich Bar on the Feather River; first published in the "Pioneer Magazine," 1854-5, under the pseudonym Dame Shirley. According to J. Gregg Layne in the Zamorano 80, the letters present "an entirely different picture of the conditions at the mines from that ordinarily found in books written by miners and travelers of that day...." Zamorano 80 #69; Howes C427; Wheat, Books 39; Cowan p. 837.
Condition Report: Aside from the spine repair and some rippling on verso of front free endpaper this volume is near fine.