New York: J. E. Cooley, June 6, 1864. Item #718

8vo.  315 pp. Bound in late 19th c. light brown linen cloth, leather label on spine. This copy with 3 stamps of Mercantile Library Association on the title-page and the bookplate of the Clemens Library on the front pastedown marked “Withdrawn”.  Beautifully printed on very good paper stock.                                       

McKay 1032.    "The catalogue was made by Joseph Sabin and was one of the best catalogues of its day" (McKay p. 12).  Sabin writes that this is largely the property of Edward Vernon.    The collection includes 4432 lots plus a dozen autographs, including over two hundred early American imprints by Franklin, Keimer, Sower and the Bradford family; numerous “extra-illustrated editions” relating to Washington; a large number of books by and about Thomas Paine; voyages and travel, pamphlets and general Americana.  There is also a very good collection of 18^th century English books on the subjects of history and literature.  Mysteriously Wight is not cited in Cannon's American Book Collectors.

James Ewing Cooley was one of New York's premier auctioneers, dominating the field from the 1830's to 1851.  That year he retired his business to run for the New York State Senate and was in the legislature from 1852-53.  In 1864 he returned to the business with his son-in-law George Levitt his auctioneer and retired for good in 1867.   See McKay, American Book Auction Catalogues,  pp. 10-12 for more information on Cooley's career.

Price: $450.00