Lot 150: MATHEWS, Alfred E. (1831-1874). Pencil Sketches of Colorado, its Cities, Principal Towns and

MATHEWS, Alfred E. (1831-1874). Pencil Sketches of Colorado, its Cities, Principal Towns and Mountain Scenery. New York, 1866.

Oblong 2 o (335 x 481 mm). 36 scenes on 23 tinted and lightly colored lithographed plates by J. Bien (some mostly marginal dampstaining, few marginal tears touching images, some blank leaves torn through and with old tape repairs, last text leaf with marginal repaired tear). Later buckram preserving original title from upper cover.

FIRST EDITION OF THIS MAGNIFICENT SERIES OF VIEWS. The level of detail is highly regarded: "apparently contemporary viewers could identify in the street views the rigs of various townspeople" (Streeter). The lithographs, executed by Julius Bien (who produced the second folio edition of Audubon's Birds of America), capture the buildings, dress, mining and frontier life of 19th-century Colorado. Graff 2709; Howes M-413; Streeter IV:2171.