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Philadelphia Rare Books

An Historical Review of the Constitution and Government of Pennsylvania From its Origin; So far as regards the several Points of Controversy, which have, from Time to Time, arisen between The several Governors of that Province and Their several Assemblies, founded on Authentic Documents. London: R. Griffiths, 1759. Octavo. Rebound, pages have expected toning plus some staining. Sabin, 25512. Howes, P204.

Often attributed to Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), authorship is now commonly accepted to be by the Englishman Richard Jackson (c. 1721-1787), although Franklin was clearly the prime mover. Franklin, appointed agent in London for the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1757, set about finding an author for such a history. Jackson, a lawyer and a man of wide-ranging interests with a reputation as “one of the best Pens in England,” kept his involvement secret so as not to hinder his election to Parliament, where he served from 1762 to 1784. He served as colonial agent for both Connecticut and Pennsylvania. Many of the materials used were gathered by William Franklin (1731-1813), Franklin’s illegitimate son who travelled with his father, and was later Tory governor of New Jersey. See Illick, PMHB, v. 94. $750

[Jacob Duché.] Caspipina’s Letters; containing Observations on a variety of subjects, Literary, Moral and Religious. Written by a Gentleman who resided some time in Philadelphia. To which is added The Life and Character of Wm. Penn, Esq., Original Proprietor of Pennsylvania. Bath: Reprinted by R. Cruttwell and sold by E. and C. Dilly and J. Phillips, 1777. 2 vols. in 1. 16mo. Binding is lovely full leather with gold stamping and original boards. Sabin 21048.

Jacob Duché (1738-1798) was a Philadelphian whose grandfather accompanied William Penn and whose father was a mayor. Duché was in the first graduating class of the College of Philadelphia (later U. of PA) in 1757, studied at Cambridge, was ordained into the Church of England, and served as assistant rector of Christ Church and of St. Peter’s from 1759 to 1775, when he was named rector of the two churches. He was chaplain of the First Continental Congress, but became disenchanted with the movement for American Independence and moved to England in 1778. In 1783 he became a follower of Emmanuel Swedenborg, and in 1792 was allowed to return to his native city where he lived quietly in retirement.

The Caspipina Letters were essays he published in Philadelphia in 1774 using the pen name “Tamoc Caspipina,” formed from the first letters of “The Assistant Minister of Christ’s Church and St. Peter’s in Philadelphia in North America.” The Bath edition of Duché was edited by Edmund Rack, who also wrote the section on William Penn, which, additionally, reprints Penn’s 1681 “A brief account of the Province of Pennsylvania.” $900

Robert Proud. History of Pennsylvania, in North America, from the Original Institution and Settlement of That Province, Under the First Proprietor and Governor William Penn, in 1681, Till After the Year 1742; With an Introduction, Respecting, the Life of W. Penn; Prior to the Grant of the Province, and the Religious Society of the People Called Quakers; With the First Rise of the Neighbouring Colonies, More Particularly of West-New-Jersey, and the Settlement of the Dutch and Swedes on Delaware. To Which Is Added, A Brief Description of the Said Province, and of the General State, in Which It Flourished, Principally Between the Years 1760 and 1770. The Whole Including a Variety of Things, Useful and Interesting To Be Known, Respecting That Country in Early Time. With an Appendix, Written Principally Between the Years 1776 and 1780. Philadelphia: Zachariah Poulson, Jr., 1797-1798. First Edition. Two octavo (4-7/8" x 8-1/2") volumes bound in 19th century polished calf with gilt-ruled borders. Frontispiece portrait of William Penn plus a large folding map. 508; 373, (146)pp. Books: Howes P-639. Sabin 66223. Evans 32729, 34421. Map, Wheat & Brun: 312.

The first comprehensive history of the state of Pennsylvania is notable both for being first and for the excellent map of the Mid Atlantic states contained therein. Much topographical information is shown on the map, with rivers, towns and major roads all indicated. Western Pennsylvania is sparsely mapped, with rivers indicated in the northwest, though major towns and roads are shown in the southwest. It is interesting to note that Delaware is also marked ‘Territories of Pennsylvania’ to show how the colony controlled by the Penn family had more land prior to the state boundary disputes. $750

Cornelius William Stafford. The Philadelphia Directory, for 1798; containing the names, occupations, and places of abode of the citizens, arranged in alphabetical order: also a register of the executive, legislative, and judicial magistrates of the United States--the Constitution of the United States--officers of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania--and the magistrates of the city: with an accurate table of the duties on goods, wares, and merchandize; together with a general abstract from the revenue laws ... with an alphabetical list of the streets, lanes, and alleys. Philadelphia: William W. Woodward, 1798. Octavo. Half leather marble boards. Expected toning and some staining.

Although Baltimore and Charleston had earlier directories as parts of other publications, in 1785 Philadelphia was the first city to produce a “separately printed” directory. In 1785, competing Philadelphia publishers John MacPherson and Francis White both issued directories, with MacPherson beating White to publication by about nine days. However, no directories were published from 1786-1790. Over the years until 1936 many different publishers put out Philadelphia city and business directories.

Cornelius Stafford, who also published Baltimore directories, explained in the preface of his first directory in 1797 why he launched this new publication: "a Directory in a mercantile city is one of the most useful Publications; and, from the circumstance of the great accession of new inhabitants to the city every year, together with the frequent removals, are the leading motives which have actuated the Editor to publish the present one & From the utility of the work, the Editor flatters himself to experience the patronage of the Public every year, as he intends publishing one annually, and which will be keeping on foot a desirable collection of genuine information." Stafford, who published Philadelphia directories from 1797 to 1800, may be the Englishman named Cornelius William Stafford who taught school in several Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, townships in the early nineteenth century. $1,250

John Adems Paxton. The stranger's guide. An alphabetical list of all the wards, streets, roads, lanes, alleys, avenues, courts, wharves, shipyards, public buildings, &c. in the city and suburbs of Philadelphia, with references for finding their situations, on an alphabetical plan. Philadelphia, 1811. 16mo. 56 pages. Leather spine with gold stamping. Marbled boards. Expected toning to the pages.

Scarce guide to Philadelphia, without the accompanying map, which was sometimes issued on a roller or in a separate case. Includes a general and very heartfelt description of the city, statistics regarding its various districts and townships, and a directional guide. $375

William P. C. Barton. Compendium Florae Philadelphicae: Containing a Description of the Indigenous and Naturalized Plants found within a Circuit of Ten Miles around Philadelphia. Philadelphia: M. Carey & Son, 1818. 2 octavo volumes. I: 4ll., [1]-251 pp.; II: [3]-234 pp. Original spines with gold stamped titles and boards, original flyleaves and pastedowns. Rehinged. Sabin, 3857.

William Paul Crillon Barton (1786-1856), native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was a physician and botanist who served in the U.S. Navy in the War of 1812 and subsequently worked as a professor of botany at the University of Pennsylvania. He knew and collaborated with many natural scientists throughout the first half of the nineteenth century. He had strong ties to members of the Lewis and Clark expedition, Alexander Wilson, Thomas Nuttall, and others. His best known works were: Vegetable Materia Medica of the United States (1817-19) and Flora of North America (1821-23). This study of the names of indigenous plants found in a ten mile radius of Philadelphia contains indices in both volumes and those for “English and Vulgar names” most useful. This is a lovely and carefully produced set by Mathew Carey and his son Henry. $650

John F. Watson. Annals of Philadelphia, and Pennsylvania, in the Olden Time. Philadelphia: John Pennington and Uriah Hunt, 1844. Octavo. 2 vols. Period binding. Wood engravings by T. H. Mumford. Inscribed by William S. Vaux (likely not the renowned mineralogist). Clippings from local newspapers 1853-1908 pasted or folded in. Howes: Usiana, W-169.

John F. Watson. Annals of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania in the Olden Times. Philadelphia: Whiting & Thomas, 1856. Octavo. 2 vols. Expertly rehinged period binding. Extra illustrated. 72 illustrations.

John Fanning Watson (1779-1860) was cashier of the Bank of Germantown and secretary/treasurer of the Germantown and Norristown Railroad. He had a lifelong interest in the history of Philadelphia and Germantown, publishing the single volume first edition of the Annals in 1830, which he revised and republished in two volumes in 1844. This much enlarged compendium about the history of Philadelphia was bound for "J. Snyder" in half leather with marbled boards. The text is complete and while the fine illustrations using engraving and woodcuts are not generally where they are called for in the directions to the binder, all but three are present along with ten extra plates. One of the wood engravers is Henry M. Snyder who was not the owner of this volume, but there could be a connection. A collation of the plates accompanies these two fine volumes. This is the fourth printing of the second edition of this classic work. $650

Abraham Ritter. History of the Moravian Church in Philadelphia, from its Foundation in 1742 to the Present Time. Philadelphia: Hayes & Zell, 1857. Octavo. Rehinged, with original spine and boards. Publisher's cloth. Twenty one illustrations, some hand colored.

Born in Pennsylvania about 1792, Ritter was involved in Philadelphia real estate and commerce and in 1860 published Philadelphia and Her Merchants as Constituted Fifty & Seventy Years Ago. A devout Moravian, Ritter served the congregation in various offices over the years, including over three decades as the church organist. $225

The Stranger's Guide in Philadelphia, to all Public Buildings, Places of Amusement . . . with a Map of the Consolidated City. Philadelphia: Lindsay & Blakiston, 1859. Collates: Front, tp., [viii]-xii, folding map, [13]-272, 2ll. advertisements. Original buckram binding stamped in gold. Fine condition. Very informative and attractive.

Twelve chapters discuss and illustrate: public buildings, places of amusements, commercial institutions, education, medical colleges, literary and scientific institutions, benevolent institutions, churches, cemeteries, government buildings, internal improvements, hotels and "relics of the past." Folding lithographed map is: "Plan of the City of Philadelphia as now Consolidated shewing the boundaries of the Wards. Published by Lindsay & Blakiston." 20 x 17 (neat lines). Old tape repairs. Tape did not discolor. $450

Thompson Westcott. Centennial Portfolio: A Souvenir of the International Exhibition at Philadelphia. Philadelphia: Thomas Hunter, 1876. Oblong octavo. ix, map, 52 hand colored lithographs, each with separate page of text, advertisements. Gold-stamped, full leather covers; some wear at edges. Interior very good.

The Centennial Exhibition, the national celebration of the 100 year anniversary of the founding of the United States, was held in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia in 1876. This "Souvenir of the International Exhibition" is an attractive work consisting of 48 lovely, hand colored views of the principal buildings of the exhibition, along with two additional views, one of Independence Hall in 1776 and one of Independence Hall in 1876. All but two of the Centennial buildings have since disappeared, so these images provide valuable historic information. Each view is accompanied by a separate page of text, making this as complete a picture of the exhibition as one could hope for. With its lovely images and informative text, this volume made a terrific keepsake for visitors to the Centennial in 1876 and today, over a century later, it makes a wonderful historic artifact of that first great national celebration. $650 Go to listing of individual prints from the portfolio for sale

John F. Watson. Annals of Philadelphia, and Pennsylvania, in the Olden Time; Being a Collection of Memoirs, Anecdotes, and Incidents of the City and its Inhabitants, and of the Earliest Settlements of the Inland Part of Pennsylvania. Enlarged by Willis P. Hazard. Philadelphia: J.M. Stoddart & Co., 1877 (V. 1 & 2), 1879 (V. 3). Quarto. Three Volumes; 609 + 640 + 524 pp., 74 illustrations, short indexes in first two volumes, full extended index to all volumes in volume three, large paper edition, half levant morocco, gilt top pages.

J. Thomas Scharf and Thompson Westcott. History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884. Philadelphia: L. H. Everts & Co., 1884. Three volumes. Octavo. Original brown cloth binding (rehinged) with gilt title on front covers and spines. New pastedowns and endpapers. Top page edges gilt. Howes, S-145.

Published in three volumes comprising 2,399 pages organized in 59 chapters, Scharf & Westcott’s massive work is the standard reference for Philadelphia history up to its date of publication. It contains over 430 illustrations, including portraits, parks, houses, businesses, institutions, and the like. While some illustrations were small wood engravings set within the text, others were fine full page engravings. $400

Ellis Paxson Oberholtzer. The Literary History of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: George W. Jacobs & Co., 1906. Number 5 in a limited edition of 100. Octavo. Bound in 3/4 leather with marble boards. Top edge gilt. Some wear to spine and hinges. 428 pages with many illustrations.

A historian educated at the University of Pennsylvania and German universities, Chester County native Oberholtzer (1868-1936) provides a vivid authoritative description of Philadelphia writers, periodicals, publishers, literary organizations and events from the days of William Penn to the late 1800s. He outlines the progress of literature and historical events of the periods, with their religious and political influences, while also providing biographies. The chapters are: As It Was In the Beginning; The Age of Franklin; The Writers of the Revolution; The Fruits of the War; The Port Folio; In Transition; Literary Democracy; Graham's and its Group; “Black Letters” (centering on writers, politicians and the literary history of the Abolitionists and Anti-Abolitionists); Later Writers and Events; and, The Pennsylvania Poets. More than 70 illustrations include portraits, title pages, buildings and the like. $175

Frederick P. Henry, Editor. Founders’ Week Memorial Volume: Containing an Account of the Two Hundred and Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the Founding of the City of Philadelphia, and Histories of its Principal Scientific Institutions, Medical Colleges, Hospitals, etc. Philadelphia: City of Philadelphia, 1909. Bound in 1/4 brown leather with gilt lettering. Octavo. 912 pages. Illustrated.

Intended to be “a standard history of the scientific and charitable institutions of Philadelphia,” this volume was published in conjunction with the celebration of the anniversary of the City’s establishment by William Penn. After an introduction describing anniversary celebrations, the volume contains seventy two essays sketching out the histories of institutions in the following categories: Scientific Institutions (6); Medical, Pharmaceutical, and Dental Colleges (9); Hospitals and Allied Institutions under Municipal Management (4); General Hospitals and Dispensaries (26); Special Hospitals and Dispensaries (18); Asylums, Homes and Training Schools (7); and, Medical Societies and Medical Journals of Philadelphia (2). $225

John Richards. Quaint Old Germantown in Pennsylvania: A Series of Sixty Former Landmarks of Germantown and Vicinity, Drawn on Zinc During the Years 1863-1888. Collated, arranged and annotated by Julius Friedrich Sachse. Philadelphia: 1913. Quarto. Printed mostly from the original zinc plates. Original boards, new spine, new end papers. Minor wear at bottom of front board.

A Swedish immigrant to Germantown, Richards worked as a gardener, day laborer and church sexton. During his recuperation from wounds suffered at the Second Battle of Bull Run in 1862, and without any instruction in art, Richards began creating sketches of landmarks in one of Philadelphia's oldest neighborhoods, from which he later made drawings on zinc plates. In the 1890s a local lithographer made prints from the plates. In 1913 Sachse, a renowned historian of the German communities in Pennsylvania, organized this publication, noting "Thirty three of these views are printed from the identical zinc plates made by John Richards; eight are reproductions of original sketches now first published; while the remainder are from transfers made of prints from the original plates." $600

[Philip C. Garrett, Editor.] A History of Haverford College for the First Sixty Years of its Existence, prepared by a Committee of the Alumni Association. Philadelphia: Porter & Coates, 1892. Quarto. Full leather red and black binding with marbled end papers.

An alumni association committee worked for fifteen years to publish this detailed account of the college in the nineteenth century, which the publishers produced at no cost to the alumni association. Along with a chronological history, the book includes sections on the student societies and the library and museum collections, as well as lists of faculty and students. Photographs are credited to graduates Marriott C. Morris and Franklin B. Kirkbride. $450

John F. Watson. Annals of Philadelphia, and Pennsylvania, in the Olden Time....Enlarged by Willis P. Hazard. Philadelphia: Leary, Stuart Co., 1927. Octavo. Three Volumes; 609 + 640 + 524 p., 74 illustrations, short indexes in first two volumes, full extended index to all volumes in volume three, textured maroon cloth over boards with black lines, gilt spine titles, liberty bell in gilt on spines with black and gilt decoration.

Joseph Jackson. Encyclopedia of Philadelphia. Harrisburg: The National Historical Association. 1931-1933. 4 Volumes, 1243 pages. Illustrated. One of a special edition of 400 sets. Blue cloth with titling in gilt on the spine. Clean, tight and overall very good condition.

Joseph Jackson (1867-1946) was the author of nearly a dozen works on Philadelphia history, as well as other historical topics ranging from architecture to the Electoral College. His Encyclopedia is an essential reference work for students of what was, in his time, the third largest city in the United States. $350

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