An American Four-in-Hand in Britain
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1883. Bierstadt, E. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good / No Jacket. Item #2322410
First edition. Inscribed but not signed on the dedication page by the author to Theodore Fry, a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1880-1895, and his wife ('Mr and Mrs. Theodore Fry, with the author's compliments'). Front hinge weakening, corners a bit bruised and slightly exposed, free endpapers and frontispiece foxed.
viii, 338, [1] pp. Original olive cloth, gilt titles with horseshoe decoration on front board, black stamped decorations on front board and spine, olive endpapers. Frontispiece 'artotype' by E. Bierstadt showing Carnegie on a horse-drawn coach, which is the 'four-in-hand' referenced in the title. The book details Carnegie's trip with British friends through the English countryside in 1881. It was not designed to be a publishing success, but rather a sort of greeting card to present to those who had not accompanied him on the trip, or a souvenir for those who had.
Price: $950.00