HAIR, James T., editor and compiler. Iowa State Gazetteer Embracing Descriptive and Historical Sketches of Counties, Cities, Towns and Villages. Chicago: Bailey & Hair, 1865.

8vo. 4 engraved plates; 67pp. publisher's advertisements at front and 99pp. at end printed in blue and red. (Lacking front advertisement pp.3-4 and pp.15-18, pp.31-32 with p.[2] fixed to front pastedown, lacking rear advertisement pp. 707-708 some minor spotting and light creasing, some plates toned.) Original brown decorated in gilt and blind, advertisement stamped in black on fore-edge (worn and lacking 1-in. portion of head of spine and 1/4-in portion foot of spine, covers detached or detaching with old cellotape repairs to front pastedown, a few gatherings loose). Provenance: Willie W. White (bookplate, signatures front pastedown and plate versos); Charles Kirkpatrick (signed on p.46 advertisement margin, annotations); Dudley Bell Priester (1923-2017), Mississippi River collector and bibliographer (sold Bloomsbury, 20 November 2009, lot 82).

FIRST EDITION, A PRE-FIRE CHICAGO IMPRINT. The "first-and-best-gazetteer of this state; an encyclopedia of historical data" according to Howes. Includes information about Iowa's agriculture, commerce, demographics, education, and history with a guide for shipping and a business directory. RARE: only 2 copies noted in Chicago Ante-Fire Imprints 943; not in Eberstadt, Decker or Streeter. Bradford 2035; Chicago Ante-Fire Imprints 943; Graff 1707; Howes H-24; Sabin 29561.

Property from the Collection of Perry B. Hansen

HAIR, James T., editor and compiler. Iowa State Gazetteer Embracing Descriptive and Historical Sketches of Counties, Cities, Towns and Villages. Chicago: Bailey & Hair, 1865.