Books and Manuscripts

Harper's Weekly's Complete Coverage of the American Civil War

New York, January 1, 1861-December 30, 1865. In five volumes. Vols. V-IX, Nos. 210-470. A continuous run of 260 issues, covering the entirety of the American Civil War. Thick folio. Full beige buckram-covered boards, red leather spine labels, stamped in gilt, boards variously soiled and rubbed; all edges trimmed; scattered tears and creasing in bottom gutter of each volume; scattered soiling and offsetting in each volume; upper portion of pp. 145/146 torn away in second volume; half of pp. 193/194 torn away in third volume; bottom corner pp. 785/786 repaired in fifth volume; book-plate on first free leaf of each volume.

A massive and continuous run of Harper's Weekly covering the entirety of the American Civil War. This fascinating literary and political chronicle covers all of the war's major events and battles, and includes hundreds of wood-engraved illustrations, many from noted American illustrators. The many Civil War illustrations depict portraits of Union and Confederate Army Generals and Officers, battlefield scenes, maps, city views, and dozens of satirical caricatures and cartoons. Of note are dozens of illustrations by American painter Winslow Homer early in his career, including the "Great Sumter Meeting in Union Square," "The Sharpshooter," (see cover photo for this lot) and "The Inauguration of Abraham Lincoln." Also of note are hundreds of illustrations by Thomas Nast, considered the "Father of the American Cartoon," including several Christmas scenes, including the first modern depictions of Santa Claus, beginning in the January 1863 issues.