[CHICAGO]. NORRIS, J. Wellington. A Business Advertiser and General Directory of the City of Chicago, for the Year 1845-6, together with a Historical and Statistical Account. Second year of publication. Chicago: J. Campbell & Co. Publishers, 1845.

8vo (195 x 115 mm). Steel engraved frontispiece (torn along fold, lacking half), steel engraved map, steel engraved illustrations of buildings; numerous advertisements printed within borders and occasionally illustrated. Addenda and errata leaf and 10 pp. advertisements, some on colored paper, at end. (Some spotting, heavier to the first few leaves, some browning. Original printed wrappers (frayed, a few tears occasionally affecting text, old tape repair front wrapper verso).

A SCARCE PRE-FIRE CHICAGO IMPRINT

Second edition, with a map of Chicago in 1812, and illustrations of the First Universalist Church (Washington Street, between Clarke & Dearborn), First Methodist Church (corner of Clarke and Washington), Tabernacle Church (Lasalle St. opposite the public square), Catholic Church (corner of Wabash and Madison), Unitarian Church (Washington St. between Clarke and Dearborn), First Baptist Church (corner of Washington and LaSalle), Rush Medical College (Dearborn Street), St. James Church (Cass Street between Michigan and Illinois), and Lake House. Lacking a portion of the frontispiece, "City of Chicago,---South-West View, 1845," believed by McMurtrie to be among the earliest views of Chicago. EXCEEDINGLY RARE: According to online records, no copy of this rare pre-fire Chicago imprint has sold at auction since the Streeter sale, 1967. Rare Book Hub traces only two copies ever sold at auction. Graff 3029; Howes N-183; McMurtrie First Printers of Chicago p. 33; Sabin 12639; Streeter sale 1483.

Property of a Midwestern Institution

[CHICAGO]. NORRIS, J. Wellington. A Business Advertiser and General Directory of the City of Chicago, for the Year 1845-6, together with a Historical and Statistical Account. Second year of publication. Chicago: J. Campbell & Co. Publishers, 1845.