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.