[WILD, J(ohn) C(asper)]

[PANORAMA AND VIEWS OF PHILADELPHIA, AND ITS VICINITY; Embracing a Collection of Twenty Views, Drawn on Stone, By J. C. Wild, from his own Sketches and Paintings. With Poetical Illustrations of Each Subject, By Andrew M'Makin]

[Philadelphia]: [John T. Bowen], [1838]. Third Edition. Hardcover. Folio (10-1/4" x 13-1/2") in full modern orange morocco leather with gilt lettering and decoration on the front cover and a gilt-lettered black morocco spine label, top edge gilt. Lacking the title page but otherwise complete with the 20 pages of descriptive text and 20 hand-colored views along with the 4 panoramic views, also hand-colored, which are some of the first aerial views of an American city. Originally published in parts and issued uncolored, this is a scarce colored set with the colors remaining bright and vibrant. The views are of notable public works and major public buildings in Philadelphia: Eastern Penitentiary, Moyamensing Prison, U.S. Bank, Fairmount from the Basin, University of Pennsylvania, Naval Asylum, U.S. Mint, Merchants' Exchange, State House, Christ Church, St. John's Church, Girard College, View from the Inclined Plane, Institution for the Blind, Pennsylvania Hospital, Market Street, Manayunk, Laurel Hill Cemetery, Alms House, and Philadelphia, from the Navy Yard. The panorama plates, often lacking, are views of the city from the top of City Hall. Deák, PICTURING AMERICA 482; HOWES W-410; SABIN 103971; SNYDER "J.C. Wild and his Philadelphia Views," in THE PENNSYLVANIA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY, Vol. 77, No. 1 January 1953: "Wild's output of Philadelphia scenes must be appraised as possessing very considerable merit both from the historical and artistic viewpoints. As a historical record of the city, more than half the plates depict subjects not recorded in the earlier books of Philadelphia views.... Wild broke wholly new ground in American prints. Single views of cities from a distant vantage point were usual, but showing a whole city as it appeared in facing each point of the compass from a central spot was an innovation" (pp. 49-50); STREETER Sale II-997, The only defect is the missing title page. The text and plates are clean with vibrant, deep coloring, and the binding is Fine. Item #020768

Price: $20,000.00