The Spalding Collection of Western Americana from Randall House
The Caroline Spalding Collection from Randall House.
By Michael Stillman
This month we have received our first catalogue from Randall House, of Santa Barbara, California. Randall House trades in all kinds of books, from literature to Americana, fine press, books about books, sporting books, illustrated books, manuscripts, and more. However, this catalogue, their 31st, is very focused, as it offers items from The Caroline Spalding Collection of Western Americana. It is filled with western items, in particular those from California, but also contains a few items Mrs. Spalding obtained during a two-year residence in England.
Caroline Spalding was the daughter of pioneer California oilman Charles A. Canfield. He was a partner of Edward Doheny, whose wife (later widow) Estelle put together one the greatest book collections ever by an American. Canfield and Doheny became quite wealthy after discovering oil near Los Angeles in the late 19th century. Canfield's daughter visited many oil sites with her father, which piqued her interest in California history. Caroline Canfield married Silsby Spalding in 1911. Mr. Spalding became the first mayor of Beverly Hills. It was at this time that Mrs. Spalding began her collection. That interest continued until she died in 1970.
Offered are 179 items from Mrs. Spalding's collection. Randall House notes that some of these books originally came from the legendary San Francisco bookseller John Howell Books, in business from 1912-1984. Ron Randall and Pia Oliver of Randall House are veterans of that notable firm. Here are a few of the items from the Spalding collection.
Item 67 is a major work from California's first printer, Agustin Zamorano. It is the first edition in English of The manifesto which the General of Brigade, Don Jose Figueroa... (Governor Figueroa's Manifesto). Zamorano had originally published this book in 1835 in Monterey. This English edition was published in 1855 in San Francisco. The book deals with Figueroa's unwillingness to turn over mission land to colonists who arrived in 1834. Priced at $5,000.
Item 141 is another California first - the first book on California written in English by a resident. The title is Life in California During a residence of several Years in that Territory, published in 1846. Author Alfred Robinson came to California in 1829 and married into a prominent Mexican family. He provides a description of the territory in the days when it was still part of Mexico. $1,500.
Item 122 is Samuel Augustus Mitchell's Mitchell's New Map of Texas, Oregon and California with Regions Adjoining. This publication includes 46 pages of text along with Mitchell's map. The map shows what is today's American West in 1846, post Texas Revolution but just prior to the Mexican War and America's resolution of the territorial dispute with Britain over Oregon. Mitchell is unabashedly pro-American. He describes Mexico's Upper California (today's U.S. California) as having declared its independence and now being settled by Americans. Oregon, which in his map goes all the way to 54-40 (taking in much of British Columbia), he states is all under an "indubitable" American claim. Texas is granted the generous borders it claimed at the time, ranging from the Rio Grande to the narrow strip of land rising all the way into today's Wyoming. All of these borders would be radically changed within a few years. $9,000.
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The Spalding Collection of Western Americana from Randall House
The "excessively rare" Fruits of Mormonism.
Here is the story of Texas' attempt to assert its rights to the more distant territories it claimed. It was a disaster, though Texas did not give up these claims until forced to as a prerequisite for statehood. Item 103 is George Wilkins Kendall's Narrative of the Texas Santa Fe Expedition, published in 1844. In 1841, a contingent of merchants and military guards set out from Austin for Santa Fe, expecting to convince the locals to join the Republic of Texas. They never got that far. The mission was intercepted by a much larger force of Mexican soldiers. The Texans had little choice but to surrender, whereupon they were marched 2,000 miles to prison in Mexico City. U.S. diplomats managed to get them released the following year. Author Kendall was one of those held in prison in Mexico. $1,750.
Item 151 is a major piece for both California and Mormon collections. The work is Fruits of Mormonism; or, a Fair and Candid Statement of Facts Illustrative of Mormon Principles, Mormon Policy, and Mormon Character, By More Than Forty Eye-Witnesses, compiled by Nelson Slater. Slater crossed the plains in 1850 with a group of immigrants seeking California gold. However, bad weather forced them to wait out the winter in the Salt Lake Valley. Evidently, their interactions with the Mormons were not pleasant. On reaching California, the group decided to publish this item as a warning to others from the East planning to journey to California or Oregon via Salt Lake. They accused the Mormons of everything from murder to abuse, discrimination, harassment, excessive taxes, treason, thievery and trickery. The immigrants also called on Congress to abolish the Utah Territorial Government and replace it with a military government. Along with being an important Mormon item, this 1851 publication is an exceptional California piece, being the first, and apparently only book printed in historic Coloma, the place where gold was first discovered in the state (at Sutter's Mill). Additionally, it was the first book offered for copyright in California. Along with being very important, this book is extremely rare. As far back as the Huntington duplicate sale of 1923, it was described as "EXCESSIVELY RARE, and highly important as an early California and Mormon title." $40,000.
You may reach Randall House at 805-963-1909 or Pia@RandallHouseRareBooks.com. The website is www.RandallHouseRareBooks.com.
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