Pennsylvania Magazine: or, American
Item #81519
(PENNSYLVANIA MAGAZINE). [Paine, Thomas, editor]. The Pennsylvania Magazine: or, American Monthly Museum. MDCCLXXV. VOLUME 1. [JANUARY 1775 TO DECEMBER 1775]. Philadelphia: Robert Aitken, [1775]. Twelve issues and one supplement, a complete run of the first year. 625,[5]pp., including title signature and the supplement, plus fifteen plates and maps. Without a leaf numbered 285-286, but the text uninterrupted and evidently complete (apparently a mis-pagination at the time of printing). Bound to style in three-quarter calf and marbled boards, spine gilt, leather label. Engraved vignette on the general titlepage, as well as on each monthly titlepage. Upper margin of general titlepage and publisher's preface trimmed, but with no loss of text. Upper right corner of two plates supplied in expert facsimile. Early ownership signature of "Mo. Horton" on the titlepage of the January issue. Much of the January issue stained in the foredge. Text and plates with some tanning and foxing. A very good set. MOTT, AMERICAN MAGAZINES I, pp.87-91. EVANS 14380. DEAK, PICTURING AMERICA 143. FOWBLE, PRINTS AT WINTERTHUR 108.A run of the first twelve issues and the 1775 supplement of THE PENNSYLVANIA MAGAZINE..., the only magazine issued in the American colonies for most of the crucial year of 1775. This is among the most important American Revolutionary-era publications for two primary reasons. First, it was edited from February 1775 until May 1776 (all but the first and the last two numbers) by the famous radical, Thomas Paine, and his regular occupation, at the time he wrote COMMON SENSE, was as its editor. Secondly, it contains some of the most significant maps produced in America during the Revolution, including battle plans that became prototypes for oft-reproduced illustrations. Only a small handful of similar maps were produced in America during the Revolution. Ristow describes three of the maps and plans (numbers 8, 9, and 10, below) as "the earliest revolutionary war maps printed in America." The present collection contains the first twelve of the total nineteen issues of THE PENNSYLVANIA MAGAZINE, a complete run for the year 1775. This volume contains a view of surpassing importance, "A Correct View of the Late Battle at Charleston, June 17th, 1775," depicting the Battle of Bunker's Hill. This view, virtually never found with the magaz.
Price: $50,000.00