Bidspirit auction | Benson J. Lossing The Pictorial

Benson J. Lossing The Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution Volume I 1860 - This volume is an 1860 edition of The Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution by Benson J. Lossing, published by Harper & Brothers in New York. The work is titled in full The Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution; or, Illustrations, by Pen and Pencil, of the History, Biography, Scenery, Relics, and Traditions of the War for Independence. This copy is Volume I of a two-volume set. The book is bound in brown leather with gilt-tooled decorative bands on the spine. Two black labels are affixed to the spine; the upper label is printed in gilt with FIELD-BOOK OF THE REVOLUTION and the lower label is printed in gilt with LOSSING. The text block features marbled edges, and the interior includes matching marbled endpapers. The volume contains numerous wood engravings and maps, including a plan of the Action on Breed's Hill, June 17th, 1775, and portraits of historical figures such as Major Andre, Frances Slocum, and Isaac Rice. The title page bears the printed name BY BENSON J. LOSSING and the imprint NEW YORK: HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE. 1860. The copyright page states the work was entered according to the Act of Congress in 1850 by Harper & Brothers in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of New York. The leather binding shows significant wear and deterioration. A large section of the leather is missing from the upper half of the spine, and the remaining leather is cracked and brittle with losses at the head and foot (photo 3). The boards exhibit heavy scuffing, deep scratches, and loss of the original leather finish across both surfaces (photo 2, 4). All corners and edges are severely worn, with the underlying board material exposed at the corners (photo 1, 2). The internal hinges appear tender, and the gutter of the front marbled endpaper shows signs of separation (photo 6). The interior pages are largely clean with light, uniform toning and very occasional minor spots, though the text block remains generally intact (photo 9, 14).