Lot 238

1904 J.M. Guinn, History of the State of California and Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California, Chapman Publishing Co., Illustrated Folio

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Lot 238
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1904 J.M. Guinn, History of the State of California and Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California, Chapman Publishing Co., Illustrated Folio
1904 J.M. Guinn, History of the State of California and Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California, Chapman Publishing Co., Illustrated Folio
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1904 J.M. Guinn, History of the State of California and Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California, Chapman Publishing Co., Illustrated Folio

Current Bid: $5

(1 Bid)
by California Auction Company LLC
August 1, 2026 9:00 AM PDT
Live Auction
1212 E. Harding Way
Stockton, CA, US 95205

A substantial and historically significant first edition of *History of the State of California and Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California* by noted California historian Professor James Miller Guinn (1852–1918), published by The Chapman Publishing Company, Chicago, in 1904. This monumental county history chronicles the development of California from its earliest Spanish and Mexican periods through the rapid expansion of the nineteenth century, pairing an extensive narrative history with hundreds of detailed biographical sketches of prominent citizens, civic leaders, businessmen, ranchers, educators, and pioneers from California's coastal counties. Richly illustrated throughout with engraved portrait plates, the work serves as both an important historical reference and an invaluable genealogical resource documenting the individuals who shaped California during its formative years. Professor J. M. Guinn was among Southern California's foremost historians, serving as Secretary and Curator of the Historical Society of Southern California and authoring numerous influential works on the state's early development. Publications issued by Chapman Publishing Company are highly regarded among historians and genealogists for their extensive firsthand biographical accounts, many compiled directly from interviews with their subjects or surviving family members. Bound in its original gilt-stamped publisher's cloth, this imposing quarto volume represents an important surviving example of early twentieth-century California regional history. Despite its compromised binding, the text block remains remarkably well preserved, retaining crisp pages and numerous portrait illustrations, making it a desirable candidate for professional conservation or continued use as a valuable research volume.

  • Literature: Guinn, J. M. *History of the State of California and Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California.* Chicago: The Chapman Publishing Company, 1904. Chapman Publishing's county histories remain foundational reference works for California historians, collectors of Western Americana, and genealogical researchers due to their extensive contemporary biographies and detailed regional histories.
  • Circa: 1904.
  • Condition: Fair condition. The original publisher's cloth binding has suffered significant deterioration, with the spine covering largely detached and heavily worn, exposed cords, separation of the upper board, and extensive loss to the spine leather/cloth as photographed. Boards exhibit heavy rubbing, edge wear, and scuffing. Despite the compromised binding, the text block remains largely intact and firmly held together. Interior pages are generally clean with light age toning and minimal foxing. Portrait plates and text remain clear and complete. An excellent candidate for professional restoration or rebinding while retaining an attractive and well-preserved interior.

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