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Viktor F. Bracht. Texas im Jahre 1848,...
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Description
One of the Best Texas Immigrant Guides with the Exceedingly Scarce Map of Texas
Viktor F. Bracht. Texas im Jahre 1848, nach
mehrjährigen Beobachtungen dargestellt. Elberfeld u. Iserlohn:
Julius Baedeker, 1849.FIRST EDITION. 8vo (178 x 108 mm). [4], [vii-]xii, [2], 322 pages. Folding map: Karte des Staates Texas (aufgenommen in die Union 1846.) nach der neuesten Eintheilung.1849. Map with hand-colored Lone Star flag at upper right (upside down), and original hand-coloring in outline with some additional colored wash. Original blue blindstamped cloth, spine lettered and decorated in gilt, unopened. Housed in a modern quarter morocco clamshell case.
"One of the best Texas immigrant guides, this book is also a valuable contribution to our knowledge of early Texas. Bracht is one of the few early writers on Texas who based his report almost entirely on his personal observations. Few men have loved Texas more than Bracht, whose enthusiasm for his adopted land was based on a careful study of the country, its flora and fauna, and its people. Yet his book is one of the few guides to contain criticism as well as praise" (Jenkins). The book is composed in three parts, the first part pertains to the topography, statistics and natural history found in Texas; the second part contains information about the European colonies in Texas, and he provides his opinions about emigration and providing advice for German immigrants to Texas; and the third part contains excerpts from his letters written in Texas during his travels in June 1845 and November 1847.
Extremely rare: According to online records, the last copy of the book to appear on the market was offered by Eberstadt in 1963, and it also contained the map.
Some copies, as here, were issued with a most important and scarce map, entitled: "Karte Des Staates Texas (aufgenommen in die Union 1846) nach der neuesten Eintheilung. 1849." Lithograph map on wove paper, 12 7/8 x 15 ¾ inches (327 x 410 mm). Original hand coloring (red outline color indicating counties, German settlements of the "Deutsche Colonie des Mainzer Vereins" are shown in green wash, and "Franxos Colonie" in yellow wash; coastlines and territorial borders in blue wash); the Texas flag in original colors is depicted upside down at upper right. Apart from the insets, it also contains other curious divisions of the region, the Indian Territories, the overland trails, and the settlements.
"Published to serve the prospective European immigrant to Texas, the map designates in color the colonies of Solms-Braunfels and Henri Castro. Organized counties are outlined in red. The inset plans of New Braunfels and Castroville are among the earliest cartographic records of those two towns" (Taliaferro 294--citing only a photostat).
Condition: Binding very fine and bright with slightest rubbing to extremities, hinges starting, some light marginal toning, light even browning to text, occasional spotting towards the front. Map creased at folds, uniform light age-toning, some fold separations and hard creases discreetly reinforced on verso. Overall this is a very good copy of an exceedingly rare German-Texas emigrant map, printed on inferior paper typical German paper of this period. The map now separated from its companion book, but with section of left margin extended to be bound within a book.
References: Clark, Old South 3:278; Howes B-682; Jenkins, Basic Texas Books 21; Raines, p. 29 (not noting map); Sabin 7161; Vandale 19 (lacking map).
Auction Info
2023 December 2 The Ted Lusher Texas History Collection, Part One Signature® Auction #6281 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
December, 2023
2nd
Saturday
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