An Unsophisticated Copy of Bushnell on New York Tokens

Bushnell, Charles I. AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST THREE BUSINESS TOKENS ISSUED IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK. New York: Privately Printed, 1859. 12mo, original pink printed paper covers. Frontispiece depicting a Mott token and two Talbot, Allum and Lee tokens, printed in metallic ink; 17, (1) pages; advertisement leaf. Housed in a custom-made slipcase with red morocco spine label, gilt. Some spotting to wraps; near fine. An important work, rarely encountered, as here, unbound in its original state. Originally published by Bushnell in a limited large-paper edition, he issued this more commonly encountered (though still scarce) edition to satisfy demand for the work. He continued to add to it, however, issuing a very rare second edition that was generally unknown until the first Kolbe Ford sale. The frontispiece is a lithograph in bronze ink, and the overall production values are well above average. Includes an appendix listing sales of these tokens at auction. The advertisement leaf contains four ads, all by die sinkers. Davis 163. Ex Bella C. Landauer Library, with her bookplate on inside of cardboard sleeve within slipcase; ex Derek P. White Library; ex Kolbe & Fanning’s 2011 New York Book Auction, lot 405; ex Dave Steine Library; ex Kolbe & Fanning’s 2015 New York Book Auction, lot 231 at $425.