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1835 Washington Irving’s Book: Voyage dans les Prairies a l’Ouest des Etats-Unis

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:300.00 USD Estimated At:500.00 - 800.00 USD
1835 Washington Irving’s Book: Voyage dans les Prairies a l’Ouest des Etats-Unis
Post-Revolutionary War to Civil War
1835 Book by Washington Irving 1st French Edition Titled: “Voyage dans les Prairies a l’Ouest des Etats-Unis”
1835-Dated Historic Book Titled, “Voyage dans les Prairies a l’Ouest des Etats-Unis,” by author Washington Irving. Paris, Fournier, Crisp Extremely Fine.
This original 1st French Edition Book has 306 pages, and measures 7.5” x 5” x 1” thick. The text is in French under the title Travel in the Meadows West of the United States. Hard covers are half speckled roan blonde, with ornate corners of the time. Some scattered foxing to the interior pages, particularly at the beginning and end. The original owner of this book was the head of the d’Hauteville family, who acquired it on the eve of his departure for the United States who’s bookplate is found on the inside cover.

Washington Irving (1783-1859) is one of the most well known American authors, often regarded as the first American Man of Letters and the first American to make his living solely by his pen. He was also a diplomat, serving as secretary to the American legation in London and, from 1842 to 1846, as minister to Spain.

Irving is best known for his literary achievements, especially the short stories “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” He also authored works on various other subjects, including biographies of George Washington, Oliver Goldsmith and Muhammed.

This present book was written upon Irving’s return to the United States in 1832 after spending 17 years in Europe. It details Irving’s experiences while accompanying the U.S. Commissioner on Indian affairs on a surveying mission deep into Native American Indian Territory. Provenance: Ex: Hotel des Ventes’ Chateau d’Hauteville Sale, September 11-12, 2015, lot 212.


Along with James Fenimore Cooper, Washington Irving was among the first American authors to gain widespread popularity in Europe, making him one of our nation’s first internationally best-selling authors. His accomplishments inspired other well known American authors, such as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Edgar Allan Poe, Herman Melville and Nathaniel Hawthorne.