GRAND CANYON TRAILS
Private printing. 1924 New York, 1st edn, 141pp, photos with tissue guards, private printing limited to 50 copies "each one of them autographed by the author" A very good plus copy, signed by the author. Item #001832
Joseph McAleenan’s account chronicles a three-week hunting expedition into the Grand Canyon country in September 1917, in pursuit of mountain lion. The author was joined by W.D. "Billy" Starr, "Red John", McSweeney, and “Austin”, who bagged the expedition's first mountain lion. McAleenan vividly records camp life and conversation, the natural wonders of the region, anecdotes of life in the old West, and the experiences of both the hunters and photographers—including some mule deer hunting. Camps were established in Shinumo Creek Canyon and Bright Angel Canyon. This work is a very serious collector's item and a true rarity. The photographs are excellent for the period, reflecting McAleenan’s skill as a dedicated amateur photographer. With only fifty copies issued, the book is exceedingly scarce. As Heller notes, "All of McAleenan's books are rare but this title is practically unknown.” Based on more than thirty years as a bookseller, it is remarkable how seldom this title appears for sale—especially when compared to “A Cruise for Sword-Fish in the Month of July, 1916,” also limited to fifty copies but encountered far more frequently. This may suggest that fewer than fifty copies of the present work were ever circulated. As a final note, while all of McAleenan's hunting and fishing books are rare, not all were produced with the same level of craftsmanship. In our opinion, this title is the finest in terms of design, binding, and printing.
Price: $17,000.00