The Journal of John Fontaine, John Fontaine — 1st Edition

£30.00

The Journal of John Fontaine, John Fontaine — 1st Edition

Name: The Journal of John Fontaine, John Fontaine — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 6384
Price: 30.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: Williamsburg, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, 1972

Formatting: 8vo, pp. xii, 190.

Condition Report: Near Fine in a Very Good dust jacket. The publisher's original brown cloth binding remains notably tight and entirely square, with sharp corners and no significant shelf-wear to the board edges. The gilt tooling to the front board and spine remains exceptionally bright and unoxidised, a testament to careful shelving. Internally, the text block is structurally sound, with the hinges uncracked and the endpapers clean. The pages are crisp, bright, and completely free from foxing or age-toning, retaining a fresh, unread quality. The dust jacket is complete and unclipped, presenting well despite minor faults; there is a small nick and associated light creasing to the head of the spine panel, along with trivial rubbing to the extremities and slight sun-toning to the spine, though all text remains perfectly legible.

Catalogue Note: This first edition is a highly sought-after volume from Colonial Williamsburg's "Eyewitness to History Series." The text is supplemented by several illustrations and maps, including a striking frontispiece portrait of John Fontaine, which is accompanied by a facsimile of his signature.

The edition is notable for presenting the first complete and accurate transcription of Fontaine's original journal, restoring critical passages, including a rare Siouan vocabulary, that were omitted in earlier nineteenth-century abridgments.

While the book is occasionally found on the secondary market, copies presenting in such clean, unoxidised condition with intact dust jackets are increasingly uncommon, particularly outside of the United States.

In 1715, young Irish Huguenot John Fontaine embarked on a transformative journey to the New World, keeping a meticulously detailed journal of his experiences. As a personable companion to Virginia's dynamic Governor Alexander Spotswood, Fontaine travelled extensively, recording his observations on everything from the legendary 'Knights of the Golden Horseshoe' expedition over the Blue Ridge Mountains to vivid encounters with Native American tribes at Fort Christanna. This engaging primary account offers an invaluable and highly readable window into the social, military, and exploratory realities of early eighteenth-century colonial Virginia.

Book Condition: Near Fine

Book Authors: John Fontaine; Edward Porter Alexander

Book Publisher: The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Non-Fiction

Genre: History

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 202

Book Publication Year: 1972

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: Eyewitness to History Series

Country/region of manufacture: Williamsburg, Virginia, United States

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.