CONVERSE, DR. GEORGE M. 1894 FULL LEATHER SUPERB TRAVEL DIARY/JOURNAL/SCRAPBOOK OF DR. GEORGE M. CONVERSE OF SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA INCLUDING EXTENSIVE NOTES, HANDDRAWN SKETCHES, FACSIMILIE AUTOGRAPHS AND SO MUCH MORE 1894
8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall Manuscript Without a doubt my favorite diary. The brilliant Dr. George Converse writes a wonderfully detailed journal of his travels sprinkled with poetry, observation of human nature and cultural disposition. The doctor has a super sense of humor and is many times in the right place at the right time as was the case being in Paris as the Czar of Russia entered the city. The Doctor is also atypical of most diarists. He does not announce his arrivals and departures. He merely begins his writings when the Doctor notes "New Orleans, Louisiana, Jan. 13th, 1895, the Medieval Dept., Tulane Univ'y of La. A very fine school. Fine dissecting room." A handdrawn Cypress tree from the Old Spanish Fort is followed with a caption from the Cemetery of Metairie, Monument of the Army of Tennessee, Louisiana Division. The next page Dr. Converse notes his arrival in Washington DC as January 17th. A sketch of the Washington Memorial and 2 superb facsimilie autographs of Thomas Jefferson and John Hancock by our diarist are but two other clues as to what other talents the Doctor has. Further sketches, some in color, some simple pencil along with a wonderful prose style telling of travels through Germany, Russia, Finland and back to Paris. Dr. Converse writes with as much facility in French as he does in English and he writes many pages of poetry and no doubt it was from memory too. He transcribes an English/Russian alphabet, writes down Finnish folk poems, samples the flora and has included meangingful ephemera some directly in the binding. This travel diary spans a period of as stated on the ffep November 12th, 1894 to the last travel entry of Sept. 1897. There is a much later Paris entry for 1947. The book is a lovely brown leather, gilt trim, marbelized endpapers, four bands, five compartments with a matching sleeve. Very Good
$C2295
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