Connecticut Historical Collections, Containing a General Collection of Interesting Facts, Traditions, Biographical Sketches, Anecdotes, &c. Relating to the History and Antiquities of Every Town in Connecticut, with Geographical Descriptions

First edition. Thick octavo. viii, 9-560pp. Illustrated by 180 engravings, six plates, lacking the map. Full brown leather with gilt-stamped black leather spine label, gilt-tooled on board edges. Owner's name inked on blank preliminary, pages foxed with hints of dampstaining in margins, hinges cracked, leather is dry and worn and chipped, a good only copy lacking the rear fly and the fold-out map. Barber, a notable engraver, unwittingly became the state's historian while traveling through Connecticut. He spoke to the local townspeople, collected documents, made sketches of important locations and buildings. This book has been called "the first popular local history published in the U.S.".