The Great Book of Currier and Ives' America

I purchased this book for a Christmas present but didn't realize how small it was. My wife has a full size book and I thought it was closer to that size. It is great though for what it is and has the most pictures available by Currier and Ives. It is my fault though that it wasn't what I expected. I didn't pay attention to "Tiny Folios". The recipient liked it though even if it was a little small. I recommend it to true fans of Currier and Ives and art lovers.

This is apparently a condensation of and paperback release of a book published by the same author and press in 1979. The original is one of the most mind-boggling and gorgeous books ever published in the United States of America. I'm not overstating the case. A limited edition of 1500 hand numbered volumes were published in mission leather by Abbeville Press with gold stenciling on the huge spine and a four color lithograph embossed on the high quality leather cover! Wow! At what seems like 8 or 9 pounds it's enormous. The paper quality and print reproduction are of the highest order. And the large number of lithos, especially in color, make this a must have for anyone interested in lithography. The Peters collection, from which this was drawn (with assistance from the Museum of New York), is the finest collection of Currier and Ives in the world.The insights are excellent and provide interesting background on some of Curriers artists and competitors. Currier's work itself gives a terrific peek at 19th century America... The vast majority of the leather edition must be in archival collections by now.