Tschanz Rare Books List 46 Ex-libris David L. Bigler [Westerner to Westerner] Usual terms. Items Subject to prior sale. Call, text: 801-641-2874 Or email: kent@tschanzrarebooks.com to confirm availability. Domestic shipping: $10 International and overnight shipping billed at cost. David L. Bigler (1928-2018) was a native of Provo, Utah, a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He graduated from the University of Utah in 1950. Southern Utah University awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Letters Degree in 1979. He was a Fellow and Honorary Life Member of the Utah State Historical Society; former director of the Utah Board of State History and Friends of University of Utah Libraries; and the former national president of the Oregon-California Trails Association. (OCTA). He authored many important books including: The Gold Discovery Journal of Azariah Smith (1990); Forgotten Kingdom: The Mormon Theocracy in the American West, 1847-1896 (1998); A Winter with the Mormons: The 1852 Letters of Jotham Goodell (2001) and with Will Bagley The Mormon Rebellion: American s First Civil War, 1857-1858 (2011). He retired as director of public affairs for U.S. Steel in 1986 to pursue history full time. He was a charter member of the Utah Westerners, and its first president.
1- Aird, Polly. Mormon Convert, Mormon Defector: A Scottish Immigrant in the American West, 1848-1861. Norman, OK: The Arthur H. Clark Company, 2009. First Edition. 320pp. Octavo [24 cm] Dark red cloth with the title gilt stamped on the front board and the backstrip. Fine. Warmly inscribed by the author on the half-title: "To Dave and Evah Bigler, with many thanks for leading the way in Mormon history for me and many others. I am grateful to be counted among your friends. Affectionately, Polly." Nice association copy. $65
2- Bagley, Will. With Golden Visions Bright Before Them: Trails to the Mining West, 1849-1852. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 2012. Advance Reading Copy. 444pp. Quarto [25.5 cm] Gold illustrated and printed wrappers. Near fine. Volume II in the 'Overland West: The Story of the Oregon and California Trails' series. Warmly inscribed by the author on the half-title: "For my friend Dave Bigler - Thanks so much - Will Bagley July 21, 2012." Nice association copy. $40
3- Bagley, Will (ed.). Scoundrel's Tale: The Samuel Brannan Papers. Spokane, WA: The Arthur H. Clark Company, 1999. First Edition. 476pp. Octavo [24 cm] Light blue cloth with blue panels on the front board and backstrip with silver stamped titles. Fine. Volume 3 in the 'Kingdom of the West' series. Warmly inscribed by the author on the half-title to historian, David Bigler: "For David L. Bigler Friend and Mentor and a constant inspector Will Bagley 27 April 1999." Samuel Brannan (1819-1889) went to California in 1846, in search of home for the Mormons in the American west, he stayed and became immensely wealthy by "mining the miners" and investing that money in real estate and other ventures. Nice association copy. $100
4- Bigler, David L. Forgotten Kingdom: The Mormon Theocracy in the American West, 1847-1896. Spokane, WA: The Arthur H. Clark Company, 1998. Collector's Edition, 1/55. 411pp. Octavo [24 cm] Dark blue leather with silver stamped titles. Fine. Volume 2 in the 'Kingdom of the West' series. This is the author's copy with a Polaroid photograph of David Bigler sitting in his study laid in. Instead of being numbered on the limitation page this copy is marked 'Author's Copy.' Signed by the author on the limitation page. A specially printed keepsake, 'Proclamation of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter-Day Saints.' laid in. $275
5- Bigler, David L. & Will Bagley (eds.). Army of Israel: Mormon Battalion Narratives. Spokane, WA: The Arthur H. Clark Company, 2000. First Edition. 492pp. Octavo [24 cm] Light blue cloth with blue panels on the front board and backstrip with silver stamped titles. Fine. Volume 4 in the 'Kingdom of the West' series. Prospectus laid in. Warmly inscribed by one of the editors to the other on the front free endsheet: "To David L. Bigler Who showed me the way. Will Bagley 7 June 2000." The Mormon Battalion is the only religious unit in the U.S. Military's history, who marched from the Midwest to southern California. Excellent association copy. $125
6- Cannon, George Q. (Michael N. Landon ed.). The Journals of George Q. Cannon, Volume I: To California in '49. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1999. First Edition. 187pp. Octavo [25 cm] Dark red grained buckram with wraparound printed paper label. Fine. Warmly inscribed by the author to David Bigler: "To Dave Enjoy this trip with Cannon to California in '49. Your friend, Michael N. Landon." TLS from Landon to Bigler on 'The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' letterhead. Printed blurb sheet for this title laid in with a recommendation from Bigler. $40
7- Carter, D. Robert. Founding Fort Union: Provo's Native Inhabitants, Early Explorers, and First Year of Settlement. Provo, UT: Provo City Corporation, 2003. First Edition. 263pp. Octavo [22.5 cm] Red illustrated wrappers. Fine. Inscribed by the author to David Bigler on the half-title: "David, I hope you enjoy the trip down this trail leading to Provo's origins. D. Robert Carter." $30
8- Fleek, Sherman L. History May Be Searched in Vain: A Military History of the Mormon Battalion. Spokane, WA: The Arthur H. Clark Company, 2006. First Edition. 314pp. Octavo [24 cm] Blue colored cloth with the title gilt stamped on the front board and the backstrip. Fine. Warmly inscribed by the author on the half-title: "March 24, 2007 - David Bigler Mentor, Friend + Believer Please accept this labor of love on the Mormon Battalion - the only religious unit in our nation s history. I honor and respect your incredible contribution to frontier, western and LDS History, your insights and sound, reasoned manner. I appreciate your friendship! Sherman L. Fleek Lt. Col. US Army (Ret)." Nice association copy. $75
9- Gowans, Fred R. Rocky Mountain Rendezvous: A History of the Fur Trade Rendezvous 1825-1840. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University, 1976. First Edition. 308pp. Octavo [24 cm] Dark red buckram with the title gilt stamped on the front board and backstrip. Near fine/fine. Illustrated with maps and photographs. Warmly inscribed by the author to David Bigler on the front free endsheet: "Dave: I hope you realize that Westerners would never be the same without you. I am honored to call you my friend. Fred." Nice association copy of the true first of this definitive work, which is rare. $125
10- Green, Ephraim (Will Bagley ed.). A Road From El Dorado: The Trail Journal of Ephraim Green. Salt Lake City: The Prairie Dog Press, 1991. First Edition, 1/26. 58pp. Octavo [24 cm] Full brown leather with the title gilt on the front board and backstrip. Marbled endsheets and pastedowns. Fine/Fine. This edition limited to 26 lettered copies, this is copy 'G.' Warmly inscribed by the editor to David Bigler: "To David Bigler A great mind and constant inspiration Thanks for weeding out the errors in this manuscript. I feel like I've been following your trail as I explore the West. With respect + admiration Will Bagley 17 December 1991." This is the trail journal of Ephraim Green, as he made his way from northern California across the Sierra Nevada and across the Great Basin to Salt Lake City. Green was a member of the Mormon Battalion and was present at Sutter's Mill for Marshall's gold discovery. Nice association copy. $150
11- Lord, Israel Shipman Pelton (Necia Dixon Liles ed.). At the Extremity of Civilization: A Meticulously Descriptive Diary of an Illinois Physician's Journey in 1849 Along the Oregon Trail to the Goldmines and Cholera of California, Thence in Two Years to Return by Boat Via Panama. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, 1995. First Edition. 441pp. Octavo [23 cm] Dark red cloth with the title gilt stamped on the front board and backstrip. Fine. Inscribed by the editor on the front free endsheet: "Best wishes to David Bigler Caloma Oct 2, 1998," and additionally signed by the editor on the title page. $40
12- MacKinnon, William P. (ed.). At Sword's Point, Part I: A Documentary History of the Utah War to 1858. Norman, OK: The Arthur H. Clark Company, 2008. First Edition. 492pp. Octavo [24 cm] Light blue cloth with blue panels on the front board and backstrip with silver stamped titles. Fine. Volume 10 in the 'Kingdom of the West' series. Warmly inscribed by the editor: "To David Bigler, friend, teacher, and welcome fellow-explorer of the Mormon West through our joint involvement with the 'KITW' series. Cordially, Bill MacKinnon 5/23/08." Additionally, signed by the editor on the title page. Exhaustively researched over three plus decades, this work is the first half of MacKinnon's work on the Utah War. Nice association copy. $75
13- Maxwell, John Gary. Gettysburg to Great Salt Lake: George R. Maxwell, Civil War Hero and Federal Marshall among the Mormons. Norman, OK: The Arthur H. Clark Company, 2010. First Edition. 392pp. Octavo [24 cm] Rust colored cloth with the title gilt stamped on the front board and the backstrip. Fine. Warmly inscribed by the author on the half-title: "To Dave Bigler, with many thanks for your patience with a newcomer, your advice to the inexperienced, and for your friendship - Gary." Nice association copy. $75
14- Schindler, Harold. Orrin Porter Rockwell: Man of Thunder - Son of God. Salt Lake City, UT: University of Utah Press, 1966. First Edition. 399pp. Quarto [26 cm] Brown cloth with the title gilt stamped on the front board and backstrip. Near fine/near fine. Gentle fading to jacket's spine. Warmly inscribed by the author on the title page: "To my good friend David Bigler May each journey into the past prove an adventure. Harold Schindler." An excellent association copy (I can t imagine a better one for this title) of this definitive work. $150
15- Schindler, Harold. Orrin Porter Rockwell: Man of Thunder - Son of God. Salt Lake City, UT: University of Utah Press, 1983. Second Edition. 417pp. Quarto [26 cm] Brown cloth with the title gilt stamped on the front board and backstrip. Near fine. Lacks the dust jacket. Warmly inscribed by the author on the front endsheet: "To Dave Bigler A good friend and fellow Westerner who was there almost from the beginning - and who had a hand in this biography - Harold Schindler. February, 1983" An excellent association copy (I can t imagine a better one for this title) of this definitive work. $65