NMLP P-035989 · True-first precedence · minted 2026-07-09

Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition, during the Years 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842

Charles Wilkes · C. Sherman (Philadelphia), printed by authority of Congress · 1844

The true first edition is the 100-copy 'Official' Sherman issue dated 1844 (Haskell 1), whose first copies were not distributed by the Department of State until April 1845; the 150-copy 'unofficial' Lea & Blanchard issue of 1845 (Haskell 2A), printed from Sherman's original sheets, is the next-rarest state, while the far more obtainable 1,000-copy 'imperial octavo' trade edition (Haskell 2B) was reset from new Sherman stereotype plates rather than the original setting.

Full identification guide for this title →

New Mexico Literacy Project — True-first precedence NMLP P-035989 for "Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition, during the Years 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842" by Charles Wilkes (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/id/point/p-035989, CC BY 4.0, dataset DOI 10.5281/zenodo.21184548).