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Earthquake
& Fire Days of 1906
By William Ford Nichols,
then Episcopal Bishop of California and great-grandfather of artist
Susan McBaine, who conceived and illustrated the book. This personal,
step-by-step account starts with the "jolt-jolt-jolt"
of the early morning quake and moves through the next two days of
devastation and threatening fire. Nichols provides a detailed account
of his encounters as he traverses the city to inspect churches in
his care. He describes the particulars of the destruction, the giving
of aid and shelter to the injured and dying, and an ultimately unnecessary
scramble to gather belongings as the fire nears the Bishop's House.
Accompanied by Iris print reproductions of McBaine's original watercolors
which were painted after photographs of the time. Images depict
leaning houses, collapsed and ravaged buildings, riots of flame,
and stately citizen refugees. McBaine's deep tones and use of red-purple
hues in the washed background of the paintings give a startling
presence to scenes familiar as black-and-whites. Originally written
by the Bishop for his children, the story was first printed as a
pamphlet and sold to benefit Chinese Missions. The recollection
herein was taken from a chapter in a later book, Days of My Age:
Chimney Corner Chats for the Home Circle, privately printed in San
Francisco in 1923. Alternating pages of image and textual overlay.
Text is letterpress printed on Sihclear Cloud Grey that evokes the
billowing smoke of the burning city as images peek from behind the
paper's translucent haze. Iris prints on Somerset 330 archival paper.
Quarter cloth over boards with a matching red slipcase. Edition
of 50.
$600
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