Thomas Clap, 1766

CLAP, Thomas (1718-1887). The Annals or History of Yale-College in New Haven. New Haven: printed for John Hotchkiss and B. Mecom, 1766.

Brinley-Ives-Van Sinderen copy of an early history of Yale University by its first president. Yale was the third university founded in the Thirteen Colonies, coming after Harvard and William & Mary in 1701. Here, "Clap traces the history of colleges and universities, focusing on the particular case of fifty-three-year-old Yale College" (Struggle for North America). This copy has belonged to a chain of illustrious owners, beginning with famous Americana collector George Brinley, who had no formal education, and then bought from his sale by Yale alumnus Brayton Ives. Later on it was given by philanthropist Alfred T. White to his Yale alumnus son-in-law, Adrian Van Sinderen, who later endowed a book collecting prize at the university. Evans 10262; Howes C423; Sabin 13212; Struggle for North America 17.

Octavo (182 x 113mm). (First text leaf just trimmed at top edge, a little dustsoiling, small repair just affecting bottom line of text.) 19th-century polished calf by Bedford, gilt dentelles, edge gilt (neatly rebacked with endpapers and spine panel preserved). Provenance: George Brinley (1817-1875; his sale 1879, lot 2189, sold to:) – Brayton Ives (1840-1914; monogram bookplate, his sale 5 March 1891, lot 183) – Alfred T. White (1846-1921, Brooklyn philanthropist; gift inscription to:) – Adrian Van Sinderen (1887-1963, White's son-in-law).