Art Work of Ulster County

- by Bruce E. McKinney

When you collect extensively in a relatively narrow field and have been conversant in the subject for more than fifty years you don’t expect to find that you’ve never seen or even heard of a primary source but that’s the case for me recently.  The book is variously titled Art Work of Ulster County and Artwork of Ulster County.  It was published by W. H. Parish Publishing, Chicago in 1893.  It’s uncommon, and my copy, hampered by a lack of title page.

 

The dealer, Carydale Books of Stanfordville, New York calls it a quarto.  That would make it 9.5” x 12.”  However, its binding measures 11” x 13.125”.  If determined by page size, they are 10.375” x 12.625.”  It’s a bit bigger, but not by much.  There is also no title page.  What I have to go on is what’s on the spine:  Art Work – Ulster County.  In the OCLC it’s described as Art work of Ulster County and described as 12 volumes in 1.  In the notes it says published as 12 volumes in 1.  Text has caption:  History of Ulster County, N. Y. by Marius Schoonmaker.  Nothing quite adds up.

 

Five institutions whose material is listed in the OCLC have copies:

 

The Library of Congress

New York Public Library

State University of New York at New Paltz

Ulster County Community College

Pennsylvania State University

 

In the Rare Book Hub Transaction Database there are 15 records under the search terms:  art work parish and the date range 1890 to 1900. However, none match Ulster County.

 

The copy I recently purchased was apparently one of many editions published by Parish in the 1890’s.  Among our records are versions for Queens County, Venango County, New Haven, Stark County, Cincinnati, Utah, Lowell and vicinity, Baltimore, Lancaster, New Jersey and Detroit. No copy at auction according to our records, has brought more than $688.  These volumes seem to live just beneath the surface.  This one cost $500.-

 

It’s an important book for Ulster County because the engravings are many, in this case 98, and the subjects well chosen.  Note that all images are full page except for those marked ½ to reflect that they are half page.

 

Images

 

  1.  The Old Senate House ½
  2. City Alms House – Kingston
  3. Looking East From Lake Hill
  4. Residence of Jesse M. Elting – New Paltz ½
  5. Residence of Julius Osterhoudt – Kingston ½
  6. Looking South From Rondout
  7. On Albany Avenue – Kingston
  8. City Hall – Kingston
  9. Steam Boat Landing at Rondout
  10. View of Spring from Wurts Street – Rondout ½
  11. The Borden Residence 1/2
  12. State Normal School – New Paltz
  13. Bridge and Wallkill – New Paltz
  14. Looking East From Paltz Point, Shawangunk Mountains
  15. The Armory – Kingston
  16. Borden’s Home Farm
  17. Residence of J. N. Cordts – Rondout ½
  18. Residence of E. H. Van Winkle – Stone Ridge ½
  19. Glenerie Falls
  20. Residence of Mrs. E. Du Bois – Ellenville ½
  21. Canal and Railroad Bridge at Rosendale ½
  22. Upper Hanging Rock Falls – Ellenville
  23. On The Wallkill at New Paltz
  24. Mink Hollow
  25. View of Canal and Valley, From Mt. Meenahga ½
  26. St. Elmo Mill, Borden’s Home Farm ½
  27. Shade Lawn Sanitarium - Kingston
  28. View of Pearl Street – Kingston ½
  29. Residence of A. P. Lasher – Saugerties ½
  30. Rondout and the Hudson River
  31. View in Mink Hollow
  32. Kingston Bank and Club ½
  33. Residence of John C. Brodhead – Kingston ½
  34. The Gail Borden Condensery – Wallkill
  35. Esopus Creek – Saugerties
  36. Residence of Andrew F. Mason – Kingston ½
  37. Residence of Henry L Eriffis – New Paltz ½
  38. Falls at Saugerties
  39. Falls at Eddyville
  40. Canal Aqueduct – High Falls ½
  41. Rear View of Normal School – New Paltz ½
  42. Scene at High Falls
  43. Residence of Chas. A. Spaulding – Saugerties ½
  44. Residence of John C. Hasbrouck – Stone Ridge ½
  45. Farm View in the Esopus Valley
  46. Scene at Eddyville
  47. Honk Falls Near Napanoch
  48. Scene in Ellenville ½
  49. St. Mary’s Church and Parsonage – Ellenville ½
  50. Blue Stone Docks of Hewitt Boice – Rondout
  51. Street View in Ellenville ½
  52. Delaware & Hudson Canal at Rock Lock ½
  53. Lake Mohonk
  54. Residence of S. D. Coykendale [in the Course of Construction] – Rondout ½
  55. Residence of G. J. Smith [in the Course of Construction] – Rondout ½
  56. Looking East on Borden’s Home Farm
  57. Esopus Creek Below Glenerie
  58. Borden’s Home Farm Packing Room ½
  59. In the Ice Glen ½
  60. Glen at the Ice Cave – Ellenville
  61. Sawkill Falls at Woodstock ½
  62. Country Home of Daniel Sully – Mink Hollow 1.2
  63. High Bridge at Rondout
  64. Along the Hanging Rock Falls – Ellenville
  65. Union Street – Kingston ½
  66. Residences of Jesse Elting and Jacob Deyo – New Paltz ½
  67. Residence of James D. Wynkoop – Hurley
  68. Antiquated Buildings – New Paltz
  69. Residence of Chas. Ver Nooy – Napanoch ½
  70. On John Street – Kingston ½
  71. Ellenville,  from Mount Meenahga
  72. Cliff at Lake Mohonk
  73. View of Wallkill, from the Borden Residence ½
  74. Napanoch Falls ½
  75. Lower Hanging Rock – Ellenville
  76. Brick Industry on the Hudson
  77. Street View in New Paltz ½
  78. Clinton Avenue, From St. James Street – Kingston ½
  79. Honk Falls and Canon – Napanoch
  80. Sky Top at Lake Mohonk
  81. Old Water Wheel near Ellenville ½
  82. View on the Borden’s Home Farm ½
  83. Near View of High Falls
  84. Maple Avenue – Ellenville ½
  85. View in New Paltz ½
  86. Rondout from Spring Street ½
  87. Residence of Geo. B. Childs – Ellenville ½
  88. Powell, Smith & Co’s Cigar Factory – Kingston
  89. Mount Meenahga House ½
  90. Old Residences in New Paltz ½
  91. In the Ice Cave – Ellenville
  92. Scene in Saugerties ½
  93. On the Borden’s Farm ½
  94. Delaware & Hudson Canal at Eddyville
  95. Vineyard, Borden’s Home Farm
  96. Reformed Church – Ellenville ½
  97. Residence of Chas. Davis – Saugerties ½
  98. The Brick Industry on the Hudson

 

Images have always been important but they are often few, small, and not entirely relevant.  These images are very focused on southern Ulster County.

 

With this article I’m posting 10 images.  This is quite a nice source.