[MORMONISM]. LINFORTH, James (1827-1899), editor. -- PIERCY, Frederick H. (1830-1891), illustrator. Route from Liverpool to Great Salt Lake Valley... Together With a Geographical and Historical Description of Utah, and a Map of the Overland Routes to that Territory, from Missouri River. Liverpool: Franklin D. Richards; London: Latter-Day Saints' Book Depot, 1855. 4to (309 x 238 mm). Folding frontispiece map "Utah and the Overland Routes to it, from the Missouri River," with the Utah border and routes hand colored in outline, 30 steel engraved plates, and woodcuts in text after Frederick H. Piercy. (Pale dampstain to lower margin, some browning or soiling.) Contemporary green half calf gilt (some minor rubbing or wear, library card pocket glued to front pastedown); cloth folding case. FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM OF "SOME OF THE BEST WESTERN VIEWS OF THE PERIOD" (Streeter). "One of the most elaborately and beautifully illustrated of Western books. A large portion of the edition was water-damaged while in transit to New York. In some copies the map of Utah counties is hand-colored" (Howes). In early 1853, Samuel W. Richards and Frederick Piercy decided to publish an illustrated travel book meant to encourage English Mormons to emigrate to Utah. Piercy, a 23-year-old convert of 5 years, was a skilled artist and engraver; Richards, the president of the British Mission, financed his trip to the United States in February 1853. Piercy visited Carthage and Nauvoo, where he drew Carthage Jail and the ruins of the Nauvoo temple as well as portraits of Lucy Smith and two of Joseph Smith's sons. He set out on the overland route, sketching prominent landmarks along the way; arriving in Utah, he drew a panorama of the Great Salt Lake City and sketched Brigham Young's portrait. He wrote a detailed narrative of his travels, which he gave to James Linforth to edit on his return to England in early 1854. Linforth was an assistant editor of the Millennial Star (see lots 311 and 315), and he added extensive footnotes to Piercy's narrative, including a comprehensive summary of the LDS emigration up to 1855. The book was originally published in 15 monthly parts beginning in July 1854. Flake 46; Graff 2501; Howes L-359; Sabin 4; Wagner-Camp 259.