Landmark publication in early 20th-century photography. first edition of this important photo-book; a landmark publication in early twentieth-century photography.

A member of Alfred Stieglitz's Photo-Secession circle, Coburn perhaps learnt from Stieglitz the effectiveness of high quality photo-mechanical reproduction as an expressive vehicle for artist-photographers. He was the most important American photographer of his generation to expend significant energy on illustrating books. Amongst his output, Coburn published two books of identical design, one featuring London, the other New York. These exemplify the concern of the more advanced pictorialists with modern subjects, namely the twentieth century city, a shift in attitude that triggered the final push to photographic modernism.

First edition, folio (415 x 315 mm, 16¼ x 12½ in); introduction by Hilaire Belloc, some spotting to text pages, publisher's perforated stamp stating 'presentation copy' on title-page, 20 hand-pulled warm-toned gravures from plates prepared by Coburn and printed under his supervision at the Ballantyne Press, mounted on grey card; contemporary green morocco-backed grey boards with gilt lettering on front, restoration to spine, wear to extremities; xxi, [iii]]pp.