King’s Handbook of New York City.

Moses King, Ed. & Pub.

King’s Handbook of New York City.

Boston, Ma.:

Moses King,

1893

2nd edition.

With over a thousand pages and over a thousand photographs, this is the most comprehensive handbook of New York City of its time, if not all time. For example, on the topic of clubs, 135 clubs are described, many with photographs and details, covering 31 pages. The title page claims the photographs were made expressly for the book. There were two editions, the 1892 and an expanded one in 1893. Judging from the book’s availability in the antiquarian book trade 70 or more years after its publication, it must have sold very well. But unfortunately there was never another edition, and Moses King subsequently concentrated on viewbooks of New York City rather than handbooks or guidebooks. One exception is the small guidebook How to See New York, shown elsewhere in this exhibition.

From the Collection of Mark D. Tomasko