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COOK, Captain James; HAWKESWORTH, John; KING, James; WEBBER, John. The Three Voyages of Captain James Cook. First Editions, with the Folio Atlas to the Third Voyage.
London: W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1773; W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1777; W. and A. Strahan for G. Nicol and T. Cadell, 1784.
First editions of the three official accounts of Captain James Cook's voyages, with the folio atlas to the third and final voyage. Nine volumes: eight quarto text volumes and one folio atlas.
An imposing set recording Cook's three voyages, which transformed European knowledge of the Pacific, Australasia, the Antarctic seas, Hawaii and the northwest coast of North America. Hawkesworth's First Voyage records Cook in HMS Endeavour, including Tahiti, New Zealand and the eastern coast of Australia. Cook's Second Voyage follows HMS Resolution and Adventure into the southern oceans, crossing the Antarctic Circle. The Third Voyage, completed by James King after Cook's death, records the search for a northern passage, the northwest coast of America and Hawaii. The folio atlas preserves the engraved visual record after John Webber.
BINDING: Uniform, richly gilt spines, expertly restored and finished in an eighteenth-century style, with raised bands, contrasting morocco lettering pieces, numbered labels and elaborate tooling. The five volumes of the First and Second Voyages retain their earlier boards. The three volumes of the Third Voyage and the folio atlas are in sympathetic later boards bound in keeping with the period style of the set. The nine volumes have exceptional shelf presence.
FIRST VOYAGE: HAWKESWORTH, John, editor. An Account of the Voyages undertaken by the Order of His Present Majesty for Making Discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere. London: W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1773. First edition. Three volumes, quarto. Engraved portrait of Cook by J. K. Sherwin after Nathaniel Dance-Holland, with maps, charts and folding plates, including the frequently absent Chart of the Straits of Magellan. Provenance: Castle Goring; armorial bookplate of John Belts and ownership inscription of John F. Bullar. Condition: Some foxing, more evident in Volumes II and III, occasional offsetting, minor staining and light marginal worming in Volume II. Boards with light spotting and age-related wear.
SECOND VOYAGE: COOK, Captain James. A Voyage Towards the South Pole, and Round the World. London: W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1777. First edition. Two volumes, quarto. With Cook portrait and maps, charts, views and portraits, including Man of Easter Island and Man of the Island of Tanna, after William Hodges. Condition: Plates and maps notably clean. Previous owner's signature and bookplate to pastedowns, with minor pencil notes. Folding map and frontispiece professionally repaired at original folds.
THIRD VOYAGE: COOK, Captain James, and KING, Captain James. A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean. London: W. and A. Strahan for G. Nicol and T. Cadell, 1784. First edition. Three volumes, quarto. Cook's final voyage in HMS Resolution and Discovery, exploring the northwest coast of North America and northern Pacific in search of a passage to Europe. Cook reached Hawaii and was killed there in 1779; the narrative was completed by King. Condition: Some offsetting, otherwise clean and strongly presented.
ATLAS: WEBBER, John, and others. Atlas to A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean. London, 1784. First edition. Folio. Large-format engraved atlas to the Third Voyage, after John Webber, official artist aboard HMS Resolution, recording landscapes, portraits and coastal views. Condition: Some foxing and damp staining, with wear towards the edges of the final section; the plates remain imposing.
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