About this Item
First edition. Four volumes (three text plus atlas). London: G.G. & J. Robinson, & J. Edwards, 1798. Text: quarto (11 3/4" x 9", 302mm x 230mm): [8], xxix, [9], 432; [10], 504; [10], 505, [3]. With 17 engraved plates and 1 engraved chart. Atlas: folio (21 1/4" x 16 3/4", 540mm x 425mm). With 10 folding engraved charts and 6 engraved plates. Text: bound in contemporary calf (re-backed with the original back-strips laid down) with a triple gilt fillet border. On the spine, five raised bands. Author and title gilt to black sheep in the second panel, number gilt to black sheep in the fourth. Atlas: bound in contemporary half calf over marbled boards. On the spine, six raised bands. Spines darkened slightly, corners bumped with some repair; a bit of offsetting from plates, light foxing; maps with a few splits at folds, minor tears, a bit of offsetting, light foxing to views, front endpaper starting from foot, light bump at top right corner slightly affecting plates and maps (mostly in margins); very good or better. "First edition, including the atlas, of one of the great accounts of Pacific exploration, rivaling the works of Cook and La Perouse. Streeter writes that "This narrative is one of the most important accounts of the exploration of the Pacific Northwest and New Zealand, and valuable source information about Tahiti and the Hawaiian Islands in the last decade of the eighteenth century. Cowan considered the account to be superior to any of its kind and the chief authority on the areas explored during this period. Vancouver (1758-1798) was an extraordinarily capable explorer, having sailed with Cook on the second and third voyages (1772-4, 1776-80) and served under Rodney and Alan Gardner. It was Gardner who recommended him for a voyage in search for a northwest passage to the Great Lakes. The present narrative is the complete account of that voyage, accompanied by an atlas of maps and views of the areas explored. Vancouver died on May 10, 1798, his brother John completing the task of preparing and editing the narrative. Among the important features of the narrative are the engraved views in Volume II of the Mission of San Carlos and the Presidio of Monterey, probably the first published views of California. It is possible that the artist sailing with La Perouse, who visited Monterey in 1786, drew a sketch of the Mission, but no views of California scenery appear in the La Perouse atlas." Howes is of the opinion that "of all modern exploring voyages to the Pacific those of Cook, La Perouse and Vancouver were the most important," Hill holds out that "This voyage became one of the most important ever made in the interests of geographical knowledge," and Lada-Mocarski states emphatically that "this is one of the most important voyages for the history and the cartography of the northwest coast in general and of Alaska in particular." The engraved views were drawn by William Alexander from sketches made on the spot by expedition members. Cowan p.654-5; Forbes 298; Graff 4456; Hill, Pacific Voyages, pp.303-4; Hill (2nd Ed.) 1753; Howes V23; Lada-Mocarski 55; Sabin 98441; Streeter Sale 3497; Tweney 78; Verner, Stuart-Stubbs, no 41; Wagner N.W.C. p.209 et seq.; Zamorano Eighty 77." A FULL DESCRIPTION AND SUITE OF PHOTOS WILL BE PRODUCED UPON REQUEST. Seller Inventory # T000042
Contact seller
Report this item
