Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan, Performed in the Years 1852, 1853, and 1854, under the Command of Commodore M.C. Perry, United States Navy, by Order of the Government of the United States

Matthew Calbraith Perry (1794-1858) signed

Published by A O P Nicholson, 1856

About this Item

3 volumes: xvii+[1]+537 pages with 90 lithographs plates including the usual expunged bathing plate, many in color, including 3 "facsimiles" of Japanese woodblock prints (2 folding); 6 maps and charts (2 folding); 79 woodcuts in the text; [2]+414+[4]+14-1+xi pages with 4 color lithographs of Chinese scenes; 2 uncolored natural history engraved plates; 6 hand-colored lithographs of birds; 10 hand-colored steel-engravings of fish; 5 lithographs of shells, 2 hand-colored; 16 diagram plates of winds and currents; 14-page facsimile of Japanese language version of the U.S.-Japan treaty; 17 folding charts on 16 sheets; numerous woodcuts in the text; xliii+[1]+705+[1] pages woodcut star charts throughout. Volume III titled "United States Japan Expedition. Observations on the zodiacal light, from April 2, 1853, to April 22, 1855, . by Rev. George Jones, A.M., chaplain United States Navy". Quarto (11½ x 8 ¾") bound in the original blind stamped cloth. Volume 1 rebacked with the original cloth spine laid down. (Hill 1332; Sabin 30968) Stabbed signature of the author included. First edition of the House Issue. Detailed and profusely illustrated account of Perry's expedition to open Japan to the West; Upon his return to the U.S., his chief duty for the following year was to compile his reports of the expedition, aided by Francis Hawks. The first volume has the account of the voyage and lithographs of the travel; the second volume has the natural history reports by D.S. Green and others and includes hand-colored plates of Japanese fishes and shells. In addition to the artist W. Heine, from whose drawings a great number of the lithographs were made, the daguerreotypist E. Brown, Jr., went on the expedition, taking what were undoubtedly the earliest photographic images of Japan, many of them reproduced lithographically in this work. This copy with the nude bathing plate, which was not included on the list of plates and not issued in all copies. Condition: Wear and fading to cloth, large map repair at with archival tape, several others with stub tears and splitting to folds; light foxing, spine ends rubbed with a few with chips corners bumped and rubbed through. Accompanied with encapsulated and graded signature of the author else good to very good. Due to the size and weight additional postage will be required.

Seller Inventory # E0560a

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan, Performed in the Years 1852, 1853, and 1854, under the Command of Commodore M.C. Perry, United States Navy, by Order of the Government of the United States
• Publisher: A O P Nicholson
• Publication Date: 1856
• Language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Good
• Weight: 20 pounds
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)
• Seller catalogs:
  • Exploration and Voyages