Cook, Captain James | The Macclesfield copy of Cook's second voyage, handsomely bound

Cook, Captain James

A Voyage towards the South Pole, and Round the World. Performed in His Majesty’s Ships the Resolution and Adventure in the Years 1772, 1773, 1774, and 1775. London: Printed for W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1777. London: W. Strahan; and T. Cadell, 1777

2 text vols., 4to (288 x 224 mm), and folio atlas (485 x 317 mm). 63 engraved plates, maps and charts, mostly mounted to larger sheets. Text volumes in contemporary tree calf, spines gilt in compartments with red and green morocco labels, marbled endpapers, yellow edges; expert restoration to joints. Atlas volume in contemporary calf, smooth spine gilt with red and green morocco labels, plain endpapers; joints starting, a few very light scratches to covers.

First edition — an exquisite copy with distinguished provenance.

Cook's second voyage, from 1772 to 1775, in which he was ordered by the Admiralty to "circumnavigate the globe as far south as possible in search of any southern continents. Cook proved that there was no 'Terra Australis' which supposedly lay between New Zealand and South America, but became convinced that there must be land beyond the ice fields. The men of this expedition became the first to cross the Antarctic Circle. Further visits were made to New Zealand, and... Cook made an astonishing series of discoveries and rediscoveries including Easter Island, the Marquesas, Tahiti and the Society Islands, Niue, the Tonga Islands, the New Hebrides, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, and... rounding Cape Horn, on the last part of the voyage, Cook discovered and charted South Georgia" (Hill).

The plates have been bound separately here into a folio atlas volume and are thus unfolded and in exceptional condition.

REFERENCES:

BCJC 1216; Hill (2004) 358; Rosove 77.A1

PROVENANCE:

The Macclesfield Library (bookplates, pressmarks, and embossed stamp)