Bradford, William.

First (and only) edition, large folio (617 x 488mm.), half-title, title printed in red and black, 141 albumen prints by John Dunmore and George Critcherson, comprising: 25 large albumen prints mounted on thick card (including a magnificent double-page panorama of the Sermitsialik Glacier), and 116 of various sizes in the text, publisher's brown morocco richly gilt by Leighton, Son & Hodge (with their ticket), sides with a large vignette of an arctic scene and elaborate decoration after a design by Bradford, spine in six compartments with raised bands gilt, gilt edges, marbled endpapers, some photographs with slight edge-fading (as often with photographs of this period), scattered light foxing to mounts and text (generally not affecting images), some offsetting onto photographs and text (as often), foot of spine expertly restored, slight rubbing to extremities

Groiler Truthful Lens, 24; Gernsheim, Incunabula of British Photography, (1984), 570; Foster, S.J. [et al], Imagining Paradise, (New York, 2007), pp.114-115; Parr, M. and G. Badger, The Photobook: volume 1, (London, 2004), p.31; Kugler, R.C., (ed.), William Bradford: Sailing Ships & Arctic Seas (Seattle and London, 2003; a copy of which is included in this lot), pp.72-86

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Rare. A magnificent work of design and craftsmanship, the greatest of all illustrated books on the arctic and one of the nineteenth century's most spectacular photographically illustrated travel books.

In 1869 William Bradford, a New England marine and polar artist, chartered the steam ship The Panther, having secured the sponsorship of a wealthy patron Le Grand Lockwood. The aim was to venture as far north as ice would permit, deep into Melville Bay in Greenland, primarily to make sketches and also to explore the region. The photographers John L. Dunmore and George Critcherson from Boston, who had travelled with Bradford before, were hired and the noted Arctic explorer Dr Isaac Hayes joined the party. The three month summer trip was a great success; Bradford produced a large number of sketches and Dunmore and Critcherson exposed up to four hundred glass plates under extreme conditions. In 1871 and 1872 Bradford exhibited paintings and sketches in England to great acclaim and attracted the patronage of Queen Victoria. This prompted Bradford to conceive of an album of photographs and when Queen Victoria and other members of the Royal family added their names as subscribers (at a cost of 25 guineas), the 'album' was transformed into a lavish publication, requiring the capital of several publishers. Three hundred copies were proposed, although it is not known how many were finally published.