Péron, François & Louis Freycinet

Voyage de découvertes aux terres australes, exécuté par ordre de Sa Majesté l'Empereur et Roi, Sur les corvettes le Géographe, le Naturaliste, et la goëlette le Casuarina, pendant les années 1800, 1801, 1802, 1803 et 1804. [with:] Historique: tome Second. [and with:] ... Atlas par Mm. Lesueur et Petit [-deuxième partie]. Paris: Imprimerie Impériale, 1807 [-1816]; 1811



2 text volumes, large 4to (13 1/2 x 9 7/8 in.; 342 x 250 mm), 2 atlas volumes, two sizes of folio (20 1/4 x 13 1/8, 22 x 15 1/2 in.; 515 x 333, 558 x 394 mm). Text: half-titles, engraved title vignette, engraved frontispiece portrait of Péron in second volume, Atlas: 40 engraved plates (of which 23 are hand-colored), 14 maps (of which two are double-page); some light marginal spotting on text leaves, slightly heavier on titles and in second volume, single page maps lightly browned with some marginal spotting. Text and one volume of atlas bound in contemporary red [the second atlas in red quarter morocco and orange] straight-grain morocco, gilt roll-tooled frames, spines richly gilt, dentelles, blue [of various shades] watered-silk doublures and endleaves, all edges gilt; corners of atlas bumped, endleaves of second Atlas renewed, edges and atlas hinges rubbed, some small scrapes or scuffmarks.

Ferguson 449; Wantrup 78a; Hill (2004) no. 1329

some light marginal spotting on text leaves, slightly heavier on titles and in second volume, single page maps lightly browned with some marginal spotting. Text and one volume of atlas bound in contemporary red [the second atlas in red quarter morocco and orange] straight-grain morocco, gilt roll-tooled frames, spines richly gilt, dentelles, blue [of various shades] watered-silk doublures and endleaves, all edges gilt; corners of atlas bumped, endleaves of second Atlas renewed, edges and atlas hinges rubbed, some small scrapes or scuffmarks.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

First edition, a large paper copy. A handsome set of the account of Nicolas Baudin's expedition to Australia with the first detailed and complete map of the Australian continent. Sent by the French government in 1800, with orders to complete the survey of the coasts of Australia, Baudin employed Péron as a naturalist and Freycinet as cartographer.

They reached Van Diemen's Land early in 1802, carried out surveys and then sailed for Sydney. The expedition spent six months in Sydney and offers a useful account of life in that new town. The expedition then engaged in a complete survey of the southern coast before returning to Mauritius where Baudin died at the end of 1803.

Péron died before publication was complete, and the work was finished by Freycinet. Though Matthew Flinders had completed his survey of the Australian coast before Baudin, his imprisonment in Mauritius meant that the Frenchmen were the first in print.