Bligh, Captain William

FIRST EDITION, THE ADVANCE ISSUE, 4to (284 x 216mm.), x, 154, iv, 88, 245-264pp., 8 engraved maps and plates [5 folding], contemporary tree calf, marbled endpapers, expertly rebacked with full gilt spine preserving original labels, one with the Prince of Wales' feathers insignia

George IV's (and William IV's) copy, the spine with a label bearing the Prince of Wales' feathers and the verso of title with duplicate stamp from the Windsor Castle Library dated 1837

Ferguson 126; not in Hill but cf. 135 and 132

A good copy despite being rebacked
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The very rare "advance issue" of this work from the Royal Library. This advance issue is distinguished from the standard first edition in having the original text of Bligh's Narrative of the Mutiny inserted en bloc (including its title-page dated 1790) between pages 154 and 245. In the standard first edition (see lot 144) the pagination is continuous and the text of the narrative of the mutiny is revised. The Mitchell Library, Sydney, has a copy of this issue and there is just one copy recorded at auction since 1956.

"An extremely important book" (Hill). This is the first official account of the Bounty expedition. It was based on Bligh's journals but was probably ghost-written by Captain James Burney (brother of the novelist Frances Burney) and seen through the press under the auspices of Sir Joseph Banks while Bligh was away on his second breadfruit voyage. It is substantially longer than Bligh's own account (see lot 141).

See portrait illustration on previous page.