Travel, Photographs, Maps and Natural History
Travel, Photographs, Maps and Natural History
Lot Closed
November 17, 04:49 PM GMT
Estimate
1,500 - 2,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
Captain James Cook and Captain James King
Troisième Voyage de Cook [with] Cartes et Figures du Troisième Voyage de Cook. Paris: Hôtel de Thou, 1785
4to (187 x 258mm.), 4 volumes, 78 engraved plates (out of 88), mostly folding, contemporary calf, red and green labels, repairs to plates, foxing, worming throughout, lacking plates 1, 7, 17, 23, 27, 28, 29, 49, 60, 63, extremities bumped, covers worn
[with additional plate volume:]
4to (206 x 268mm.), 82 engraved plates (out of 88), mostly folding, contemporary calf, repairs to plates, foxing, lacking plates 1, 82, 83, 84, 86, 88, joints cracked, corners bumped, covers scratched
These richly illustrated four volumes, the first French edition of Cook's famous last voyage, are supplemented by a volume of the charts and figures, which was published separately.
Translated by Jean Nicholas Demunier from the 1784 first edition, the work contains maps, coastal profiles, ethnographic portraits, and dramatic scenes including the death of Cook, a human sacrifice and the night dance of the Hapaee tribe. The Americas are documented, as well as Japan and Hawai, demonstrating the crew's mission to find a Northwest passage.
Literature:
Beddie 1556