Nov 21 at 10:30 AM - Sale 2687 -
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Sale 2687 - Lot 222

Estimate: $ 20,000 - $ 30,000
(TRAVEL.) George Vancouver. A Voyage of Discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and Round the World. 10 maps, 6 plates in atlas; plus one map and 17 plates in text volumes. [8], xxix, [9], 432; [10], 504; [10], 505, [3] pages. 4 volumes including atlas. 4to, contemporary mottled calf, minor wear, attractively rebacked with title and library catalogue number in gilt on spine, the atlas volume folio (22 x 17 inches), contemporary ½ vellum over marbled boards, moderate wear; half-titles present but very faint, as is the final errata leaf, some foxing to plates but the large folding atlas maps quite fresh and untrimmed; text volumes with early British public library bookplates on pastedowns and small inked stamps on verso of title pages and elsewhere, British auction notations on one bookplate, with provenance letter laid in, atlas volume unmarked. Atlas in early marbled slipcase. London, 1798
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Additional Details

First edition. Vancouver had served on Cook's final two voyages before leading this important expedition, which charted new territory in present-day Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and British Columbia. He circumnavigated what is now Vancouver Island. Many other locations in the area owe their names to Vancouver's officers such as Peter Puget and Joseph Whidbey, and supporters such as Baron St. Helens and Rear Admiral Peter Rainier.

Among the 16 plates in the atlas volume are 9 surveys of the American Pacific coast from California to Alaska (all in a remarkable state of preservation), 5 plates of views of the same coastline, and two of Hawaiian interest ("A Chart of the Sandwich Islands" and "Views of the Sandwich Islands"). Forbes 298; Hill 1753; Howes V23 ("c"--"quite rare, obtainable only with much difficulty"); Lande 14495; Sabin 98443; TPL 688.

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