Rare Autograph, Photograph and Manuscript Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/13/2017
Title: Troisieme voyage de Cook, ou boyage a l'ocean Pacifique, ordonne par le Roi d'Angleterre, pour faire des decouvertes dans l'Hemisphere Nord, pour determiner la position & l'etendue de la Cote Ouest de l'Amerique Septentrionale, sa distance de l'Asie, & resoudre la question du passage au Nord.
Author: James King - James King FRS was an officer of the Royal Navy. He served under James Cook on his last voyage around the world, specializing in taking important astronomical readings using a sextant. After Cook died he helped lead the ships on the remainder of their course, also completing Cook's account of the voyage. He continued his career in the Navy, reaching the rank of post-captain, commanding several ships and serving in the American War of Independence.
On his last voyage, James Cook commanded HMS Resolution, while Captain Charles Clerke commanded HMS Discovery. The voyage was ostensibly planned to return the Pacific Islander, Omai to Tahiti, or so the public were led to believe. The trip's principal goal was to locate a Northwest Passage around the American continent. After dropping Omai at Tahiti, Cook travelled north and in 1778 became the first European to begin formal contact with the Hawaiian Islands.
This is the first French edition of this work on Cook's third voyage. The antique quarto is bound in full leather with stamped gilt lettering/ornamentation and raised bands on the spine. The front board is starting to separate below the lowest band. There is light external rubbing and chipping concentrated at the edges and corners. The text block is solid. The book is adorned with marbled edges and endpapers. The pages show mild to moderate age toning and occasional light marginal spotting. The work is profusely illustrated with engraved fold-out plates and charts by Webber.
Troisieme voyage de Cook, ou boyage a l'ocean Pacifique, ordonne par le Roi d'Angleterre, pour faire des decouvertes dans l'Hemisphere Nord, pour determiner la position & l'etendue de la Cote Ouest d
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