antiquarian bookseller - Peter Harrington

Peter Harrington Antiquarian Bookseller Catalogue 57: Travel Section 3: The Americas, Greenland and the Arctic
114.[FLORIDA]
Narrative of A Voyage to the Spanish
Main, in the Ship “Two Friends;”
The occupation of Amelia Island,
by M‘Gregor, &c. – Sketches of
the Province of East Florida; and
anecdotes illustrative of habits and
manners of the Seminole Indians:
with an Appendix, containing a
detail of the Seminole War, and
the execution of Arbuthnot and
Ambrister.
London, for John Miller, 1819 [20312] £2350
8vo (213 × 128 mm). Fine recent binding of full brown
morocco, spine richly gilt in compartments, covers with central
panel infilled with gilt motifs and circles, ruled around in gilt
and in black, by Hembra. With the half-title. Early inkstamps
of King’s Inns Library, Dublin to title verso and at foot of last
leaf verso. A touch of foxing to outer leaves, else clean and
fresh, an excellent copy in a fine binding.
FIRST EDITION of this anonymous account, “Almost
entirely devoted to events in Florida during its last days
under Spain, including the best narration of Captain
McGregor’s filibustering seizure of Amelia Island, account
of Seminole Indians, etc.” (Howes).
Field 1119; Howes N12; Sabin 51782.
115.FORSTER, Johann
Reinhold.
History of the Voyages and
Discoveries made in the North.
Translated from the German …
and elucidated by several New and
Original Maps.
London: for G. G. J. and J. Robinson, 1786 [16177] £3500
4to. Contemporary full tree calf, rebacked, title label to spine
gilt, marbled endpapers. 3 folding engraved maps. Spine,
corners and edges of boards a little rubbed, some scattered
foxing, otherwise very good.
FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH. A comprehensive overview
of northern explorations from ancient to modern times,
including accounts of the English, French, Spanish,
Portuguese, Dutch, Danish and Russian voyages in search
of the Northwest and Northeast Passages from the earliest
recorded explorations to 1780, including those of Cabot,
Verazzano, Frobisher, Davis, Weymouth, Hudson, Fox,
James, Cartier, Cook, Clerke and others. The work was
originally published at Frankfurt in 1784. A distinguished
naturalist, Forster accompanied Cook on his second
voyage.
FRANKLIN’S FIRST AND SECOND
EXPEDITIONS
116.FRANKLIN, John.
Narrative of a Journey to the Shores
of the Polar Sea, in the years 1819,
20, 21, and 22. With an Appendix
on Various Subjects Relating to
Science and Natural History. [With:]
FRANKLIN, John. Narrative of a
Second Expedition to the Shores
of the Polar Sea, in the Years
1825, 1826, and 1827. Including
an Account of the Progress of a
Detachment to the Eastward, by
John Richardson.
London, John Murray, 1823 & 1828. [19661] £5500
2 volumes, 4to. Uniformly bound in contemporary full tan calf,
neatly rebacked with original spines laid down, red labels, extra
gilt to spines, gilt rule, marbled endpapers, ex libris, marbled
edges. First Expedition has 30 engraved plates, of which 11
are hand-coloured, by Edward Finden after Lieutenants Hood
and Back, and 4 folding engraved maps by J. Walker. Errata
slip bound in between pp. xvi and [1]. Second Expedition has
31 engraved plates by Edward Finden after Captain Back and
E. N. Kendall, and 6 folding engraved plates by J. and C. Walker
(one coloured in outline). Occasional foxing and browning, but
overall an excellent and attractive pair.
FIRST EDITIONS. “In 1819, Captain Franklin was appointed
to command an expedition to explore by land the North
American Arctic and to clarify current notions about its
geography. The party included Dr. John Richardson, and
Lts. Robert Hood and George Back. Starting from York
Factory on Hudson’s Bay, they reached the Arctic Ocean
by way of the Great Slave Lake and the Coppermine River
in the summer of 1821. After exploring Coronation Gulf,
which Franklin named, the expedition returned to York
Factory, having experienced extreme hardship and the
loss of several members of the party. Franklin’s narrative is
of interest not only as a document of human courage and
endurance, but also for its depiction of the Indians – Cree,
Dog-Rib, and Chipewyan – on whom the survival of the
expedition at last depended … Franklin delineating most
of the coastline between the mouth of the Mackenzie and
Coppermine rivers. Franklin’s third and final expedition
in 1845 resulted in his death and the loss of the entire
company” (Wagner-Camp, p. 90).
Arctic Bibliography 5194 & 5198; Field 560 & 561; Graff 1406 & 1407; Sabin
25624 & 26228; Wagner-Camp 23:1 & 35:1
117.(GRANT, Ulysses S.)
YOUNG, John Russell.
Around The World With General
Grant: A Narrative of the Visit
of General U. S. Grant, Ex-
President of the United States,
To Various Countries in Europe,
Asia, and Africa, in 1877, 1878,
1879. To which are added Certain
Conversations with General Grant
on Questions connected with
American Politics and History.
New York, 1879 [38050] £475
2 volumes, 8vo. Engraved portrait frontispiece to Vol. I,
folding track-chart frontispiece to vol. II, and around 800 other
illustrations, many full-page. Frontispiece a little foxed, some
light browning, otherwise very good in the publisher’s brown
full blind-stamped morocco, light chafing on the joints and at
the corners, gilt edges, inner gilt dentelles. A very nice set.
FIRST EDITION. Young was a journalist with the New York
Herald when invited to join Grant’s world tour. The former
president was so impressed with him, in particular with
his handling of affairs in China, that he recommended
his appointment as Minister to China to President Arthur.
Young held this position for three years before returning
to journalism. In 1897 he was appointed Librarian of
Congress by McKinley.
118.GRANT, Ulysses S.
Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
New York, Charles L. Webster & Co., 1885–6 [38051] £875
2 volumes, 8vo. Engraved portrait frontispiece, one etched
plate and one folding facsimile to each, 47 full-page plans in
all, folding map at the rear of vol. II. Light browning, otherwise
a very good set in the publisher’s deluxe brown half morocco,
gilt roundels to the boards, spine gilt in compartments, a little
rubbed but still attractive.
FIRST EDITION. Mark Twain was resounding in his praise
of Grant’s prose, “ … this is the simple soldier, who, all
untaught of the silken phrase-makers, linked words
together with an art surpassing the art of the schools
and put into them a something which will still bring to
American ears, as long as America shall last, the roll of his
vanished drums and the tread of his marching hosts.” That
Twain was essentially the publisher of the work should not
entirely devalue his judgement, Grant’s autobiography
sold over 300,000 sets and has remained continually in
print since its first appearance.