antiquarian bookseller - Peter Harrington

Peter Harrington Antiquarian Bookseller
“THE FIRST ARTIST TO SET FOOT
ON AUSTRALIAN SOIL”
9. (COOK) PARKINSON,
Sydney.
A Journal of the Voyage to the South
Seas, in His Majesty’s ship, the
Endeavour. Faithfully transcribed
from the Papers of the Late Sydney
Parkinson, Draughtsman to Joseph
Banks, esq. on his Late Expedition
with Dr. Solander, round the
World. Embellished with Views and
Designs, delineated by the Author,
and engraved by Capital Artists.
London, Printed for Stanfield Parkinson, the Editor, 1773 [20934]
£7500
Folio (345 × 280mm.). Contemporary tan full calf, skilfully
rebacked and recornered, old label laid down, spine gilt in
compartments, single gilt fillet panel to the boards enclosing
a large continental coat of arms. Engraved portrait frontispiece
after James Newton, 26 other plates of scenery, South Sea
Islanders and their accoutrements, and the famous image of
“Two Natives of New Holland advancing to Combat”, map of
New Zealand. Partially erased stamps to verso of the title page
and a thin abrasion further up, light toning, some offsetting
from the plates, but a wide margined and genuinely fresh copy.
FIRST EDITION. His skill in botanical drawing being
noticed at an exhibition of the Free Society of Artists in
1765–6 Parkinson went to work for James Lee at his
nursery in Hammersmith. Commissions from Joseph
Banks followed, Parkinson being employed to “depict in
water-colours from the preserved material some of the
creatures collected on his 1766 expedition to Labrador and
Newfoundland, and to make copies for him of paintings
of Indian mammals and birds made for Gideon Loten, a
former governor of Ceylon” (ODNB) – some of these latter
being reproduced in Pennant’s Indian Zoology. In 1768
when Banks formed his suite of “scientific gentlemen” to
accompany Cook’s voyage to the South Seas, Parkinson
went as botanical draughtsman. The death at Tahiti of
Alexander Buchan, the topographical draughtsman,
threw a heavy extra burden on him but he attacked his
task with “great flair and diligence,” making at least 1300
sketches during the voyage “including the first in Western
history of an Australian landscape and of its inhabitants
at first hand, as well as compiled vocabularies of the
languages spoken in Tahiti and New Holland, by the time
the ship called at Batavia for repairs on the voyage home.”
At Batavia, like many others, Parkinson contracted
dysentery and died at sea shortly afterwards. A dispute
arose over his papers with his executors being paid £500
for the balance of salary due and for the papers and
drawings, which Banks, as his employer, had felt were his
property. Parkinson’s brother Stanfield had a copy made of
the papers whilst they were on loan to him, contrary to his
arrangement with Banks, and arranged for publication;
“... he was restrained by an injunction from doing so until
the official account of the voyage had appeared... A result
of the squabble was that although Hawkesworth, who
edited [it] used Parkinson’s papers and drawings freely
he did not acknowledge them” (Dictionary of Australian
Biography). The journal contains “much colourful detail
not in those kept by Cook and Banks.” An excellent copy of
this uncommon and important account.
Hill 1309; Hocken 12-13; Howgego C173; NMM I, 564; Sabin 58787.
10. [COOKE, John,
publisher.]
A New Universal Collection
of Authentic and Entertaining
Voyages and Travels, From the
earliest accounts to the present
time. Judiciously selected from the
best writers ... Comprehending
an account of whatever is curious
in the Government, Commerce,
Natural History, Customs,
Marriages, Funerals, And other
Ceremonies of most Nations in the
known World. Including an Account
of the most remarkable Discoveries,
Conquests, Settlements, Battles,
Sea Fights, Hurricanes, Shipwrecks,
Sieges, Tortures, Wonderful
Escapes, Massacres and Strange
Deliverances, Both by Sea and Land
... The whole forming a history of
whatever is most worthy of notice
in Europe, Asia, Africa and America.
Illustrated with Maps from the latest
Improvements, and beautiful Plates,
by Grignion, and other celebrated
Masters. By Edward Cavendish
Drake, Esq [pseud.]
London, for J. Cooke, 1768 [27203] £1800
Large folio (351 × 230 mm). Contemporary calf, elegantly
rebacked retaining old red morocco label, richly decorated in
blind, compartments with two red morocco oval onlays. With
54 engraved plates, 8 maps of which one is folding; title in
Catalogue 57: Travel Section 1 ~ World Voyages and Compilations
red and black. Rubbed, corners restored, one plate with neatly
repaired tear just affecting the image, the world map just a
touch tanned at the fold but otherwise very fresh and sharp,
a very good copy.
FIRST EDITION of this impressive and well-illustrated
collection of voyages. Cooke learnt his trade alongside
Alexander Hogg as a publisher of “Paternoster Row
numbers”, popular works issued in weekly parts, often
with an accompanying copper engraving. This was one of
54 works advertised in his catalogue at the time, nearly
half of which contain the words “complete” or “universal”.
Another of Hogg’s touches was to invent a suitably
sonorous name, in this case “Edward Cavendish Drake”, as
the supposed editor of the compilation.
11. DUMONT d’URVILLE,
Jules Sébastien César.
Voyage autour du monde. Nouvelle
édition revue et corrigée.
Paris: Furne et Cie, 1858 [16584] £600
2 volumes, large 8vo. Contemporary dark green quarter
morocco, matching morocco-grain cloth sides blocked in
blind, spines lettered and decorated gilt, marbled endpapers,
gilt edges. Large colour fold-out map at the back of vol. I (tape
reinforcements to back of folds), both volumes illustrated with
plates and maps, with tissue guards. A little rubbed, light
foxing throughout both volumes, withal a good set.
A two-volume compilation of voyages, edited by Dumont
d’Urville, with maps and engravings, first published
1834–35.