Journal of a Voyage for the Discovery of a North-West Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific; Performed in the Years 1819-20 in His Majesty’s Ships Hecla and Griper
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Journal of a Second Voyage for the Discovery of a North-West Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific: Performed in the Years 1821-22-23, in His Majesty’s Ships Fury and Hecla, Under the Orders of Captain William Edward Parry, R.N., F.R.S., and Commander of the Expedition.
London: John Murray. Printed by W. Clowes. 1821; 1824. Binding: Recent half calf over marbled paper boards, vol I preserving original marbled boards. Spines with 5 raised bands, gilt lettering on red morocco labels in second compartments, remaining decorated in gilt. Marbled pasted and free endpapers. Vol I all edges marbled. Vol II front and bottom edges uncut.
, Notes: 1821 (vol I, Second Edition); 1824 (vol II, First Edition).
Sir William Edward Parry (1790 – 1855) was a Royal Navy officer and explorer, best known for his 1819–1820 expedition through the Parry Channel, probably the most successful in the long quest for the Northwest passage until it was finally negotiated by Roald Amundsen in 1906. In 1827, Parry attempted one of the earliest expeditions to the North Pole and set a record for human exploration Farthest North that stood for nearly five decades.
Parry had sailed to the Arctic under Sir John Ross on the controversial voyage of 1818. In the spring of 1819, Parry was appointed to the command of this expedition. Frederick Beechey was a member of this party. Parry, reaching Lancaster Sound in July, sailed through, and explored and named Barrow Strait, Prince Regent Inlet, and Wellington Channel…He also discovered Melville Island and others of Parry Islands.
After being frozen in for ten months, the ships were released on August 10, 1820…On his arrival Parry was elected commander and a member of the Royal Society.
Parry made two further attempts at the Northwest Passage. The immediate achievements of these voyages were the charting of hundreds of miles of coastline in the Canadian Arctic archipelago and the collecting of valuable data on Arctic natural history” (Hill).
, Size: Quarto. (285 x 225 mm), Illustration: Very good example of Parry’s iconic Arctic expeditions. Vol I complete with 20 plates, including 4 folding maps. Vol II complete with 39 plates, including 4 large folding maps and 4 other plates folding out. Plates showing Inuit life and practices. Ownership inked on title of vol II: “Mrs. [or Wm.] St-- / Kingswood Lodge.” , Volume: 2 volumes., References: Arctic Bibl. 13145; Hill 1311; Sabin 58860, Pages: (Vol I) P.: Blank (2). Frontis map, folding out. Title. Printer’s colophon. Dedication. Blank. Contents (3). List of plates. Introduction (i-xvi). Explanation of Technical Terms (xvii-xviii). Official Instructions (xix-xxix). Blank. Half title. Blank. Pp. 1-310. Appendix (iii-clxxix). Printer’s colophon. (Vol II) P.: Blank. Frontispiece. Title. Printer’s colophon. Dedication. Blank. Contents (4). Introduction (i-xviii). Explanation of Technical Terms (xix-xx). Official Instructions (xxi-xxx). Half title. Blank. Pp. 1-571. Errata. Publisher’s advertisements (4). 8 folding plates., Category: Book Arctic & Antarctic;. Interiors generally clean and crisp. Chart of the Northern Shore of Hudson’s Straight partially cut along fold. Vol I without the tipped in errata slip. Chart of a Part of the Western Coast of Baffin Bay torn near gutter. Item #B7054
Price: $5,500.00