Vancouver's Voyage… - Four Volumes with 18 Scenic or Native American Engravings and 16 Maps or Coastal Views

Vancouver's Voyage… - Four Volumes with 18 Scenic or Native American Engravings and 16 Maps or Coastal Views
George Vancouver's Voyage de découvertes à l'Océan Pacifique du Nord, et autor du monde or A Voyage of Discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and Round the World. This is the first French edition published in Paris by Imprimerie de la Republique between 1799 and 1800. The French translation was completed by J. N. Demeunier and C. Morellet.

There are three volumes in octavo size as well as the atlas volume in folio size with the maps. The text volumes include 18 copper-plate scenic and Native American engravings. In the atlas volume there are 16 engraved maps or coastal views (12 of which are double-page). The work includes the seven-part map of the North American northwest coast. The volumes are bound in half calf in 18th century style with original marbled boards.

George Vancouver (1757-1798) was a British explorer. He sailed with Captain James Cook on his second and third voyages. Under the direction of George III of England, Vancouver set out in 1792 to survery the Spanish settlements and coast-line from La Paz in Baja to San Francisco, California as well as to the coast discovered by Captain James Cook. His hydographical work made him one of Britain's foremost navigators.

Howes & Hill said of the work, "This voyage became one of the most important ever made in the interests of geographical knowledge." (Howes V23, Hill 1754) "Most of the three years occupied was spent on the California and Northwest coasts which where now the accurately charted. Of all modern exploring voyages to the Pacific those of Cook, La Perouse, and Vancouver were the most important." (Howes)

Streeter described the first edition in 1798 saying: "This narrative is one of the most important accounts of the exploration of the Pacific Northwest and New Zealand, and valuable source information about Tahiti and the Hawaiian Islands in the last decade of the eighteenth century. Cowan considered the account to be superior to any of its kind and the chief authority on the areas explored during this period.

Vancouver (1758-1798) was an extraordinarily capable explorer, having sailed with Cook on the second and third voyages (1772-4, 1776-80) and served under Rodney and Alan Gardner. It was Gardner who recommended him for a voyage in search for a northwest passage to the Great Lakes. The present narrative is the complete account of that voyage, accompanied by an atlas of maps and views of the areas explored.

Vancouver died on May 10, 1798, his brother John completing the task of preparing and editing the narrative. Among the important features of the narrative are the engraved views.of the Mission of San Carlos and the Presidio of Monterey, probably the first published views of California. It is possible that the artist sailing with La Perouse, who visited Monterey in 1786, drew a sketch of the Mission, but no views of California scenery appear in the La Perouse atlas." (Streeter Sale 3497)

Provenance: Brooklyn Library, A. H. Bell Collection


Paper Size: Octavo Volumes ~ 9 1/2" by 12 1/2"; Atlas Volume ~ 19" by 25 1/2"


Paper Type or Special Features: Four Volumes with 18 Scenic Engravings and 16 Maps or Coastal Views

The work is in very good condition overall. There is some foxing or browning expected from age. Overall clean and untrimmed copy. There may be a few minor imperfections to be expected with age. Please review the image carefully for condition and contact us with any questions.