COOK, CAPTAIN JAMES | [Complete set of the Voyages of Captain Cook]

COOK, CAPTAIN JAMES

[Complete set of the Voyages of Captain Cook]

[First Voyage] - John Hawkesworth. An Account of the Voyages undertaken by the order of his present Majesty for making Discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere, and successively performed by Commodore Byron, Captain Wallis, Captain Carteret and Captain Cook, in the Dolphin, the Swallow, and the Endeavor. London: for W. Strahan & T. Cadell, 1773. 3 volumes, 4to. 52 plates, maps and charts (most folding or double-page), including the Chart of the Straits of Magellan; moderate foxing and browning throughout, some tears to the larger folding plates, offsetting from plates (particularly to vol. 2). Second edition. Hill (2004) 783.

[Second Voyage] - James Cook. A Voyage towards the South Pole, and around the World. London: for W.Strahan & T. Cadell, 1785. 2 volumes, 4to. Engraved portrait frontispiece of Cook by J. Basire after W. Hodges, 63 engraved plates, charts and maps (most folding or double-page), 1 folding letterpress table; moderate foxing and browning throughout, occasional separation at folds and tears to plates, "Woman of Sta. Christina" detached but present.  First edition. cf. Hill (2004) 358; Sabin 16245.

[Third Voyage] - James Cook and Captain James King. A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean ... for making Discoveries in the Northern Hemisphere. London: H. Hughs for G. Nicol & T. Cadell, 1785. 4 volumes (text: 3 volumes, 4to; atlas: volume of plates, folio). Text: engraved medallion vignettes on titles, 24 charts and plates (most folding); scattered foxing, browning and offsetting from plates, flyleaf to vol. 3 detached. Atlas: 63 engraved plates, plans maps and charts (1 folding, 1 double-page); plates moderately foxed. Third edition. Hill (2004) 361 (first edition); Sabin 16250

[With] - Andrew Kippis. The Life of Captain James Cook. London: Printed for G. Nichol ... and G.G.J. and J. Robinson, 1788. 1 vol., 4to. Half-title, engraved portrait frontispiece; engraved portrait browned, scattered foxing. First edition. Hill (2004) 935; Sabin 37954

Together 4 works in 10 volumes (approximately 11 1/2 x 9 1/4 in.; 290 x 235 mm). Text volumes bound in speckled calf (first and third voyages appearing similar in style, second voyage, and Life of Cook varying slightly) spines gilt in 6 compartments with red and blue morocco lettering pieces; uniformly rebacked to style, rubbed and scuffed, hinges starting. Atlas: half-calf to style over marbled paper boards; rubbed, hinges starting. 

"The famous accounts of Captain Cook's three voyages form the basis for any collection of Pacific books. In three great voyages Cook did more to clarify the geographical knowledge of the southern hemisphere than all his predecessors had done together. He was really the first scientific navigator and his voyages made great contributions to many fields of knowledge" (Hill).

Cook's first voyage included visits to Tahiti and New Zealand, and the tracing of the east coast of Australia was one of the most perilous feats of navigation in the whole recorded history of exploration. The second voyage pushed further south in search of a southern continent than any previous navigators, as well as visiting numerous Pacific islands. The third voyage returned to islands previously visited, discovered Hawaii, and explored the northwest coast of America from Alaska to Oregon. The text of these official reports form an invaluable record of the voyages, but they are enhanced enormously by the 219 plates, maps, charts and views which include the work of one of the greatest cartographers of his day as well as images from the three most important artists to visit the Pacific during the eighteenth century.

PROVENANCE:

J. J. Chapman (armorial bookplate, present in most volumes)