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• Auction House:
  Mossgreen
• Sale Name:
  The Denis Joachim Collection
• Sale Date:
  19 Jun 2016 ~ 2pm - Session 1: Lots 1 - 321
  20 Jun 2016 ~ 10am - Session 2: Lots 322 - 480
  20 Jun 2016 ~ 2pm - Session 3: Lot 481 - 688
  20 Jun 2016 ~ 6pm - Session 4: Lots 689 - 818
• Lot #:
  17
• Lot Description:
  Burney, James. A Chronological History of the Discoveries in the South Sea or Pacific Ocean. Part I
  Commencing with an Account of the earliest Discovery of that Sea by Europeans, And terminating with the Voyage of Sir Francis Drake, in 1579. Illustrated with Charts [Part II. From the Year 1579, to the Year 1620; Part III. From the Year 1620, to the Year 1688; Volume IV. To the Year 1723, including a History of the Buccaneers of America; Volume V. To the Year 1764]. Five volumes, quarto, with 28 engraved charts (17 folding), 13 plates, and six woodcuts in the text; a handsome copy in polished calf of the epoch, rebacked retaining the original gilt spines. London, Printed by Luke Hansard and sold by G. and W. Nicol, et al., 1803 – 1806 – 1813 – 1816 – 1817.
• Notes:
  First edition of this “most important general history of early South Sea discoveries containing practically everything of importance on the subject” (Hill). Burney sailed with Cook as lieutenant on his second and third voyages and commenced this remarkable undertaking so as to present a continuous history of Pacific discovery over the 250 years prior to Cook. His History was designed as a ‘prequel’ to Hawkesworth’s collection of the voyages of Byron, Wallis, Carteret, and Cook. In his concluding volume Burney describes Hawkesworth’s collection “as an immediate sequel, without any chasm being left, to the Discoveries here related”. Burney’s History is, accordingly, an essential companion, or prelude, to Cook’s collected voyages and was produced in a sympathetic format that allowed his five volumes to stand comfortably next to the eight quartos of Cook. Burney collected Spanish, Dutch, French and English voyages. Many of the voyage accounts published here are otherwise inaccessible and so the History “must always form the basis of historical research for early voyages and discoveries throughout the Pacific” (Hocken). In preparing his work Burney had access to Alexander Dalrymple’s library as well as to the extensive collection of books and manuscripts formed by Sir Joseph Banks (to whom the work is dedicated). As an editor Burney is notable for preferring manuscript to printed sources wherever practicable, and so in many cases the texts he publishes are effectively nowhere else available. Arnot, 29; Bagnall, 779; Davidson, p. 37 (“the cornerstone of the study of the discovery of the Pacific”); Ferguson, 372; Hill 2, 221; Hocken, pp. 30-34 (with detailed list of contents); Sabin, 9387.
• Estimate:
  A$12,000 - 18,000
• Realised Price:
  *****
  

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• Category:
  Books & Manuscripts

This Sale has been held and this item is no longer available. Details are provided for information purposes only.