Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$420.00 + shipping
Condition: Fair
Description: [8], 272 pp. Octavo; 22 cm. Lacks frontispiece portrait and map. Rebound in modern cloth. Solid binding. Marginal staining, scattered foxing and minor toning. Howes P494; Sabin 20365, Forbes 178. Provenance: Signed by D.J. Waller Bloomsbury PA, 1891 on loose front end page. Explorers Club (NYC) book plate. "Nathaniel Portlock joined the British navy at the age of twenty-four, and was a junior officer on Captain Cook's third voyage, the first to encounter Hawaii. With him on that trip was another young British officer, George Dixon. In 1785 the two men traveled to the north Pacific. Portlock commanded the 1785-1788 expedition from the ship King George while Dixon captained the Queen Charlotte. The purpose of the expedition was to investigate the potential of the Alaskan fur trade and to resume Cook's search for a Northwest Passage through the continent. The pair left England on August 29, 1785, and took nearly a year to reach Alaska, rounding Cape Horn and touching at Hawaii on the way. They charted the Alaskan coast until winter forced them back to Hawaii. In the spring of 1787 they headed north again, reaching the Kenai Peninsula from which Dixon explored southward while Portlock traded for furs. They wintered again in Hawaii before turning west to China to sell their furs, arriving home in England via the Cape of Good Hope on August 24, 1788." - American Journeys, Wisconsin Historical Society, 2017.
Seller: Sequitur Books, Boonsboro, MD, U.S.A.
Price: US$2500.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First edition of the abridged edition. 272pp., engraved frontispiece, large folding engraved map. Sympathetically rebacked with original marbled papercovered boards. Corners a little worn down, but a handsome, very good or better copy. *Sabin 20365.*.
Seller: Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA, Gloucester City, NJ, U.S.A.
Price: US$2548.08 + shipping
Description: An attractive adaptation of the Portlock and Dixon voyages, "clearly following the Portlock narrative" (Forbes), published in the same year as both men's accounts. This copy with the desirable folding map, an unaltered reissue of that originally published in Dixon's account, which Forbes notes does not appear in all copies. The principal and successful object of Portlock's expedition was to open the fur trade in Northwest America. It was also significant as the first English voyage to visit Hawaii, which it did three times, after that of Captain Cook, on whose third voyage Portlock served. Expedition leader Nathaniel Portlock sailed with George Dixon as co-commander; their two ships, the King George and Queen Charlotte sailed part of the way independently. Though often confused, the published accounts of the two captains, both published in 1789 were independent of each other, although they were advertised for sale as a set by John Stockdale in 1801, and editions such as this abridgement, also published by Stockdale, combined elements of both. "Portlock's vivid encounters with the American Indians and the Russians serve to broaden the perspective provided by the William Beresford/George Dixon account" (Hill). Two years after this voyage Portlock served as commander of the second vessel of the second breadfruit voyage of Captain Bligh. This copy is from the library of Pacific ethnographer and anthropologist James Edge Partington (18541930), with his bookplate, numbered in manuscript, to front pastedown. Partington undertook acquisitional trips to the Pacific, served in an advisory capacity with the Ethnographical Collections at the British Museum, contributed numerous scholarly articles to various journals, and gifted his collection of Pacific ethnographic specimens to the Museum at Auckland, New Zealand. Forbes 178; Hill 1378; Sabin 20365. Octavo (208 x 128 mm). Contemporary mottled sheep, rebacked, original spine laid down, traces of gilt tooling to spine. Engraved frontispiece and title page, printed from the same plate, large folding map. Bookseller's cataloguing loosely inserted. Light flaking to leather at spine, boards scuffed and a little scratched, wear to tips, inner hinges neatly reinforced with gauze, offsetting to endpapers, faint damp mark to bottom margin of first few leaves, including title page, light foxing to map, contents largely clean, foxing to final gathering; a very good copy.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom
Price: US$3900.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Rebound in Modern green cloth. Black leather spine label. Fine binding. Portrait frontispiece. 6 folding maps, 14 plates. xii, 384, xl pp. Perforated institutional stamps on title page, frontis, map margins, and a few other pages. Frontispiece portrait offset toning to title page, most other plates also have offset toning to the reverse page. Occasional spotting. Refs: Sabin 64389; Lada-Mocarski 42; Streeter Sale 3489; Hill 1376; Field 1231; Forbes 177; Howes P497; Wagner, The Cartography of the Northwest Coast of America, vol. I, pp. 207 & 213; Streeter Sale VI, 3485. "Nathaniel Portlock joined the British navy at the age of twenty-four, and was a junior officer on Captain Cook's third voyage, the first to encounter Hawaii. With him on that trip was another young British officer, George Dixon. In 1785 the two men traveled to the north Pacific. Portlock commanded the 1785-1788 expedition from the ship King George while Dixon captained the Queen Charlotte. The purpose of the expedition was to investigate the potential of the Alaskan fur trade and to resume Cook's search for a Northwest Passage through the continent. The pair left England on August 29, 1785, and took nearly a year to reach Alaska, rounding Cape Horn and touching at Hawaii on the way. They charted the Alaskan coast until winter forced them back to Hawaii. In the spring of 1787 they headed north again, reaching the Kenai Peninsula from which Dixon explored southward while Portlock traded for furs. They wintered again in Hawaii before turning west to China to sell their furs, arriving home in England via the Cape of Good Hope on August 24, 1788." - American Journeys, Wisconsin Historical Society, 2017. Provenance: Early signature of A.E. Sims on title page. Later given by Mrs. Joseph Sims (Rebecca (ne Heath) Sims) to the Free Library. Joseph Sims (1760-1851) was a prosperous Philadelphia merchant. Another volume has signatures of Richard K. H. Sims (1809-1833) and A.E. Sims [Ann Elizabeth Sims (1806-1845)].
Seller: Sequitur Books, Boonsboro, MD, U.S.A.
Price: US$4000.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 20 plates, including 5 folding maps; (several torn or repaired). xii, 384, xlpp. 4to, 1/2 morocco; (rubbed, p. xi torn in gutter, ex-lib). London: for John Stockdale., 1789. Very good. Voyage undertaken for the improvement of the fur trade between the west coast of America and China, under the command of Portlock, who had accompanied Captain Cook on his last voyage. This voyage included visits to the Falklands, Sandwich Islands, Prince William Sound before proceeding to China. Lowndes 1930. DNB 16, 198. Sabin 64389. Howes P- 496.
Seller: Argosy Book Store, ABAA, ILAB, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$4000.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: xii+384+xl pages with 19 plates (6 folding copper-engraved charts, and 13 copper-engraved plates). Quarto (11¼" x 9") bound modern quarter calf-backed marbled boards, raised bands on spine with gilt design, black title label with gilt lettering over marbled boards. (Forbes 177; Hill, Pacific Voyages, p.239; New Hill 1376; Howes P497; Lada-Mocarski 42; Sabin 64389; Wagner Northwest Coast 738-43) First Edition. Nathaniel Portlock entered the Royal Navy in 1772 as an able seaman, serving in HMS St Albans. In 1776 he joined HMS Discovery as masterâ s mate and served on the third Pacific voyage of James Cook. During the expedition, in August 1779, he was transferred to the HMS Resolution. On Cook's third voyage, furs obtained in present-day British Columbia and Alaska sold for good prices when the expedition called at Macao. In 1785 Richard Cadman Etches and partners, including Portlock and George Dixon formed a partnership, commonly called the King George's Sound Company, to develop the fur trade. Dixon had also served on Resolution in the Pacific Ocean under Cook. In September 1785 Portlock and Dixon sailed from England. Portlock was in command of the larger vessel, the 320-ton King George, with a crew of 59. Dixon's was in command of the 200-ton Queen Charlotte, with a crew of 33. Dixon and Portlock sailed together for most of their three-year voyage. They crossed the Atlantic Ocean, reaching the Falkland Islands in January 1786, and transited Cape Horn to enter the Pacific Ocean. They reached the Hawaiian islands on 24 May and anchored in Kealakekua Bay (where Cook had been killed in 1779), but did not go ashore. They took on fresh food at other Hawaiian islands and proceeded on to what is now Alaska. After two years of plying the waters, Portlock and Dixon departed North America, reaching Macao in November 1788. On their return Portlock and Dixon published an account of the voyage, based in part on letters written by William Beresford, the trader on the expedition. Condition: Portrait frontispiece lacking. Light wear to binding with some rubbing to extremities and corners; lacking frontispiece but all other plates and maps intact, folding charts with occasional minor creasing or minuscule closed tear, offsetting to adjacent pages, scattered foxing throughout, including some charts and plates, Provenance: Hector Macdonald Buchanan of Ross Priory, Scotland, manuscript ex libris, signed and dated 1817 on preliminary blank. Sir Walter Scott was a close friend of Buchanan and a frequent visitor to Ross Priory. Overall a very solid copy; very good.
Seller: The Book Collector, Inc. ABAA, ILAB, Fort Worth, TX, U.S.A.
Price: US$5000.00 + shipping
Description: 20 plates, including 5 folding maps; (frontispiece portrait torn in margin). xii, 384, xlpp. 4to, 1/2 morocco; (rubbed), London: for John Stockdale., 1789. Very good (+). Voyage undertaken for the improvement of the fur trade between the west coast of America and China, under the command of Portlock, who had accompanied Captain Cook on his last voyage. This voyage included visits to the Falklands, Sandwich Islands, Prince William Sound before proceeding to China. Lowndes 1930. DNB 16, 198. Sabin 64389. Howes P- 496.
Seller: Argosy Book Store, ABAA, ILAB, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$5000.00 + shipping
Description: First edition. Embellished with Twenty Copper Plates (including 6 folding maps). xii, 384, xl pp. 1 vols. 4to. Portlock and Dixon, captains of the ships King George and Queen Charlotte, set out on behalf of the King George's Sound Company to establish a trade in furs on the northwest coast of America, especially otter furs. Their major accomplishment was the mapping of the coastline, especially their improvement of some of James Cook's maps. Portlock sailed north along the Alaskan coast, while Dixon proceeded south. This book describes the Pacific as well as Alaska, as the two captains kept separate logs, and the copper plates and folding maps were well-regarded at the time of publication. This book has been described as ".the principal account of the first commercial voyage to the Northwest Coast and the first English voyage to visit Hawaii after that of Captain James Cook." Forbes. Cox II: 27; Howes, US-iana, P487; Sabin 64389; Forbes, Hawaiian National Bibliography; Smith, Pacific Northwest Americana 8304; Wagner, The Cartography of the Northwest Coast of America, vol. I, pp. 207 & 213; James Ford Bell Library Catalogue P365. Field 1231; National Maritime Museum 141; Hill Volume One, p. 239; Streeter Sale VI, 3485; Lada-Mocarski 42; Wood p. 523 Contemporary calf (scuffed), rebacked, endpapers renewed. Lower right corner of title-leaf missing, with loss of several letters from imprint, small library stamp on title, portrait backed, lower corner missing with loss to imprint and caption, folding map with tape-repairs on verso. Some offsetting from plates, some spotting and soiling to text. Sound copy of a scarce book Embellished with Twenty Copper Plates (including 6 folding maps). xii, 384, xl pp. 1 vols. 4to
Seller: James Cummins Bookseller, ABAA, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$5350.98 + shipping
Description: London, John Stockdale & George Goulding, 1789. 4to. Contemporary full olive marbled and polished calf, spine ornamented in gilt and with red morocco lettering-pice, gilt-ruled borders, gilt edges and turn-ins, marbled endpapers; pp. xii, 384, xl; engraved portrait frontispiece of Portlock by Mazell after Dodd, 6 engraved folding map and charts by J. Reid and W. Harrison, Longmate, 5 engraved ornithological plates by P. Mazell after J. Woodcock, J. Hogan, et al., 5 engraved views and profiles P. Mazell after J. Woodcock, et al., 2 engraved plates of artefacts from the Sandwich Islands, and an engraved portrait of Tyaana (an Atoui chieftain) by W. Shirwin after Woodcock; slightly rubbed, skilfully rebacked and with minor restorations, occasional light spotting or browning (more so to first map) offsetting to opposite page from portrait of Tyaana, three marginal tears of flaws with repairs to text leaves; otherwise a very good copy. First edition. Portlockâs account of his important circumnavigation, is 'rich in geographical results' (ODNB), the principal, and successful, object of which was the opening of the fur trade in north-west America. This necessitated traffic with the Indians of the north-west coast, discussed by Portlock in chapters X, XII and XIII: 'vivid descriptions of encounters with the American Indians' (Hill); he also appends some native vocabularies. Portlock, commanding the King George, and Dixon, commanding the Queen Charlotte, did much to improve upon Cookâs earlier charts of the region. Earlier, Portlock had served on both the Discovery and Resolution during Cook's circumnavigation. Hill II, pp. 541-542; NMM I, 141; Sabin 64389; Wood p. 523; Zimmer 495.
Seller: Henry Sotheran Ltd, London, United Kingdom
Price: US$6306.51 + shipping
Description: 1789, London, first edition, 4to, printed for John Stockdale, opposite Burlington-House, Piccadilly, and George Goulding, James Street, Covent Garden, pp xii, 384, xl, large folding map and nineteen charts and plates complete, full contemporary calf, modern spine ornately tooled in gilt rose and compass designs, lettered in gilt on a red label. Nathaniel Portlock (circa 1748-1817), ship's captain, maritime fur-trader and author. He entered the Royal Navy in 1772 as an able seaman, serving in HMS St. Albans. In 1776, he joined HMS Discovery as master's mate and served on the third Pacific voyage of Captain James Cook. In 1785 he formed a partnership with George Dixon, after they were appointed by the King George's Sound Company to command the King George and the Queen Charlotte respectively, explicitly to develop the fur trade. The boards a little rubbed, a few trifling marks in the text, otherwise a very fresh copy.
Seller: Graham York Rare Books ABA ILAB, Honiton, United Kingdom
Price: US$6500.00 + shipping
Description: xii,384,xl pp. plus six folding maps, two portraits (including frontispiece), and twelve plates. Large quarto. 19th-century three-quarter calf and marbled boards, spine gilt, raised bands. Extremities rubbed, small private shelf mark at bottom of spine, modern bookplate on front pastedown. Occasional light marginal foxing, mild offsetting from plates. Very good. Portlock, a veteran of Cook's third voyage, and Dixon were sent by the King George's Sound Company to the northwest coast of North America to investigate the economic possibilities of the fur trade there. En route they had a long stay in Hawaii, and Portlock's narrative of this visit is of particular interest since Portlock and Dixon were the first captains to visit the Hawaiian Islands since the death of Cook. He gives an important account of the situation there, already much altered by European contact. The voyage then proceeded to the Northwest to survey the region. Portlock and Dixon separated, with Portlock exploring northward up the Alaskan coast and Dixon proceeding southward to Nootka Sound. Both Dixon and Portlock published accounts of the voyage, but Portlock's is of greater value for his particularly vivid descriptions of the Native Americans and Russians in the region. There is a general map of the Northwest Coast and five maps of particular harbors along the Coast, all listed by Wagner. Of special interest are the five plates of birds, here in the uncolored state. WAGNER NORTHWEST COAST 738-43. STREETER SALE 3485. LADA-MOCARSKI 42. HILL 1376. FIELD 1231. LANDE 1393. COWAN, p.181. SABIN 64389. TPL 599. HOWES P497, "b." FORBES 177. REESE, BEST OF THE WEST 16 (note).
Seller: William Reese Company - Americana, New Haven, CT, U.S.A.
Price: US$7500.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 4to. pp. xii, 384, xl. 1 large folding engraved general chart, 5 other folding engraved charts & plans, engraved frontis. portrait & 13 engraved plates. contemporary calf, rebacked (slight staining along folds of 2 maps & to top edge of 2 plates supplied). First Edition. Nathaniel Portlock and William Dixon, both veterans of Captain Cooks third voyage to the Pacific in 1776-80, were engaged in 1785 by the King Georges Sound Company, to investigate reports of the lucrative fur trade on the northwest American coast and establish a trade on their behalf. Their major accomplishment, however, was the more detailed exploration and mapping of the coast and improving of Cooks charts of the region. On the voyage out, visits were made to the Falkland and Hawaiian Islands. The two ships later separated and sailed independently for a major part of the expedition, Portlock exploring northward up along the Alaskan coast, Dixon proceeding south to Nootka Sound, and discovering Queen Charlotte Island, Port Mulgrave and Norfolk Bay. Both Dixon and Portlock published accounts of the voyage, but Portlocks, as Hill points out, is of particular interest and value for his vivid descriptions of encounters with the Russians and American Indians. Several Indian vocabularies are also included. The maps and plans comprise a chart of the North West Coast of America, and sketches of Grahams Harbour and Coal Bay, McLeods Harbour, Part of the West Side of Montague Island, Port Etches and Brooks Harbour, and Portlocks and Gopuldings Harbours. Bell P 365. Cowan p. 181. Field 1231. Gagnon I 2786. Hill p. 239. Howes P-497. JCB II 3316. Lada-Mocarski 42. Lande 1393. Sabin 64389. Smith 8304. Strathern & Edwards 450. Streeter VI 3485. TPL 599. Wagner, Cartography, I pp. 207, 213; Maps 738-743.\
Seller: D & E LAKE LTD. (ABAC/ILAB), Toronto, ON, Canada
Price: US$7995.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Hardback in Very Good+ condition without dust jacket. 4to 11" - 13" tall. 1st edition of Portlocks account of his voyage to explore Americas northwest coast including British Columbia, Alaska, Vancouver and Queen Charlottes Island). Rare deluxe colored Issue with 20 engraved plates, charts and maps - 6 folding charts or maps, 2 engraved portraits, 12 engraved plates (the 5 ornithological plates with contemporary hand-coloring, as issued). Well illustrated with 20 plates and maps: one large folding general map of the Northwest Coast, and five maps of particular harbours along the coast. Bound in full leather with 5 raised bands on the spine. Gilt decorated spine and boards. Hinges intact and binding is solid and straight. No ownership markings. Some rubbing along board edges and bands on spine. Quick shipping, excellent customer service. All books carefully packaged and ship with tracking information.
Seller: Easton's Books, Inc., Mount Vernon, WA, U.S.A.
Price: US$8000.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Printed for John Stockdale and George Goulding. 1789, London. Modern Half Morocco and coloured boards, very good condition EXCEPT for a few stains in upper inner corners of some pages, not affecting plates. 11 5/8 x 9 ¼ 4to; pp.xii, 384, xl (appendix); frontis. Portrait; 13 engraved plates, 6 folding charts IN an attractive custom fitted MODERN LINEN SLIPCASE Portlock and Dixon were sent to the Northwest Coast to investigate reports of the lucrative fur trade there. They had a long stay in Hawaii, then proceeded to the Northwest to survey. Portlock, a veteran of Cook s third voyage, gives vivid accounts of Indians encountered. There is a general map of the Northwest Coast and five maps of particular harbors along the coast, all listed by Wagner. Of special interest are the five plates of birds
Seller: Cat House Books LLC, Pensacola, FL, U.S.A.
Price: US$10500.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 4to., (12 4/8 x 9 6/8 inches). Engraved frontispiece portrait, large folding map of the Northwest Coast of America by J. Reid (small marginal loss and short separation along central fold), 5 engraved folding maps (small hole in blank area of one map)and 13 engraved plates and maps, including 5 hand-colored plates of birds (some light spotting and offsetting on to text, one plate and one text leaf at center of volume with some pale marginal dampstaining). Original blue paper boards (rebacked with buff paper, extremities worn with minor loss). Provenance: with the bookseller's ticket of T. Hookham of Bruton Street on the front paste-down; from the library of William Drake (d. 1796), member of Parliament from Amersham, Buckinghamshire, who has inscribed "Shardeloes", his home, in manuscript on pastedown; with the library label of Kenneth Nebenzahl on the front paste-down, his sale Christie's New York, 10th April 2012, lot 105 THE FIRST COMMERICAL VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND FIRST ENGLISH VOYAGE TO HAWAII SINCE JAMES COOK'S. First edition. In May of 1785 Portlock was appointed by the King George's Sound Company to command the King George and an expedition to the north-west coast of North America. "She sailed from Gravesend on 29 August 1785, in company with the smaller ship Queen Charlotte, commanded by George Dixon. On 19 July 1786 they arrived at Cook Inlet and, after some stay there, ranged along the coast, sighted Mount St Elias, and on 29 September sailed for the Sandwich (Hawaiian) Islands. There they wintered, and returned to the north-west coast of North America in March 1787. When winter approached they again sought the Sandwich Islands, and, after having refitted there and refreshed the men, both ships sailed separately for Macau where they arrived in November 1787. In February of the following year they made for England, the King George reaching Dover on 24 August 1788. With Dixon, Portlock published "A Voyage Round the World, but More Particularly to the North-West Coast of America" [as here] in 1789. Though rich in geographical results, the voyage was primarily intended to advance the fur trade, in which object it was fully successful. In 1791 Portlock was appointed with Captain William Bligh to command the Assistant brig, going out as tender to the Providence, which had been ordered to the Pacific to bring breadfruit plants to the West Indies. During this second breadfruit voyage Portlock made many discoveries in company with Bligh during the passage through the south Pacific Ocean, especially Fiji. The ships returned to England in August 1793, and on 4 November Portlock was promoted to the rank of commander" (J. K. Laughton, rev. Barry M. Gough for DNB). Portlock's descriptions of the Indians and Russians he encountered "broaden the perspective" (Hill) of Dixon and Beresford's accounts. Portlock, who took part in Cook's Third Voyage to the Pacific, also includes an account of Cook's death as described to him by a Hawaiian who was witness to it. Bell P-365; Forbes 177; Hill 1376; Howes P-497; Lada-Mocarski 42; Mitchell Library Cook 2453; Sabin 64389; Wagner Northwest Coast 738.
Seller: Arader Galleries - AraderNYC, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$11229.32 + shipping
Description: [7],viii-xii,384,xl. pp. Quarto. (26 X 33 cm.) Bound in recent blue paper covered boards with plain brown paper spine to match the original. Text block untrimmed. Original endpapers reused. Bookplate on front pastedown. Five folding maps of harbours. Large general chart. 5 hand coloured plates of birds. 9 plates plus a frontispiece for a total of 20 plates and maps. The frontis portrait has had the outer margin renewed and a few text pages have also been renewed. This is also a thick paper copy. Lada-Mocarski 42, SABIN 64389. STREETER SALE 3485. TPL 599. WAGNER NORTHWEST COAST 738-43. This early narrative details the early exploration on the Northwest Coast of Canada. Nathaniel Portlock, a member of Cook's third voyage, and George Dixon also a member of Cook's ill fated expedition were sent by the King George's Sound Company to the Northwest coast of North America to investigate the economic possibilities of the fur trade there. Two ships were purchased and renamed the King George and the Queen Charlotte. Portlock was put in charge of the King George and put in overall command. Captain Dixon was in command of the Queen Charlotte. They left England in 1785 and enroute they had a long stay in Hawaii. Portlock's narrative of this visit is of particular interest since Portlock and Dixon were the first captains to visit the Hawaiian islands since the death of Cook. He gives an important account of the current situation there. The voyage then proceeded to the Northwest, arriving in July 1786. Portlock and Dixon separated, with Portlock exploring northward up the Alaskan coast and Dixon proceeding southward to Nootka Sound. Both captains published accounts of the voyage, but Portlock is of greater value for his particularly vivid descriptions of the Native Americans and Russians in the region. The work is well illustrated with twenty plates and maps: these include a fine large folding general map of the Northwest Coast, and five maps of particular harbours along the coast. In the regular issue the five bird plates are uncolored and the text is printed on laid paper. The deluxe issues, as here, is considerably rarer than the usual uncolored examples. Besides the obvious benefit of handcolored illustrations, the paper used is of superior quality.
Seller: Aquila Books(Cameron Treleaven) ABAC, Calgary, AB, Canada
Price: US$12500.00 + shipping
Description: (11 7/8 x 9 1/8 inches). xii, 384, xl pp. 20 engraved plates, charts and maps (6 folding charts or maps, 2 engraved portraits, 12 engraved plates [including 5 ornithological plates with contemporary hand-colouring, as issued]). Contemporary full tree calf boards bordered in gilt, flat spine gilt in compartments, red morocco lettering piece, marbled endpapers. Rare deluxe issue with hand-coloured plates of the first edition of a classic narrative of the early exploration on the Northwest coast. Portlock, a veteran of Cook's third voyage, and Dixon were sent by the King George's Sound Company to the Northwest coast of North America to investigate the economic possibilities of the fur trade there. En route, they had a long stay in Hawaii, and Portlock's narrative of this visit is of particular interest since Portlock and Dixon were the first captains to visit the Hawaiian islands since the death of Cook. He gives an important account of the situation there, already much altered by European contact. The voyage then proceeded to the Northwest to survey the region. Portlock and Dixon separated, with Portlock exploring northward up the Alaskan coast and Dixon proceeding southward to Nootka Sound. Both Dixon and Portlock published accounts of the voyage, but Portlock is of greater value for his particularly vivid descriptions of the Native Americans and Russians in the region. In addition to the lively narrative, the work is well illustrated with 20 plates and maps: these include a fine large folding general map of the Northwest Coast, and five maps of particular harbours along the coast. In the regular issue, the five bird plates are uncoloured and the text is printed on laid paper. A contemporary advertisement announcing the publication offers "a few copies . printed on fine paper, hot pressed and plates coloured." These deluxe issues, as here, are considerably more rare than the usual uncoloured examples. Besides the obvious benefit of hand-coloured illustrations, the paper used for the text of this deluxe issue is a higher quality paper. Forbes Hawaii 177; Judd Voyages 147; Hill (2004) 1376; Howes P487 "b."; Lada-Mocarski 42; Sabin 64389; Streeter Sale 3485; TPL 599; Wagner Northwest Coast 738-43; Wood p.523.
Seller: Donald A. Heald Rare Books (ABAA), New York, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$12500.00 + shipping
Description: Quarto (287 x 235 mm), contemporary diced russia, original marbled endpapers, rebacked. Engraved portrait frontispiece, 6 folding maps, 13 plates. First edition. A lovely copy on fine pressed wove ("Royal") paper, with the five ornithology plates hand-colored. Leather bookplate of Roger Budin, Geneve, another earlier armorial plate covered. "The principal account of the first commercial voyage to the Northwest Coast and the first English voyage to visit Hawaii after that of Captain James Cook." Forbes 177. "Portlock's vivid descriptions of encounters with the American Indians and the Russians serve to broaden the perspective provided by the William Beresford/Gorge Dixon narrative.," Hill 1376.
Seller: Thomas A. Goldwasser Rare Books (ABAA), CHESTER, CT, U.S.A.
Price: US$15000.00 + shipping
Description: PORTLOCK, Nathaniel (1748-1817). A Voyage Round the World; but more particularly to the North-West Coast of America: Performed in 1785, 1786, 1787, and 1788, in the King George and Queen Charlotte, Captains Portlock and Dixon. London: John Stockdale and George Goulding, 1789. 4to., (12 x 9 2/8 inches). Engraved frontispiece portrait, large folding engraved map of the Northwest Coast of America by J. Reid, 5 further folding maps and 13 full-page plates and maps (some minor offsetting, page 181 with closed tear crossing the text). Contemporary calf (worn) THE FIRST COMMERICAL VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND FIRST ENGLISH VOYAGE TO HAWAII SINCE JAMES COOK'S. First edition. In May of 1785 Portlock was appointed by the King George's Sound Company to command the King George and an expedition to the north-west coast of North America. "She sailed from Gravesend on 29 August 1785, in company with the smaller ship Queen Charlotte, commanded by George Dixon. On 19 July 1786 they arrived at Cook Inlet and, after some stay there, ranged along the coast, sighted Mount St Elias, and on 29 September sailed for the Sandwich (Hawaiian) Islands. There they wintered, and returned to the north-west coast of North America in March 1787. When winter approached they again sought the Sandwich Islands, and, after having refitted there and refreshed the men, both ships sailed separately for Macau where they arrived in November 1787. In February of the following year they made for England, the King George reaching Dover on 24 August 1788. With Dixon, Portlock published "A Voyage Round the World, but More Particularly to the North-West Coast of America" [as here] in 1789. Though rich in geographical results, the voyage was primarily intended to advance the fur trade, in which object it was fully successful. In 1791 Portlock was appointed with Captain William Bligh to command the Assistant brig, going out as tender to the Providence, which had been ordered to the Pacific to bring breadfruit plants to the West Indies. During this second breadfruit voyage Portlock made many discoveries in company with Bligh during the passage through the south Pacific Ocean, especially Fiji. The ships returned to England in August 1793, and on 4th November Portlock was promoted to the rank of commander" (J. K. Laughton, rev. Barry M. Gough for DNB). Portlock's descriptions of the Indians and Russians he encountered "broaden the perspective" (Hill) of Dixon and Beresford's accounts. Portlock, who took part in Cook's Third Voyage to the Pacific, also includes an account of Cook's death as described to him by a Hawaiian who was witness to it. Bell P-365; Forbes 177; Hill 1376; Howes P-497; Lada-Mocarski 42; Mitchell Library Cook 2453; Sabin 64389; Wagner Northwest Coast 738.
Seller: Arader Galleries - AraderNYC, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$16000.00 + shipping
Description: (12 x 9 3/8 inches). xii, 384, xl pp. 20 engraved plates, charts and maps (6 folding charts or maps, 2 engraved portraits, 12 engraved plates [the 5 ornithological plates with contemporary hand-colouring, as issued]). Contemporary rose calf, flat spine in six compartments, ruled in gilt, titled in the second compartment, repeat gilt decoration in the others, marbled endpapers and edges Rare deluxe issue with hand-coloured plates of the first edition of a classic narrative of the early exploration on the Northwest coast. Portlock, a veteran of Cook's third voyage, and Dixon were sent by the King George's Sound Company to the Northwest coast of North America to investigate the economic possibilities of the fur trade there. En route, they had a long stay in Hawaii, and Portlock's narrative of this visit is of particular interest since Portlock and Dixon were the first captains to visit the Hawaiian islands since the death of Cook. He gives an important account of the situation there, already much altered by European contact. The voyage then proceeded to the Northwest to survey the region. Portlock and Dixon separated, with Portlock exploring northward up the Alaskan coast and Dixon proceeding southward to Nootka Sound. Both Dixon and Portlock published accounts of the voyage, but Portlock is of greater value for his particularly vivid descriptions of the Native Americans and Russians in the region. In addition to the lively narrative, the work is well illustrated with 20 plates and maps: these include a fine large folding general map of the Northwest Coast, and five maps of particular harbours along the coast. In the regular issue, the five bird plates are uncoloured and the text is printed on laid paper. A contemporary advertisement announcing the publication offers "a few copies . printed on fine paper, hot pressed and plates coloured." These deluxe issues, as here, are considerably more rare than the usual uncoloured examples. Besides the obvious benefit of hand-coloured illustrations, the paper used for the text of this deluxe issue is a higher quality paper. Forbes Hawaii 177; Judd Voyages 147; Hill (2004) 1376; Howes P487 "b."; Lada-Mocarski 42; Sabin 64389; Streeter Sale 3485; TPL 599; Wagner Northwest Coast 738-43; Wood p.523.
Seller: Donald A. Heald Rare Books (ABAA), New York, NY, U.S.A.