![VIANA, Francisco Javier de (1764-1820). Diario del viage explorador de las Corbetas Españolas "Descubierta" y "Atrevida" en los años de 1789 á 1794. Cerrito de la Victoria [Montevideo]: Ejército, 1849.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2017/NYR/2017_NYR_15724_0229_002(viana_francisco_javier_de_diario_del_viage_explorador_de_las_corbetas121157).jpg?w=1)
![VIANA, Francisco Javier de (1764-1820). Diario del viage explorador de las Corbetas Españolas "Descubierta" y "Atrevida" en los años de 1789 á 1794. Cerrito de la Victoria [Montevideo]: Ejército, 1849.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2017/NYR/2017_NYR_15724_0229_001(viana_francisco_javier_de_diario_del_viage_explorador_de_las_corbetas055733).jpg?w=1)
![VIANA, Francisco Javier de (1764-1820). Diario del viage explorador de las Corbetas Españolas "Descubierta" y "Atrevida" en los años de 1789 á 1794. Cerrito de la Victoria [Montevideo]: Ejército, 1849.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2017/NYR/2017_NYR_15724_0229_000(viana_francisco_javier_de_diario_del_viage_explorador_de_las_corbetas055721).jpg?w=1)
Details
VIANA, Francisco Javier de (1764-1820). Diario del viage explorador de las Corbetas Españolas "Descubierta" y "Atrevida" en los años de 1789 á 1794. Cerrito de la Victoria [Montevideo]: Ejército, 1849.
The very rare first edition of “the only full and detailed printed account of Malaspina’s voyage from California to Alaska by one of the participants” (Lada-Mocarski); it is also one of the rarest of books relating to Australia. Alessandro Malaspina (1754-1810), of Italian birth sailing in the service of Spain, made a crucial 18th-century world voyage that included a visit to Port Jackson in 1793. Upon his return to Spain, the court intrigue which resulted in Malaspina's imprisonment also halted the publication of an official account. The results of his expedition, including sixty crates of specimens, were lost in the archives of the Madrid Museum. Malaspina's own journal was not studied until eighty years later when Pedro de Novo y Colson edited a version for publication in 1885. Francisco Javier de Viana was an ensign on the voyage who settled in Uruguay on its completion and his is the first report of the Malaspina voyage to be published. In the context of Australian exploration the work is of great importance, providing detailed information about Port Jackson just five years after the first settlement (the section occupies pp.258-266). Of perhaps equal importance was the voyage's exploration of the coast from California to Alaska. Lada-Mocarski notes that with the exception of José Espinosa y Tello's introduction to the Relacion del viage...por las goletas Sutil y Mexicana (Madrid, 1802), there is "nothing as complete and detailed [about the Malaspina expedition] printed before 1868.”
Viana's sons prepared their father's account for the press. It was printed on the travelling press of the army besieging Montevideo during the war between Argentine and Uruguay, thus partially explaining its great scarcity. Ferguson 5228/5100; Howes V-85; Lada-Mocarski 134; Palau 36188; Wickersham 6642.
Octavo (200 x 137mm). Ornamental border throughout, printed with 2 title-pages (first title shaved and with marginal repairs, about 14 leaves browned, repair to one leaf towards end affecting text). Lada-Mocarski refers to the first title as a wrapper title, but he is in the minority. Near contemporary quarter morocco with ticket of a Montevideo binder, J. Schroeder, spine gilt. Provenance: Enrique Arana (library stamp to title) – William Reese Co.
The very rare first edition of “the only full and detailed printed account of Malaspina’s voyage from California to Alaska by one of the participants” (Lada-Mocarski); it is also one of the rarest of books relating to Australia. Alessandro Malaspina (1754-1810), of Italian birth sailing in the service of Spain, made a crucial 18th-century world voyage that included a visit to Port Jackson in 1793. Upon his return to Spain, the court intrigue which resulted in Malaspina's imprisonment also halted the publication of an official account. The results of his expedition, including sixty crates of specimens, were lost in the archives of the Madrid Museum. Malaspina's own journal was not studied until eighty years later when Pedro de Novo y Colson edited a version for publication in 1885. Francisco Javier de Viana was an ensign on the voyage who settled in Uruguay on its completion and his is the first report of the Malaspina voyage to be published. In the context of Australian exploration the work is of great importance, providing detailed information about Port Jackson just five years after the first settlement (the section occupies pp.258-266). Of perhaps equal importance was the voyage's exploration of the coast from California to Alaska. Lada-Mocarski notes that with the exception of José Espinosa y Tello's introduction to the Relacion del viage...por las goletas Sutil y Mexicana (Madrid, 1802), there is "nothing as complete and detailed [about the Malaspina expedition] printed before 1868.”
Viana's sons prepared their father's account for the press. It was printed on the travelling press of the army besieging Montevideo during the war between Argentine and Uruguay, thus partially explaining its great scarcity. Ferguson 5228/5100; Howes V-85; Lada-Mocarski 134; Palau 36188; Wickersham 6642.
Octavo (200 x 137mm). Ornamental border throughout, printed with 2 title-pages (first title shaved and with marginal repairs, about 14 leaves browned, repair to one leaf towards end affecting text). Lada-Mocarski refers to the first title as a wrapper title, but he is in the minority. Near contemporary quarter morocco with ticket of a Montevideo binder, J. Schroeder, spine gilt. Provenance: Enrique Arana (library stamp to title) – William Reese Co.