Details
JOHN WHITE (d. 1832)
Journal of a Voyage to New South Wales. London: J. Debrett, 1790. 4° (298 x 231mm). Engraved title with vignette and 65 hand-coloured plates. (Ee1-2 slightly stained at margin.) Contemporary calf, double gilt fillets, flat gilt spine with red morocco label, marbled endpapers, yellow edges. Provenance: HBI (monogram on bookplate).
FINE COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION. Wantrup describes White's Journal as 'of key importance to any collection of Australiana and ... a popular book at the time' appealing 'particularly to the gentry for whom natural history was the taste of the age'. It commences with the sailing of the First fleet, to which White was chief surgeon, and describes the first ten months of settlement. Some of the engravings, which drew particular attention to bird life, were after drawings sent out from New South Wales but most were based on specimens sent to England. While holding the post of surgeon general to the colony until his departure in December 1794, his journal itself was sent back to his friend, John Wilson, for publication in 1788. This copy includes the 'List of Subscribers'. The 'List of Plates' is in the third state, and Hh4 is a cancel. The fine hand-coloured plates are on J. Whatman watermarked paper. Ferguson 97; Wantrup pp. 72-78.
Journal of a Voyage to New South Wales. London: J. Debrett, 1790. 4° (298 x 231mm). Engraved title with vignette and 65 hand-coloured plates. (Ee1-2 slightly stained at margin.) Contemporary calf, double gilt fillets, flat gilt spine with red morocco label, marbled endpapers, yellow edges. Provenance: HBI (monogram on bookplate).
FINE COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION. Wantrup describes White's Journal as 'of key importance to any collection of Australiana and ... a popular book at the time' appealing 'particularly to the gentry for whom natural history was the taste of the age'. It commences with the sailing of the First fleet, to which White was chief surgeon, and describes the first ten months of settlement. Some of the engravings, which drew particular attention to bird life, were after drawings sent out from New South Wales but most were based on specimens sent to England. While holding the post of surgeon general to the colony until his departure in December 1794, his journal itself was sent back to his friend, John Wilson, for publication in 1788. This copy includes the 'List of Subscribers'. The 'List of Plates' is in the third state, and Hh4 is a cancel. The fine hand-coloured plates are on J. Whatman watermarked paper. Ferguson 97; Wantrup pp. 72-78.
Special notice
No VAT on hammer price or buyer's premium.