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FLEURIEU, Charles Pierre Claret, Comte de (1738-1810). Voyage fait pour ordre du roi en 1768 et 1769, à différentes parties du monde, pour éprouver en mer les horloges marines inventées par M. Ferdinand Berthoud. Paris: Imprimerie Royale, 1773.
2 volumes, 4o (254 x 193 mm). 5 engraved folding maps in vol. 1 and 5 folding tables in vol. 2. (A few stains to R3-4 in vol. 1, a few insignificant marginal dampstains.) Contemporary French calf, spines gilt, red morocco lettering pieces (some light rubbing).
FIRST EDITION. Fleurieu, Lieutenant of the Royal Ships, sailed with Ferdinand Berthoud's marine clocks Nos. 6 and 8. Berthoud and Pierre Le Roy were battling to perfect the marine chronometer, at the same time John Harrison was developing his own instruments in England. Berthoud eventually won the lion's share of the rewards in France, having been judged to have the better design. No. 6 was one of the first timekeepers to be housed in the type of box that became the standard for all marine chronometers. (See Catherine Cardinal, "Ferdinand Berthoud and Pierre Le Roy: Judgement in the Twentieth Century of a Quarrel Dating from the Eighteenth Century in: The Quest for Longitude, ed. William J.H. Andrews, Cambridge, Mass., 1996, pp.282-292.) In 1768 Fleurieu was appointed to the command of the frigate Isis on an expedition to experiment with the new instrument, sailing from Aix in November of that year. He took observations at Martinique, Santo Domingo, Porto Rico, Havana, Jamaica, Colon, and New Orleans, and after touching at New York, Boston, and Newfoundland, returning to Aix on 11 October 1769. The results of this expedition were important to geography, as Fleurieu was able to provide accurate positions of the places visited, published in this and later works.
VERY RARE: according to American Book Prices Current, the last copy sold at auction was sold at Swann Galleries, 14 February 1980, lot 165. Sabin 24750 (calling for 3 maps and 3 tables only). (2)
2 volumes, 4
FIRST EDITION. Fleurieu, Lieutenant of the Royal Ships, sailed with Ferdinand Berthoud's marine clocks Nos. 6 and 8. Berthoud and Pierre Le Roy were battling to perfect the marine chronometer, at the same time John Harrison was developing his own instruments in England. Berthoud eventually won the lion's share of the rewards in France, having been judged to have the better design. No. 6 was one of the first timekeepers to be housed in the type of box that became the standard for all marine chronometers. (See Catherine Cardinal, "Ferdinand Berthoud and Pierre Le Roy: Judgement in the Twentieth Century of a Quarrel Dating from the Eighteenth Century in: The Quest for Longitude, ed. William J.H. Andrews, Cambridge, Mass., 1996, pp.282-292.) In 1768 Fleurieu was appointed to the command of the frigate Isis on an expedition to experiment with the new instrument, sailing from Aix in November of that year. He took observations at Martinique, Santo Domingo, Porto Rico, Havana, Jamaica, Colon, and New Orleans, and after touching at New York, Boston, and Newfoundland, returning to Aix on 11 October 1769. The results of this expedition were important to geography, as Fleurieu was able to provide accurate positions of the places visited, published in this and later works.
VERY RARE: according to American Book Prices Current, the last copy sold at auction was sold at Swann Galleries, 14 February 1980, lot 165. Sabin 24750 (calling for 3 maps and 3 tables only). (2)