- 18
Bougainville, Louis Antoine de
Estimate
1,000 - 1,500 GBP
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Description
- A voyage round the world. Performed by order of His Most Christian Majesty, in the years 1766, 1767, 1768, and 1769... Translated from the French by John Reinhold Forster. London: for J. Nourse and T. Davies, 1772
- paper
FIRST ENGLISH EDITION, 4to (269 x 208mm.), 5 folding engraved maps (of the world, the Magellan Straits, two of the South Pacific, and the Moluccas) and folding plate depicting a Tahitian boat, contemporary armorial calf, gilt, a few minor tears, rebacked, slightly rubbed and repaired
Provenance
Richard Borough, arms to sides and bookplate; R.C. Edwards, signature on flyleaf; Creighton Lee, Brooklyn, December 1856, inscription on title
Literature
Hill (2004) 165; Sabin 6869
Condition
Condition is described in the main body of the catalogue, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
Bougainville (1729-1811) was the first Frenchman to sail around the world, and he inadvertently carried with him the first woman to do the same. On their return to St Malo in 1769, they recorded the loss of just seven men from the 330 who had travelled out. Bougainville's account of this journey appeared in French in 1771, and he described Tahiti as an earthly paradise, which influenced the writings of Enlightenment scholars such as Rousseau and Diderot. The appendix contains a glossary of words in the Tahitian language.