Captain Cook - The Three Voyages, First Editions with Folio Atlas - Uniform Richly Gilt Spines, 1773-1784

COOK, Captain James; HAWKESWORTH, John; KING, James; WEBBER, John.
The Three Voyages of Captain James Cook. First Editions, with the Folio Atlas to the Third Voyage.

London: W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1773; W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1777; W. and A. Strahan for G. Nicol and T. Cadell, 1784.

First editions of the three official published accounts of Captain James Cook’s voyages, complete with the large folio atlas to the third and final voyage. Nine volumes in total: eight quarto text volumes and one folio atlas.

An imposing first edition set of Captain James Cook’s three voyages, bringing together the official published narratives of the expeditions that transformed eighteenth-century European understanding of the Pacific, Australasia, the Antarctic seas, Hawaii and the northwest coast of North America.

The first voyage, published under the editorship of John Hawkesworth, records Cook’s expedition in HMS Endeavour, including the observation of the Transit of Venus at Tahiti, the circumnavigation and charting of New Zealand, and the survey of the eastern coast of Australia. The second voyage, written by Cook himself, follows HMS Resolution and Adventure through the southern oceans, during which Cook crossed the Antarctic Circle and decisively altered contemporary ideas concerning the supposed southern continent. The third voyage, completed by Captain James King after Cook’s death, records the search for a northern passage between the Pacific and Atlantic, the exploration of the northwest coast of America and the expedition’s encounters with Hawaii.

Together with the folio atlas to the third voyage, containing the large-format engraved visual record after John Webber, this is one of the foundational works of Pacific exploration and eighteenth-century voyage literature.

Format and Binding

Nine volumes, comprising eight quarto text volumes and one folio atlas.

The set is unified by a particularly handsome series of uniform, richly gilt spines, expertly restored and finished in an eighteenth-century style, with raised bands, contrasting morocco lettering pieces, gilt numbered labels and elaborate ornamental tooling. Arranged together, the volumes have exceptional shelf presence.

The three volumes of the First Voyage and the two volumes of the Second Voyage retain their earlier boards. The three text volumes of the Third Voyage, together with the folio atlas, are in sympathetic later boards bound in keeping with the period style of the set. The restoration has been carried out with considerable care, producing a visually coherent collection while retaining the earlier boards of the first two voyage accounts.

First Voyage

HAWKESWORTH, John, editor.
An Account of the Voyages undertaken by the Order of His Present Majesty for Making Discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere, and successively performed by Commodore Byron, Captain Wallis, Captain Carteret, and Captain Cook, in the Dolphin, the Swallow, and the Endeavour.

London: Printed for W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1773.

First edition. Three volumes, quarto.

The official published account incorporating Cook’s first voyage aboard HMS Endeavour, undertaken between 1768 and 1771. After observing the Transit of Venus at Tahiti, Cook proceeded to New Zealand and the eastern coastline of Australia, producing charts and observations of lasting geographical importance.

Illustrated with the engraved frontispiece portrait of Captain Cook by J. K. Sherwin after Nathaniel Dance-Holland, together with engraved maps, charts and folding plates. This copy includes the frequently absent Chart of the Straits of Magellan.

Provenance: Castle Goring; with the pictured armorial bookplate of John Belts and ownership inscription of John F. Bullar.

Condition: The three volumes retain their earlier boards, with uniformly restored and richly gilt spines matching the remainder of the set. Some foxing throughout, more evident in Volumes II and III, with occasional offsetting, minor staining and light marginal worming in Volume II. The boards show light spotting and age-related wear, remaining attractive in presentation.

Second Voyage

COOK, Captain James.
A Voyage Towards the South Pole, and Round the World. Performed in His Majesty’s Ships the Resolution and Adventure, in the Years 1772, 1773, 1774, and 1775.

London: Printed for W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1777.

First edition. Two volumes, quarto.

Cook’s own account of his second voyage, undertaken in HMS Resolution and Adventure in search of the supposed southern continent. During the expedition Cook became the first recorded navigator to cross the Antarctic Circle, while also visiting and recording Easter Island, Tahiti, the Marquesas, New Caledonia, South Georgia and numerous other islands and coastlines of the Pacific.

Illustrated with the engraved portrait of Cook and the celebrated series of maps, charts, views and portraits associated with the voyage, including the pictured engravings of the Man of Easter Island and the Man of the Island of Tanna, after drawings made during the expedition by William Hodges.

Condition: The two volumes retain their earlier boards, with expertly restored and elaborately gilt uniform spines. Internally especially appealing, with the engraved plates and maps notably clean. Previous owner’s signature and bookplate to the pastedowns, together with minor pencil notes. The folding map and frontispiece have received professional repairs at the original folds.

Third Voyage

COOK, Captain James, and KING, Captain James.
A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean. Undertaken, by the Command of His Majesty, for Making Discoveries in the Northern Hemisphere; to Determine the Position and Extent of the West Side of North America, its Distance from Asia, and the Practicability of a Northern Passage to Europe.

London: Printed by W. and A. Strahan for G. Nicol and T. Cadell, 1784.

First edition. Three volumes, quarto.

The official account of Cook’s third and final voyage, undertaken in HMS Resolution and Discovery between 1776 and 1780. The expedition sought a navigable northern passage between the Pacific and Atlantic, exploring the northwest coast of North America and advancing into the northern Pacific and Arctic waters. It was during this voyage that Cook reached Hawaii, where he was killed in 1779; the published narrative was subsequently completed by Captain James King.

The text volumes contain the engraved maps and plans documenting the geographical course and discoveries of the expedition.

Condition: In sympathetic later boards bound in a period style to complement the earlier volumes, with richly gilt restored spines uniform with the First and Second Voyages and the atlas. Some offsetting within the text, otherwise a clean and strongly presented set of the narrative volumes.

Folio Atlas to the Third Voyage

WEBBER, John, and others.
Atlas to A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean.

London: 1784.

First edition. Folio atlas volume.

The large-format atlas accompanying Cook’s third voyage, containing the engraved visual record of the expedition after drawings by John Webber, the official artist aboard HMS Resolution. Its plates record the landscapes, coastal views, portraits and material cultures encountered during the voyage, giving visual form to the final and most dramatic of Cook’s expeditions.

The atlas contains the engraved plates and maps issued to accompany the three quarto narrative volumes of the Third Voyage, and is essential to the full presentation of the work.

Condition: In sympathetic later boards bound in keeping with the period style of the set, with a richly gilt restored spine matching the eight quarto volumes. Some foxing and damp staining, with wear towards the edges of the final section. Despite these imperfections, the folio plates remain imposing and the atlas gives the set its full visual and historical scope.

Overall Condition and Importance

A highly decorative and substantial first edition set of the official accounts of Captain James Cook’s three voyages, complete with the folio atlas to the Third Voyage. The nine volumes are distinguished by their uniform, elaborately gilt and expertly restored spines, giving the collection considerable presence when shelved together. The earlier boards of the First and Second Voyages have been retained, while the Third Voyage and atlas are sympathetically bound in later boards in keeping with the eighteenth-century style of the group.

From the exploration and charting of New Zealand and the eastern coast of Australia, through the southern voyages beyond the Antarctic Circle, to Hawaii and the search for a northern passage along the northwest coast of America, Cook’s published voyages stand among the defining records of maritime exploration.

A commanding first edition set for a collection of Pacific voyages, exploration, cartography, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii or eighteenth-century travel literature.

References: Beddie, Bibliography of Captain James Cook, 648, 1216 and 1543; Holmes, 5, 24 and 47; Sabin 30934 and related entries; Hill 782 and related entries.