The Franklin Expedition from First to Last. By Dr. King, M.D.
London. John Churchill. 1855. 12mo., l9.62cm, The First Edition, xxxviii,[-2],3-224p., with 4 plates from engravings (2 plates inc frontis & 2 maps), with the original dark blue/green fine ribbed cloth, gilt spine titles, wide blind decorated borders on the boards, printed coated yellow endpapers with ads for "Works by Dr. King, M.D.", front and back, hinges expertly restored and frontis guarded at the gutter, a fine copy. Author's Signed Presentation Copy on the head of the title page, Inscribed "~ ~ ~ with the Kind Regards of the Author, Richard King" in slipcase bound in quarter dark blue calf, gilt ruled raised bands, blind decoration in the panels, double crimson red leather labels, gilt titles, dark grey cloth boards ~ long considered one of the rarest Franklin search books. Item #37913
Arctic Bib. 8706. Plimer Franklin Search Catalgoue #205. Sabin 37797. T.P.L. 3571 . Correspondence between the author and the British Admiralty and Colonial Office, regarding Dr. King's offers to aid, and his views on the search for the lost Franklin party; with other letters and newspaper articles, and with excerpts from King's earlier account (1836) of his trip down the Fish (Back) River. Includes considerable comment on the geography, importance of the Back River route to find Franklin, conditions of travel in the region, and on the activities of those (in northern Canada and in London) involved in the Franklin search. Note: Including the Plimer copy there are only two copies of this book back to 1951. The Brooke-Hitching copy which sold at Sotheby's, The Library of Franklin Brooke-Hitching, Sotheby's, Part 3, K-P. It was Hugh Cecil's copy which sold at Sotheby's in 2015.
Price: $25,000.00 save 25% $18,750.00