Fine Books & Manuscripts

BURNEY, James (1750–1821). A Chronological History of the South Sea or Pacific Ocean. London: printed by Luke Hansard for G. and W. Nicol…, 1803–1817. 5 volumes, 4to (298 x 235 mm). 41 engraved maps and plates (several folding), in–text woodcut illustrations and charts (offsetting from plates to text, pale browning or foxing, chiefly marginal). Contemporary calf ruled in gilt, raised bands gilt, black leather spine labels gilt, gilt centerpieces and tooling in compartments, marbled endpapers (joints a bit rubbed with few repairs, some separation to front joint of Volume I, minor scuffs to boards). FIRST EDITION of the “MOST IMPORTANT GENERAL HISTORY OF EARLY SOUTH SEA DISCOVERIES, containing practically everything of importance on the subject (Hill).” Contains numerous discussions on California including whether it was insular or a part of the mainland; dissertations upon the name “California”; and an account of the expedition of the Spaniards to conquer California; all of which were key for the early voyages to California and the adjacent coasts as they would have been “nearly inaccessible were they not herein collected” (Cowan). Cowan p. 86; Hill 221; Howes B–1002; Sabin 9387; Spence 217.