PARRY, William Edward, Sir (1790-1855). A complete set of Parry’s four voyages, comprising:
Journal of a Voyage for the Discovery of a North-West Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific; Performed in the Years 1819-20, in His Majesty’s Ships Hecla and Griper. London: [William Clowes for] John Murray, 1821, 1924. 2 volumes in one, containing “A Supplement…of Natural History”. 6 engraved maps by J. Walker after John Bushnan et al. (2 folding), 9 aquatint plates by W. Westall after E.W. Beechey and H.P. Hoppner, and 5 etched plates by J. Clark after Beechey. Illustrations, diagrams, and letterpress tables in the text, one table folding. Errata slip tipped in after z1. Supplement: 6 plates by Curtis after Bauer. Arctic Bibliography 13145 (with 1824 “Supplement”; Brunet IV:387; Hill 1311; Lowndes, p.1789; Sabin 58860 and 58861.
Journal of a Second Voyage for the Discovery of a North-West Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific; Performed in the Years 1821-22-23, in His Majesty's Ships Fury and Hecla. London: [William Clowes for] John Murray, 1824, 1825. 2 volumes, including the rare Appendix. Engraved frontispiece, 29 etched or aquatint plates, all by E. Finden after G. Lyon, 4 engraved folding plates of coastal profiles by J. Walker after J. Bushnan, 9 engraved maps (4 folding) by J. Walker after J. Bushnan et al. Illustrations, diagrams, and letterpress tables in the text. Appendix: 2 plates, several folding tables. (Small tape repair on Appendix title-page). Arctic Bibliography 13142 (including the 1825 “Appendix”); Brunet IV:388; Hill 1312; Lowndes, p.1789; Sabin 58864 and 58865.
Journal of a Third Voyage for the Discovery of a North-West Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific; Performed in the Years 1824-25, in His Majesty's Ships Hecla and Fury. London: [William Clowes for] John Murray, 1826. Engraved frontispiece by E. Finden after H. N. Head, 5 engraved plates by E. Finden after H.P. Hoppner and H.N. Head, one engraved folding plate of coastal profiles by J. & C. Walker after H.N. Head, and 4 engraved maps by J. & C. Walker (one folding). Illustrations, diagrams, and letterpress tables in the text. Arctic Bibliography 13144 (erroneously calling for 8 plates); Brunet IV: 388; Hill 1313; Lowndes, p.1789; Sabin 58867.
Narrative of an Attempt to Reach the North Pole, in boats... Attached to His Majesty's Ship Hecla. London: [William Clowes for] John Murray, 1828. Engraved frontispiece and 3 engraved plates by E. Finden and 3 engraved maps by J. & C. Walker (one large folding), woodcut diagrams and letterpress tables in the text (small tape repair on map verso). Retaining “Directions to the Binder”/errata leaf. Arctic Bibliography 13146; Brunet IV:388; Lowndes, p. 1789; Sabin 58868.
[With:] The North Georgia Gazette, and Winter Chronicle. Edited by Edward Sabine. London: John Murray, 1821. Half-title, engraved title-page vignette and chapter headings. Contains articles written by members of the first Parry Expedition, at their winter quarters and published after their return to London. Arctic Bibliography 12547.
[With:] a 2pp. ALS from Parry, 8 January 1855, from his “sick bed”, laid in to the First Voyage. Parry would pass away 6 months later. Together, 8 works in 6 volumes, 4to (267 x 210 mm). (Some offsetting from plates to text). Uniformly bound in quarter morocco, marbled endpapers. Provenance: Oldham Public Free Libraries (embossed stamps).
A RARE COMPLETE SET OF FIRST EDITIONS OF ALL OF PARRY’S FOUR VOYAGES, THE SUPPLEMENTS, AND THE GAZETTE. Although Parry’s three voyages in search of the Northwest Passage were unsuccessful, each advanced the knowledge of the area and resulted in new discoveries including the achievement of 82°45', which was the furthest North any human had travelled; a record that stood for nearly fifty years. “The immediate achievements of these voyages were the charting of hundreds of miles of coastline in the Canadian Arctic archipelago and the collecting of valuable data on Arctic natural history” (Hill).