An Account of Several Late Voyages and Discoveries, London, 1711, contemporary calf, the Franklin copy - photo 1
An Account of Several Late Voyages and Discoveries, London, 1711, contemporary calf, the Franklin copy - photo 2
An Account of Several Late Voyages and Discoveries, London, 1711, contemporary calf, the Franklin copy - photo 3

An Account of Several Late Voyages and Discoveries, London, 1711, contemporary calf, the Franklin copy

Lot 264
21.09.2023 10:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 4 445
AuctioneerSotheby´s
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 1028577
Lot 264 | An Account of Several Late Voyages and Discoveries, London, 1711, contemporary calf, the Franklin copy
Estimate value
£ 3 000 – 5 000
An Account of Several Late Voyages and Discoveries: I. Sir John Narbrough's Voyage to the South Sea. II. Captain J. Tasman's Discoveries on the Coast of the South Terra Incognita. III. Captain J. Wood's Attempt to Discover a North-East Passage to China. IV. F. Marten's Observations Made in Greenland and Other Northern Countries. London: for D. Brown, F. Round, W. Innys and T. Ward, 1711

second edition, 8vo (193 x 113mm.), 3 engraved folding maps, 19 engraved plates (of which 7 folding), WITH THE OWNERSHIP INSCRIPTION OF LADY FRANKLIN to title and Sir John Franklin's clipped signature pasted to preliminary blank, presentation inscription to "Dr Hooker from Miss Cracroft | a memorial to Lady Franklin's library | July 24 | 1876" to front pastedown, annotation in an eighteenth century hand to rear free endpaper, contemporary calf, spine with raised bands in six compartments, sprinkled edges, spotting and browning, folding maps and plates with a few small closed tears and paper repairs to versos, upper cover detached, spine label detached (fragments preserved in plastic wallet), extremities rubbed

THE FRANKLIN COPY of a work that presents one of the earliest English accounts of Abel Janzsoon Tasman's 1642 voyage, during which Tasman visited Tonga and Fiji, as well as discovering Tasmania and New Zealand.

A rare work in its own right, the present copy is remarkable for its rich provenance, tying together Sir John and Lady Franklin to Joseph Dalton Hooker. It is tempting to think that this copy must have been owned by Sir John Franklin himself, owing to the faint pencil ownership inscription above his clipped signature. It was certainly owned by Lady Jane Franklin (1791-1875), Sir John's second wife, whose own extensive travels throughout the eastern Mediterranean and in south-eastern Australia make her a remarkable and pioneering female explorer.

In 1836, Sir John was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land (later renamed Tasmania), at Lady Franklin's suggestion, and they set sail accompanied by her stepdaughter Eleanor and her niece by marriage Sophia (Sophy) Cracroft (ODNB). An annotation in a contemporary hand to the rear free endpaper ("Tasmania") suggests that this copy may well have been present on the voyage to Tasmania.

Lady Franklin and Sophia Cracroft travelled extensively together after John Franklin's death, and from 1862 Lady Franklin and her niece maintained a house in London. According to the inscription on the front pastedown, dating from the year after Lady Franklin passed away, it was Cracroft who presented this copy to Joseph Dalton Hooker.
Address of auction Sotheby´s
34-35 New Bond Street
W1A 2AA London
United Kingdom
Preview
15.09.2023 09:00 – 16:30
16.09.2023 12:00 – 17:00
17.09.2023 12:00 – 17:00
18.09.2023 09:00 – 16:30
19.09.2023 09:00 – 16:30
20.09.2023 09:00 – 16:30
Phone +44 (0) 20 7293 5000
Phone +1 212 606 7000
Email
4FQ.AE2YUKFA@AYGLGHC3Y@
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.
?>