[COATES, Charles (bap. 1746-1813), attributed to on title, or – William HAYLEY (1745-1820)]

Lot 163
14.12.2022 10:30UTC +00:00
Classic
Starting price
£ 5 000
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
Buyer Premiumsee on Website%
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 870709
Lot 163 | [COATES, Charles (bap. 1746-1813), attributed to on title, or – William HAYLEY (1745-1820)]
Estimate value
£ 5 000 – 8 000
[COATES, Charles (bap. 1746-1813), attributed to on title, or – William HAYLEY (1745-1820)]

Otaheite: a poem. London: printed for the author, 1774.

Extremely rare poetic reaction to Cook's First Voyage, viewing Tahiti as an earthly paradise:



What Worlds discover'd, and what Oceans known:

Now, what enchanting Fair, with wanton Smiles,

Shone forth the Venus of the Southern Isles



The attribution to Coates is given in contemporary manuscript on the title, but the Wrenn Library catalogue at the Harry Ransom Center, Austin TX, attributes the work to the poet and biographer William Hayley, as does the Mitchell Collection. ESTC traces 12 copies only: 5 copies in England, 4 in the US and 3 in New Zealand; in addition the State Library of New South Wales has two copies in the Mitchell Collection and two copies in the Dixson Collection, and the National Library of Australia, Canberra, also possess two copies. We can only trace one auction record (this copy) in the past 50 years (RBH/ABPC). Hocken p.13; Holmes 10. ESTC T43493.



Quarto (258 x 205mm). 16pp. (Short marginal closed tear at gutter of title repaired on verso, occasional light spotting). Modern blue quarter morocco. Provenance: J. Hocker (contemporary manuscript ink ownership inscription on title) – sold at Peter Arnold, Melbourne, 21-22 June 2005, lot 68.





Special notice


No VAT on hammer price or buyer's premium.
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
10.12.2022 – 13.12.2022
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
Buyer Premium see on Website
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase

More from Creator

A complete set of the three voyages
A complete set of the three voyages
$100
The Three Voyages
The Three Voyages
$100
COOK, Captain James (1728-1779) and Captain James KING (1750-1784)
COOK, Captain James (1728-1779) and Captain James KING (1750-1784)
£7 000
CLEVELEY, John II (1747-1786) and James CLEVELEY (bap. 1752), after; Francis JUKES (engraver)
CLEVELEY, John II (1747-1786) and James CLEVELEY (bap. 1752), after; Francis JUKES (engraver)
£15 000
A complete set of the official accounts of Cook’s Pacific voyages
A complete set of the official accounts of Cook’s Pacific voyages
$32 000
James Cook - Voyage dans lhémisphère Austral, et autour du monde,
James Cook - Voyage dans lhémisphère Austral, et autour du monde,
€500
COOK, Captain James (1728-1779) – COXE, William (1747-1828)
COOK, Captain James (1728-1779) – COXE, William (1747-1828)
£15 000
A Map of South Carolina and a Part of Georgia
A Map of South Carolina and a Part of Georgia
$18 000

Related terms