EXQUEMELIN, Alexandre Olivier (1645?-1707)

Lot 150
10.07.2024 10:30UTC +00:00
Classic
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£ 2 142
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 1249812
Lot 150 | EXQUEMELIN, Alexandre Olivier (1645?-1707)
Estimate value
£ 2 000 – 3 000
EXQUEMELIN, Alexandre Olivier (1645?-1707)
Bucaniers of America: Or, a true Account of the Most remarkable Assaults Committed of late years upon the Coasts of the West Indies, By the Bucaniers of Jamaica and Tortuga, both English and French. London: for William Crooke, 1684.
First edition in English of this classic account of the pirates, then at the apogee of their power and menace. 'The "classic" of all buccaneering books ... Exquemelin's account became the inspiration for a vast number of novels, plays, and imaginary voyages' (Hill). First issued in Dutch in 1678, this English translation was based on a Spanish edition of 1681, with the result that it emphasised the worst aspects of English pirates. As a result some former buccaneers sued the publisher for libel; Sir Henry Morgan, honoured with a portrait and a view of his destruction of the Spanish fleet, won a judgment and was awarded £200 and a public apology. The fourth part (Ringrose) published as a second volume in 1685 is not present here. Church 689; Hill 578; Sabin 23479; Wing E-3894.

Quarto (238 x 178mm). One engraving in the text and 9 engraved portraits, views and plans, 3 of which double-page and folding (lacking final leaf, ink stains and pen trials on title, small stains to M4r and Kk3-4 affecting a couple of letters, very short and insignificant tear due to paper flaw to Kk3 in text affecting a couple of letters, 120mm tear to folding plate of the destruction of the Spanish Armada with old paper repairs on verso, large chip to Fff4 with loss of several words, a few other chips and marginal tears, minor marginal worming in central portion at foot of gutter, scattered light browning, spotting and soiling). Contemporary calf, covers panelled in blind (worn, lacking spine, front cover detached). Provenance: Thomas ?Weston (ownership inscription on title and front pastedown with surname erased but dated 1713) – Mr Barnard (early ink inscription in blank margin of plate ‘The cruelty of Lolonois’) – multiple early names in ink on title, including: 'George Daniele Joseph Fullford Living in downton’, possibly just pen trials – later mathematical note on p.1.
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