History of the Expedition under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark - photo 1

History of the Expedition under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark

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Auction dateClassic
17.01.2024 11:00UTC -04:00
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CHRISTIE'S
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ID 1119195
Lot 128 | History of the Expedition under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark
History of the Expedition under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark

Philadelphia, 1814

LEWIS, Meriwether (1774-1809) and William CLARK (1770-1838). History of the Expedition under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark, to the Sources of the Missouri, thence across the Rocky Mountains and down the River Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. Performed during the years 1804-5-6. Philadelphia: [by J. Maxwell at New York for] Bradford and Inskeep, 1814.



First edition of Lewis and Clark's History of the Expedition, with map, "the most famous of all western travels, and the cornerstone of any collection of Western Americana" (Best of the West).



"Described by Wagner-Camp as 'the definitive account of the most important exploration of the North American continent,' this book was published nearly eight years after the journey's completion, delayed in production by the death of Meriwether Lewis and the confusions of several editors" (Best of the West). Although Paul Allen is credited as the editor, the major work was done by Nicholas Biddle, a young Philadelphia lawyer. The text primarily rests on Lewis and Clark's journals, but their are important contributions, too, from other members of the expedition. It was finally brought to press in February of 1814 in an edition of 2,000 but a high proportion were defective and, according to Church, "583 were in some way lost or destroyed." Further, the highly important map of their route from the Mississippi to the Pacific was not issued with all copies, but cost extra at the time of publication. The map is based on Clark's manuscript and is extremely detailed and accurate, termed by Wheat the "master map of the American West". The remarkable cartographic achievement, perhaps even more than the written account of the journey, served to impel and motivate the nation's inexorable westward expansion. Best of the West 37; Church 1309; Cohen Mapping the West 7; Graff 2477; Grolier American 30; Howes L-317 ("c"); Lewis & Clark 5a.1; PMM 272; Sabin 40828; Streeter sale 1777; Streeter Americana Beginnings 52; Wagner-Camp 13.1; Wheat Mapping the Transmississippi West 316.



Two volumes, octavo (213 x 124mm). (Vol 1 title with some edge chips and erased ownership inscription, vol. 2 title soiled and heavily cleaned, text washed and toned, some faint dampstain still visible at ends, vol. 2 final contents leaf with lower margin excised.) Large folding engraved "Map of Lewis and Clark's Track Across the Western Portion of North America" engraved by Samuel Harrison after Clark, 5 other engraved plates and maps (large map relined, darkened, repaired tears and patches to small losses, small area of facsimile near Red River). 20th century morocco gilt, added tissue guards, all edges gilt (spines sunned, light rubbing, endpapers toned).

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