From William Reese Company - Americana, New Haven, CT, U.S.A.
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
AbeBooks Seller since 13 July 2006
About this Item
[4],170,[2]pp. plus large copper-engraved plan of Mexico City, three copper-engraved plates, and a folding letterpress table. Half title. Quarto. Contemporary mottled calf, elaborately gilt, expertly rebacked with original gilt spine laid down, leather label. Three bookplates on front pastedown. Small ink library stamp on half title and titlepage, an occasional fox mark, short tear repaired on verso of folding plan. Internally clean. A very good, tall, handsome copy with wide margins. A rare account of a scientific expedition to observe astronomical phenomena in California. Astronomer Jean Chappe d'Auteroche, who had observed the transit of Venus in Siberia in 1761, was sent by the French government to Baja California to observe it again when it reappeared on June 3, 1769. The transit is illustrated in the plate facing page 96. En route to Baja, Chappe d'Auteroche made stops in Vera Cruz, Guadalajara, and San Blas. "A thrilling account of a race against time to reach Lower California before the transit of Venus occurred. After nerve-wracking delays, which began in Spain, and narrow escapes from disaster, the goal was reached late in May. Two days after the transit was observed a malignant fever spread through the little group and Chappe d'Auteroche, who nursed the sick and dying, took it himself and died on the first of August. Mr. Cowan is quite incorrect in his note on this book, saying 'this celestial phenomenon was visible only upon the coast of California.' It was in fact visible throughout the western hemisphere and expeditions to observe it were sent to numerous stations. Also Spain not only knew of the expedition, but in the end co-operated in every way to make it a success" - Streeter. Includes a large folding plan of Mexico City. The Volkmann copy, with his bookplate. The Streeter copy was bought by San Francisco bookseller David Magee for $225 in 1968. COWAN, p.114. HILL 278. HOWES C299, "aa." SABIN 12003. STREETER SALE 2443. WAGNER SPANISH SOUTHWEST 158. HOWELL 50:40. Seller Inventory # WRCAM49703
Bibliographic Details
Title: VOYAGE EN CALIFORNIE POUR L'OBSERVATION DU ...
Publisher: Charles-Antoine Jombert, Paris
Publication Date: 1772
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