4th Dec, 2019 10:30 GMT/BST

Books, Maps & Ephemera

 
Lot 67
 

67

Clarke, J. and M'Arthur, J. (eds) The Naval Chronicle. Joyce Gold, 1799-1818. 8vo (39 vols)....

Clarke, J. and M'Arthur, J. (eds)
The Naval Chronicle. Joyce Gold, 1799-1818. 8vo (39 vols). Contemporary half red leather over marbled boards; over 500 engravings including engraved titles in first 10, folding charts, maps, plans, figures and portraits, figures and illus to text (lacking some called for across volumes), decorative head-pieces; provenance: Robert Thompson (armorial bookplate to upper pastedowns).
An unbroken run from Jan-Jun 1799 to Jan-June 1818 (lacking only the July-Dec 1818 volume). The run of the journal covers the period of the Napoleonic Wars and a significant selection of its contents was supplied by serving officers. Nelson sent the editors material, such as a sketch of his life sent after the Battle of the Nile. Whilst all contemporary sources are to be regarded with care, the Chronicle is generally held to be accurate and certainly contains a huge wealth of information not available from other sources. Not only are there historical details, accounts of battles, promotions and courts martial, details of ports and technical data on ships, but also strange detail on naval life of the time, exemplified by the contributions of poetry and letters to the editors. The details include the politically charged court martial of Admiral Gambier, at the behest of Lord Cochrane; both the edited and original Life of Collingwood (submitted post Trafalgar) and details of Nelson's death and funeral. The editors had both served at sea and known Nelson, and M'Arthur had been Lord Hood's Secretary. This personal knowledge allowed them to gather and present information in a way impossible to outsiders, making the Chronicle the premier source of information on Nelson's navy.
Not Sold

 

Auction: Books, Maps & Ephemera, 4th Dec, 2019

Books, Maps & Ephemera

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