Beschreibung:

[COOK, Captain James (1728-1779)] – [THIRD VOYAGE.] Alexander SHAW (fl.1783). A Catalogue of the Different Specimens of Cloth collected in the three voyages of Captain Cook, To the Southern Hemisphere; with a Particular Account of the Manner of the Manufacturing the same in the various Islands of the South Seas; partly extracted from Mr. Anderson and Reinhold Forster's Observations, And the verbal Account of some of the most knowing of the Navigators: with some anecdotes that happened to them among the natives. London: Alexander Shaw, 1787. Rare first issue of tapa cloth specimens collected on James Cook's third voyage to the South Seas, 1776-1780. The specimens, most with some pattern or dye, were collected from the islands of Hawaii, Tahiti, Tonga and New Amsterdam. Shaw's text gives details of manufacture, anecdotal comments on how and where samples were obtained, and occasional notes on the original size of the sheets from which each was cut. The book seems to have been very sought-after at the time of publication, and a second issue was published in 1805-1806 with a greater number of specimens. All copies vary in the number and size of samples, but the present work includes 6 full-page and 4 near full-page sized specimens. Captain James King (1750-1795) was the person responsible for collecting some, if not all, of the tapa cloth contained in this work while travelling with Cook on his voyages. King also completed the official account of Cook’s third voyage. Beddie 3640; Forbes 139; Hocken 26; Holmes 67; Kerr Census 41. Quarto (215 x 172mm.), 36 specimens of tapa cloth tipped in (of 39 listed), of which 6 full-page and 4 near full-page in size (first specimen lightly creased, text leaves slightly loose). Contemporary calf (skilfully rebacked in the 19th century, extremities rubbed). Provenance : title with inscription erased and with marginal repair where a stamp or similar has been excised – Corbet d'Avenant, Bt. (of Stoke and Adderley, 1752-1823, armorial bookplate; sold Sotheby's, London, 13 May 2004, lot 293) – Exhibited: San Diego, Maritime Museum of San Diego, Cook, Melville & Gauguin, Three Voyages to Paradise , May 2011-Jan. 2012, no.66.