Beschreibung:

JAMES COOK 1728-1779] AND 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. 8° (232 x 156mm). Letterpress title, dedication on verso, 6 pages text and 47 specimens of Tapa Cloth on 26 leaves, numbered 1-46 on small contemporary, manuscript paper labels at upper corner, one unnumbered, interleaved. (Text leaves stained.) 20th-century crushed green morocco, late 18th-/early 19th-century gilt morocco lettering-piece on spine (spine slightly faded), cloth slipcase. Provenance : John Kennedy (b. 1750, early signature on title) -- Robert Kennedy (early signature on title) -- John Kennedy Underwood, Ayrshire (1852-1920, engraved armorial bookplate on upper pastedown). FINE AND EXTREMELY RARE TAPA CLOTH SPECIMENS collected on James Cook's third voyage to the South Seas in Resolution 1776-1780, from the islands of Hawaii, Tahiti, Tonga and New Amsterdam, and including a sole example from Jamaica (often missing). Captain James King (1759-1795) is believed to have assembled most of the original collection during the voyage (and also completed the official account of Cook's third voyage, cf. lot 31). Alexander'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. Specimen numbers, types and sizes vary in all copies, from full-page to 70 x 45mm, but most are with some pattern or dye. Each copy is a unique assemblage. Forbes' worldwide survey of copies lists 29 in institutional or private libraries and few other copies exist. Alexander printed his text bound with samples 'for a few friends', with numbered descriptions of specimens 1-39. As a footnote he writes that 'some fine specimens of the tree, with the bark [may be had]' from his premises in the Strand. Specimens 40-47 are not identified but all are striking examples, 6 of the 8 being full-page. Beddie 3640; Hocken 26; Forbes 139.