WILKES, Charles (1798-1877). Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition, during the Years 1838-42. Philadelphia: Lea & Blanchard, 1845.

6 volumes, including atlas, imperial 8vo (280 x 180 mm). Half-titles in text volumes. 64 plates, 14 maps (5 folding and one hand-colored), and numerous vignettes in text (a few tears to maps along folds, some minor offsetting to maps). Original cloth, stamped in blind and gilt, uncut (some very minor wear to lower corners, spines slightly sunned, short separation to upper portion of lower joint vol. I, otherwise bright). Provenance: Edward Elbridge Salisbury (1814-1901), American Sanskritist and Arabist (bookplate) given to; George Grant MacCurdy (1863-1947), American Anthropologist (ex dono inscription, stamps); American School of Prehistoric Research (stamps).

FIRST TRADE EDITION, limited to 1,000 copies, preceded by the official government edition, published in 1844 and limited to 100 copies, and the unofficial edition, published by Lea and Blanchard in 1845 and limited to 150 copies. Wilkes set sail on the first American exploring expedition with a team of scientists and artists in August 1838 to survey the remote regions of the South Pacific. Wilkes and his men explored the South Pacific Islands, Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, California, Singapore, the Cape of Good Hope, and St. Helena. The United States Exploring Expedition "was the first American scientific expedition of any size, charged to ‘extend the bounds of Science and promote the acquisition of knowledge,’ and was one of the most ambitious Pacific expeditions ever attempted" (Forbes). Wilkes’s survey of the Pacific Islands resulted in over 200 new charts for 280 islands, and he was the first to use the term “Antarctic Continent.” Ferguson 4209; Forbes 1574; Haskell 2B; Howes W-414.

WILKES, Charles (1798-1877). Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition, during the Years 1838-42. Philadelphia: Lea & Blanchard, 1845.