Voyage de découvertes aux Terres Australes. 1807-1816

PERON, François (1775-1810) and Louis Claude de Saulces de FREYCINET (1779-1842). Voyage de découvertes aux Terres Australes, exécuté par ordre de Sa Majesté l'empereur et roi, sur les corvettes le Géographe, le Naturaliste, et la goelette le Casuarina, pendant les anneés 1800, 1801, 1802, 1803 et 1804. Paris: imprimerie impériale [vol. 1] and imprimerie royale [vol. 2], 1807-1816; Langlois [Atlas], [1807]-1811.

A fine copy of the first edition of Baudin's expedition to Australia, the great French voyage which rivalled Flinders's achievements. The expedition was commanded by Nicolas Baudin for the Institute of France in 1800 and was charged with making a full and minute examination of the Australian coasts, particularly the southern coast ‘where there is supposed to be a strait communicating with the Gulf of Carpentaria and which consequently would divide New Holland into two large and almost equal islands.’ Baudin discovered some two hundred miles of coast between Encounter Bay and Cape Banks, thus completing the discovery of the unknown south coast begun by Flinders and Grant, and also reported in detail on Tasmania, Western Australia, and Sydney. Of further importance was the very large zoological collection prepared by Peron, naturalist on the voyage, ‘that was known for years for its excellence’ (Hill). The maps are superbly engraved, the large general map of Australia with a fine illustrated cartouche. Ferguson 449; Hill 1329.

4 volumes, comprising 2 text volumes, quarto (287 x 218mm) and 2 atlas volumes (330 x 260mm). Text: engraved portrait, 2 half-titles, 2 folding tables, errata leaf. Atlas, part I: engraved title and 40 engraved plates numbered 2-41 including the folding panoramas of Sydney and Timor, of which 23 with contemporary hand-colour; part 2: engraved title and 14 engraved maps numbered 1-14 including 2 folding maps (occasional very light spotting, heaviest to engraved title of Atlas part 1). Contemporary quarter calf over imitation tree calf paper-covered boards, red morocco lettering pieces (extremities faintly rubbed). Provenance: Count de Pourtales (armorial bookplates).

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