History of Marine Architecture. Including an enlarged and progressive View of the Nautical Regulations and Naval History, both Civil and Military, of all Nations, especially of Great Britain. - 3 Vols.

Charnock, J. A. History of Marine Architecture. Including an enlarged and progressive View of the Nautical Regulations and Naval History, both Civil and Military, of all Nations, especially of Great Britain. London, R. Faulder (ao), 1800-1802. 1st. ed. 3 Vols. Large 4to. ca. 30 x 24 cm. 100,368; 496; 436 pp. Engraved frontispice, 99 aquatint and engraved plates, incl. some large folding, after Van de Velde and others. Beautiful 19th C. bindings: Uniform h.calf, spines richly gilt with 2 morocco letterpieces.

A very good copy of the first edition of "The most authoritative book on 18th century ship-building published in England" (Abbey), written by John Charnock (1756-1807), member of the Royal Navy and author of several highly esteemed works on marine history and ship-building. The present work offers a broad historic overview not only of English, French, Dutch shipbuilding, but includes also the Asian and the Pacific region.

Our copy with an albumen photograph (27.5 x 21cm.) of the "HMS Asia" mounted at blank page the end of vol. 3, and on its facing page a manuscript note on the history of that ship by its midshipman Thomas William Oliver, dated November 1892. The HMS Asia was an 84-gun ship of the Royal Navy, launched in 1824 at Bombay Dockyard. It was the British admiral Codrington's flagship at the naval Battle of Navarino during the Greek War of Independence (1821-1832); Active in the Syria campaign against Mehemet Ali, in the Eastern Mediterranean (1840-1841). In 1858 the ship was converted to serve as a guardship, and finally sold out of the navy in 1908.

Very good set, fine 19th C. bindings. Occasional sl. foxed and some offsetting of plates. - Abbey, Life 331; English Maritime Books 337; Cat. NHSM II, p.752. -