Voyage de la Corvette l'Astrolabe exécuté par ordre du Roi, pendant les années 1826-1827-1828-1829 by DUMONT D'URVILLE, Jules Sébastien César, le Comte, (1790-1842) - 1835

Paris: J. Tastu, 1835. Together, 17 volumes, as described below. Contemporary half diced calf and cloth covered boards (text), contemporary cloth expertly rebacked and retipped uniform to the text (Historique, Botanique and Zoologique atlases), contemporary marbled paper covered boards rebacked and retipped uniform to the text (the Hydrographique text and atlas), spines with raised bands, ruled in gilt on either side of each band, lettered in gilt in the second and third compartments, contemporary brown or marbled paper endpapers Provenance: Marinens Bibliotek (gilt stamps on upper covers and other markings to endpapers or titles); deaccessioned by the Garnisions Biblioteket in 2017 A complete set of the official account of the voyage of the Astrolabe: one of the most important French voyages to the South Pacific and a cornerstone work on the early exploration of Australia and New Zealand. This important voyage, one of the great series undertaken by the French government for both colonizing and scientific reasons was led by Jules Dumont d'Urville, it was "his first expedition, which was to gain additional information about the principal groups of islands in the Pacific and to augment the mass of scientific data acquired by Louis Duperrey. The Astrolabe sailed south, around the Cape of Good Hope, and arrived at Port Jackson. Proceeding to New Zealand, its coast, especially the southern part of Cook Strait, was surveyed with great care. Tonga and parts of the Fiji Archipelago were explored, then New Britain, New Guinea, Amboina, Tasmania, Vanikoro, Guam, and Java. The return home was by way of Mauritius and the Cape of Good Hope. Huge amounts of scientific materials were collected and published" (Hill). Noted as one of the most detailed and most lavishly illustrated of the French grande voyage publications, the work includes an impressive amount of data relating to the region's natural history, topography, and anthropology. Besides the wonderful portraits of Maori, the plates include important topographical views of Sydney, Hobart, Melbourne, Western Australia, Victoria, New Zealand, New Guinea, Tonga, Fiji and more. Together, the work contains over five hundred plates, with more than half in color. Comprised as follows: HISTORIQUE Text: Ten parts in five volumes, 8vo. With nine engraved plates and numerous woodcut illustrations. Paris:1830-33. Atlas: One volume, folio. Engraved portrait frontispiece, illustrated title, 8 maps and 239 lithographed plates (89 hand coloured). Paris:1833. BOTANIQUE Text: Two volumes in one, 8vo. Paris: 1832-34 Atlas: Three parts in one volume, folio. With illustrated title and 92 plates as follows: Flore (41 plates); Sertum (39 plates); Lepidoptera (12 plates). Paris: 1834 ZOOLOGIQUE Text: Six parts in four volumes, 8vo. With 8 lithographed plates. Paris 1830-35. Atlas: One volume, folio. With illustrated title and 192 plates as follows: Mammals (28 plates [23 coloured]); Birds (31 coloured plates); Fish (12 coloured plates); Molluscs (95 coloured plates); Zoophytes (26 coloured plates). ENTOMOLOGIE Text: Two parts in one volume, 8vo. Paris: 1832-35. PHILOLOGIE Text: Two parts in one volume, 8vo. Paris: 1833-34 HYDROGRAPHIQUE Text (titled Observations Nautiques, Meteorologiques, Hydrographiques et de Physique ): Four parts in one volume, 4to. With two folding tables. Paris:1833-34. Atlas: One volume, large folio. With illustrated title and 45 engraved maps, charts and coastal profiles (19 double-page, and with the three profiles hand colored), plus a double-page engraved table. Paris:1833. Anker 410; BM (NH) II, p.603; Borba de Moraes p.273; Brunet II, 881; Ellis. Early Prints of New Zealand (1978) pp.43; Ferguson 1341; F ine Bird Books (1990) pp. 92; Hill 504; Nissen BBI 555; Nissen IVB 752; Nissen ZBI 1199; Ronsil 940; Whittell p. 216 ; Wood p.615; Zimmer p. 184; Sabin 21210.