[Paris]: [chez Isabey], n.d., 1785. Some browning, but fine and mounted, evidently disbound at some point, with fragments of old thick paper bordering the edges on the reverse.. Engraving, 300 x 220 mm (image size), "Fessard" and "Webber" present as faint scratch signatures.

A further near-final proof of the French version before the complete caption has been added and with names in scratch proof form only. A similar proof issue is held in the Bibliothèque Nationale.

The official account of Cook's third voyage did not include an image of his death, although some copies did include an added 'Mort de Cook' plate. Nonetheless, as in England, there was tremendous interest in Webber's scene, and this accomplished engraving was issued by Claude-Mathieu Fessard, a prominent French engraver and book artist. This interim proof does not have any imprint details, but Joppien & Smith confirm that the finished print was sold by Isabey, in the rue de Gèvre, Paris.

The final print, as published, included a brief biography of Cook and description of his death engraved below the image as a caption, while the print itself was dedicated to Bougainville. A copy of the finished engraving is known in the Nan Kivell Collection at the National Library of Australia (NK6565). Beddie knew two copies, in the Mitchell and Dixson collections of the State Library of New South Wales.

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Details

Bookseller: Hordern House Rare Books (AU)
Bookseller's Inventory #: 2602139
Title: Mort Tragique du Capitaine Cook, le 15. Janvier 1779
Author: WEBBER, John (after)
Book Condition: Used - Some browning, but fine and mounted, evidently disbound at some point, with fragments of old thick paper bordering the edges on
Quantity Available: 1
Publisher: [chez Isabey], n.d.
Place of Publication: [Paris]
Date Published: 1785
Weight: 0.00 lbs

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About Hordern House Rare Books

Hordern House, founded by Anne McCormick and Derek McDonnell in 1985 and named for our original building in Sydney's Potts Point, is an internationally renowned dealership, specialising in rare books, manuscripts and paintings.Nowadays we conduct our business in the heart of Surry Hills, five minutes from the centre of Sydney. We occupy an entire floor of a converted warehouse where we have created a customised environment for our work and the display of rare books, manuscripts & paintings.Always reflected in our extensive stock of rare and select material is our specialization in voyages and travels (with a special interest in the Pacific & Australia), natural history and colour-plate material, paintings and voyage art, historical maps and manuscripts.

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New: A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
Edges: The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...
Fine: A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
Plate: Full page illustration or photograph. Plates are printed separately from the text of the book, and bound in at production. I.e.,...