LEWIS, MERIWETHER and WILLIAM CLARK History of the Expedition under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark, to the Sources of the Missouri, thence across the Rocky Mountains and down the River Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. Performed during the years 1804--5--6. Philadelphia: [by J. Maxwell for] Bradford and Inskeep 1814. 2 vols., 8vo, 212 x 130 mm. (8 3/8 x 5 in.), contemporary or slightly later tree sheep, smooth spines with gilt fillets and red morocco gilt lettering pieces, edges blue-sprinkled, joints and extremities rubbed, upper inner hinges slightly cracked, tears to corners of back flyleaves in vol. 2, holes to upper fore-corner of vol. 1 title-leaf from acidic ink of old signature, folding map creased and with one-inch repaired tear entering border rule at mount and small chips or paper flaws at upper and lower edges, small tear to lower fore-corner of fol. 2:3B, perforation to 2:3E catching a letter, foxing and browning as usual; buckram chemises, half morocco gilt slipcase . Large folding engraved map by Samuel Harrison after Clark, 5 engraved maps and plans. FIRST EDITION of the "definitive account of the most important exploration of the North American continent" (Wagner-Camp-Becker), including a prefatory "Life of Captain Lewis" by President Jefferson. The expedition, commissioned by Jefferson and funded by Congress in early 1803 (it cost all of $2,500), was the first exploration officially sponsored by the Federal government. The acquisition of the Louisiana Territory, finalized in December of the same year, increased the importance and urgency of the expedition, which set out from St. Louis in May 1804 and covered 8000 miles in the next 2 and 1/2 years, crossing the Rocky Mountains and reaching the mouth of the Columbia River before returning by the same route. Publication of Lewis's and Clark's account of the expedition was delayed by the appointments of both leaders to official positions in the new Louisiana Territory (Lewis was appointed territorial Governor and Clark Superintendent of Indian Affairs), then by Lewis's murder in 1809. This "most important of all overland narratives" (Grolier) was finally brought to press but a high proportion of the copies issued in this first printing, which is replete with errors, apparently lacked the folding map or were otherwise defective. A 1970 census by Columbia University Libraries recorded only 21 extant copies, of which several were incomplete or restored. Church 1309; Graff/Storm 2477; Grolier American 30; Howes L-317; PMM 272; Sabin 40828; Streeter sale III:1777; Wagner-Camp-Becker 13.1. Provenance : W. Patterson, early signatures on titles. (2)
LEWIS, MERIWETHER and WILLIAM CLARK History of the Expedition under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark, to the Sources of the Missouri, thence across the Rocky Mountains and down the River Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. Performed during the years 1804--5--6. Philadelphia: [by J. Maxwell for] Bradford and Inskeep 1814. 2 vols., 8vo, 212 x 130 mm. (8 3/8 x 5 in.), contemporary or slightly later tree sheep, smooth spines with gilt fillets and red morocco gilt lettering pieces, edges blue-sprinkled, joints and extremities rubbed, upper inner hinges slightly cracked, tears to corners of back flyleaves in vol. 2, holes to upper fore-corner of vol. 1 title-leaf from acidic ink of old signature, folding map creased and with one-inch repaired tear entering border rule at mount and small chips or paper flaws at upper and lower edges, small tear to lower fore-corner of fol. 2:3B, perforation to 2:3E catching a letter, foxing and browning as usual; buckram chemises, half morocco gilt slipcase . Large folding engraved map by Samuel Harrison after Clark, 5 engraved maps and plans. FIRST EDITION of the "definitive account of the most important exploration of the North American continent" (Wagner-Camp-Becker), including a prefatory "Life of Captain Lewis" by President Jefferson. The expedition, commissioned by Jefferson and funded by Congress in early 1803 (it cost all of $2,500), was the first exploration officially sponsored by the Federal government. The acquisition of the Louisiana Territory, finalized in December of the same year, increased the importance and urgency of the expedition, which set out from St. Louis in May 1804 and covered 8000 miles in the next 2 and 1/2 years, crossing the Rocky Mountains and reaching the mouth of the Columbia River before returning by the same route. Publication of Lewis's and Clark's account of the expedition was delayed by the appointments of both leaders to official positions in the new Louisiana Territory (Lewis was appointed territorial Governor and Clark Superintendent of Indian Affairs), then by Lewis's murder in 1809. This "most important of all overland narratives" (Grolier) was finally brought to press but a high proportion of the copies issued in this first printing, which is replete with errors, apparently lacked the folding map or were otherwise defective. A 1970 census by Columbia University Libraries recorded only 21 extant copies, of which several were incomplete or restored. Church 1309; Graff/Storm 2477; Grolier American 30; Howes L-317; PMM 272; Sabin 40828; Streeter sale III:1777; Wagner-Camp-Becker 13.1. Provenance : W. Patterson, early signatures on titles. (2)
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