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Title: Puteshestvie vokrug svieta po povelieniiu Gosudaria imperatora sovershennoe, na voennom shliupie Kamchatkie, v 1817, 1818 i 1819 godakh, flota kapitanom Golovninym [English = Voyage around the world by order of His Majesty, the Emperor, on naval sloop Kamchatke in 1817, 1818, and 1819, by Fleet Captain Golovnin. Part one (two)] Author: Golovnin, Vasili Mikhailovich Place: St. Petersburg Publisher: Naval Printing Office Date: 1822-23 Description: 2 volumes. [8]. 512, xliv, [errata leaf]; [8], 205, [1], cxxvii, [3] pp. Vol. I with 2 folding tables, 6 folding engraved maps & charts, and 6 folding plates of engraved landfalls and coastal views, with 2 to 4 profiles per plate; Vol. II with 2 large folding engraved maps on thick paper, one of Sitka Bay and other adjoining parts of Russian possessions on the northwest coast of America, and the other of Chiniat Bay on Kodiak Island. (4to) 26x19.5 cm (10¼x7¾"), period full red morocco with gilt roll borders, rebacked with original spines tooled in gilt employed, morocco lettering pieces, all edges gilt. First Edition. Very rare account of a Russian circumnavigation with the settlements in Kamchatka and Russian America the primary objective. On the voyage he spent a fortnight in Hawaii, meeting briefly with Kamehameha. One of the folding maps in the first volume is the entrance to the port of Gonoruru, i.e. Honolulu, noted by Forbes as "one of the earliest maps of Honolulu." The two maps in Volume II, of Sitka Bay and environs, and Chiniat Bay, are both very rare and important. This is a presentation copy, with ink inscription in Russian on Vol. I flyleaf to Count Rumiatsev, Chancellor of the Russian Empire. Lada-Mocarski notes that the author, V.M. Golovnin, "one of the outstanding Russia naval officers of the nineteenth century, made several voyages to the North Pacific and to the northwest coast of America. He has left valuable accounts of his voyages and of the investigation of the state of the Russian colonies in America, which he conducted by order of the emperor in 1818... The work described herein is of utmost importance and of great rarity." The two-page prefaces in each volume called for by Lada-Mocarski are not present, evidently never bound in. OCLC/WorldCat locates 8 copies in institutional libraries. The present copy has ink (ballpoint) inscriptions on the versos of the title pages, which are visible on the rectos. References: Howes G-232. L-M 82. Forbes 545. Lot Amendments Condition: Minor wear to covers, which have been excellently restored; very good or better codition. Item number: 266927