Beschreibung:

Title: Voyage en Californie pour l'Observatinos due Passage de Vénus sur le Disque du Soleil, Le 3 Juin 1769; Contenant les observations de ce phénomene, & la description historique de la route de l'Auteur à travers la Mexique Author: Chappe d'Auteroche, Jean Place: Paris Publisher: Charles-Antoine-Jombert Date: 1772 Description: [4], 170, [2] pp. With 3 copper-engraved plates (two of natural history subjects, one showing the transit of Venus); folding letterpress scientific table; copper-engraved folding map (Plan de la Ville de Mexico, engraved by Gardette; 38.5x51.7 cm. (15-1/8x20-3/8"). (4to) 10½x8, later half mottled calf & marbled boards, spine tooled in gilt, raised bands, marbled endpapers. First Edition. First edition of one of the earliest scientific expeditions to California, sent out by the French government much to the consternation and suspicion of the Spanish, spurring the dispatch of Gaspar de Portolá in 1769 and hastening settlement of Upper California. Streeter describes the work as “A thrilling account of a race against time to reach Lower California before the transit of Venus occurred. After nerve-racking delays, which began in Spain, and narrow escapes from disaster, the goal was reached late in May. Two days after the transit was observed a malignant fever spread through the little group and Chappe d’Auteroche [1728-1769], who nursed the sick and dying, took it himself and died on the first of August. Mr. Cowan is quite incorrect in his note on this book, saying ‘this celestial phenomenon was visible only upon the coast of California.’ It was in fact visible throughout the western hemisphere and expeditions to observe it were sent to numerous stations. Also Spain not only knew of the expedition, but in the end co-operated in every way to make it a success.” According to most sources, the engraved map of Mexico City probably was based on one by José Antonio Alzate y Ramírez. Barrett 508; Cowan p.114; Hill 278; Howes C299; Mathes, California Colonial Bibliography 61; Palau 67059; Sabin 12003; Streeter Sale 2443. With the bookplate of Albert Edgar Lownes (1899-1978, a Rhode Island textile executive, science book collector and botanical artist); early ink ownership name to title-page (J.N. Mersair?). Provenance: Estate, San Marino, CA. Lot Amendments Condition: Some rubbing to boards, joints and spine; fore-margin of half-title extended, faint soiling to title, slight darkening to a few of the pages within, a few age spots, still a near fine to fine, wide-margined copy. Item number: 172382