Thirty Years in the Arctic Regions; or, The Adventures of Sir John Franklin
New-York: H. Dayton, Publisher, 1859.
A compelling mid-century compilation detailing the harrowing polar expeditions of the celebrated explorer.
This narrative outlines Franklin’s first three voyages alongside information respecting his tragic final journey. A notable American printing complete with its striking oil-colored frontispiece.
FEATURES: Original textured blue cloth with blind-stamped border designs on the boards; frontispiece plate printed in oil colors by J. W. Orr, N.Y., titled 'Discovery of the Franklin Expedition Boat'; 7.25 inches tall; 480 pages.
CONDITION: Very Good. The bindings are tight and square. Text is clean with light, even age-toning. The original textured blue cloth shows moderate shelf handling wear, with light rubbing to the corners and spine ends. Internal pages are free of markings, and the oil color frontispiece retains its vibrant hues.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE —
Sir John Franklin was a veteran British Royal Navy officer whose early overland and maritime expeditions mapped vast, uncharted stretches of the Canadian Arctic coast. His disappearance on his 1845 expedition triggered one of history's greatest rescue efforts, reshaping global knowledge of polar geography through the search parties themselves.
This 1859 volume published by H. Dayton represents a key moment in the commercialization of polar narrative, catering to an insatiable public appetite for updates on the lost crew. By blending Franklin's own journals with contemporary synthesis of the final expedition's fate, it stands as an enduring monument to the nineteenth-century quest for the Northwest Passage.
SCHOLARLY FEATURES
+++ Polar Exploration Historiography: Compiled at a peak period of international interest following the 1854 discovery of Franklin relics by John Rae and the ongoing search operations.
+++ Visual Culture: The J. W. Orr oil color frontispiece serves as an excellent primary example of early American color printing technologies applied to popular travel literature.
+++ Geographic Influence: Contributed heavily to the romanticized Western perception of the Arctic as an unyielding, heroic proving ground.
SUBJECTS: Arctic Exploration, Northwest Passage, Sir John Franklin, Maritime History, Polar Expeditions, Travel Narrative, Maritime Literature, Americana.
BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: Sabin 25628, Arctic Bibliography 5182.
Item #22109
Price: $225.00
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