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PALMER (JAMES CROXALL) Antarctic Mariner's Song, AUTHOR'S OWN PROOF COPY with MS annotations, 1868; with another copy, and ALS (3) image 1
PALMER (JAMES CROXALL) Antarctic Mariner's Song, AUTHOR'S OWN PROOF COPY with MS annotations, 1868; with another copy, and ALS (3) image 2
Lot 52

PALMER (JAMES CROXALL)
Antarctic Mariner's Song, AUTHOR'S OWN PROOF COPY WITH ANNOTATIONS, 1868, with another copy, and ALS from the author (3)

10 – 20 March 2025, 12:00 GMT
Online, London, Knightsbridge

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PALMER (JAMES CROXALL)

Antarctic Mariner's Song, AUTHOR'S OWN COPY OF THE FINAL PROOFS, WITH NUMEROUS AUTOGRAPH ANNOTATIONS, 13 wood-engraved illustration on india-proof paper, author's notes (adding factual details, reminiscences, etc besides the verses) on approximately 20 pages, contemporary half morocco gilt over marbled boards, spine titled in gilt, red edges, rubbed, 1868; idem, another copy, 13 wood-engraved illustrations, contemporary half morocco, worn, some loss of marbling to sides [Rosove 246.B1a], 1868, 4to, New York, D. Van Nostrand; together with a 4-page autograph letter signed by Palmer, written whilst aboard the USS Macedonia, 12 July 1860 (3)

Footnotes

'MY OWN COPY: FINAL PROOFS' - The author's copiously annotated and specially bound proofs of the very scarce second edition of this work by J.C. Palmer, the Assistant-Surgeon on Charles Wilkes' United States Exploring Expedition of 1838-42 that established Antarctica was a continent. Palmer's verse, "the earliest published Antarctic poetry" (Rosove) is followed by an appendix describing the journey of the schooner Flying-Fish during the Expedition. In his manuscript notes Palmer writes that "although I was not aboard the Flying-fish, I was surgeon of the Peacock, and had experiences exactly like those of our consort, even to the awful scene of forcing through the ice-barrier", elsewhere discussing the illustrations ("The background is properly accurate, but the floe-ice far too regular: it was a shapeless mass..."), the poem (linking verses to actual events), and recording that a song had been sung "with great noise, on the forecastle of the U.S. Ship Peacock, by Jim Bobstay, Boats Mate". Loosely inserted is an autograph letter signed ("Jas C. Palmer") to a Mr. Rodgers, written whilst serving as a member of the Mediterranean Squadron, from the USS Macedonia whilst docked at New Haven, discussing a tempestuous voyage.

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