ANSON, George (1697-1762). Voyage autour du monde, fait dans les années MDCCXL, I, II, III, IV. Edited by Richard Walter [and Benjamin Robins, translated by Elie de Joncourt]. Amsterdam and Leipzig: Arkstée and Merkus, 1751. [Bound with:] Voyage à la...

ANSON, George (1697-1762). Voyage autour du monde, fait dans les années MDCCXL, I, II, III, IV. Edited by Richard Walter [and Benjamin Robins, translated by Elie de Joncourt]. Amsterdam and Leipzig: Arkstée and Merkus, 1751. [Bound with:] Voyage à la Mer du Sud, fait par quelques officiers commandants le vaisseau le Wager. [Translated by l'abbé Rivers and l'abbé Laugier]. Lyons: L. Buisson for Frères Duplain, 1756.

A handsome quarto, bound in morocco, displaying the arms of Marie-Joséphine, comtesse de Provence. The second daughter of Victor-Amédée, third duke of Savoy and king of Sardinia, the princess was born in Turin, 2 September 1753. She married Louis-Stanislas-Xavier de France, comte de Provence (1755-1824) on 14 May 1771. In 1774, with the accession of her brother-in-law Louis XVI, she became the second woman of France after the queen to receive the appellation of 'Madame'. In 1791 she went into exile with her husband in England. When Louis XVII died on 8 June 1795, the comte de Provence was proclaimed Louis XVIII and Marie-Joséphine became 'de jure' queen consort of France. She died in 1810 in Hartwell House, Buckinghamshire, the English residence of the exiled French royal family. It was another four years before her husband finally succeeded as Louis XVIII.

The earlier edition of 1749 by Arkstée and Merkus was the first edition in French of Anson's circumnavigation. Their second edition was more luxurious, being on a better quality of paper with 35 newly engraved plates, including an impressive folding world map by N. Bellin. The companion work on the wreck of the Wager, bound with it, is composed from journals kept by John Bulkeley and John Cummins, Alexander Campbell, Isaac Morris, and one anonymous author, published separately in London or Dublin between 1743 and 1751. The brothers Benoit and Pierre Duplain produced a duodecimo edition simultaneously with the quarto, usually regarded as the first edition. 1st work: Brunet I, 304; Howgego A100. 2nd work: Howgego B200; Sabin 1639; cf. Borba de Moraes I, p.133.

2 works in one volume, quarto (255 x 195mm). 1st work: title in red and black with engraved vignette, engraved arms of the dedicatee, woodcut headpiece to preface repeated above opening chapter, 35 engraved plates, maps and charts, the majority folding (light browning to A1). 2nd work: title in red and black with engraved vignette, engraved headpiece and opening initial. Near contemporary red morocco with arms on sides of Marie-Joséphine-Louise-Bénédicte de Savoie, comtesse de Provence (1753-1810), floral gilt spine, gilt edges [this version of her arms not in Olivier 2549].

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