* BOUGAINVILLE, Hyacinthe Yves Philippe Potentien, Baron de (1781-1846). Journal de la Navigation Autour du Globe de la Frégate La Thétis et de la Corvette L'Espérance pendant les années 1824, 1825 et 1826. Paris: Imprimerie et Fonderie de Rigoux for...

3 volumes, comprising: 2 volumes text, 4to (299 x 222 mm); atlas, folio (536 x 352 mm). Text: half-titles, wood-engraved title vignettes and tail-pieces. Atlas: 56 plates, maps and plans, comprising 34 lithographed views, 12 hand-colored engraved natural history plates, double-page hand-colored aquatint of various native vessels, folding engraved map, 2 double-page coastal profiles, and 6 double-page engraved maps and charts. (Some minor intermittent spotting.) Uniformly bound in contemporary quarter tan diced russia, marbled boards, smooth spines gilt (joints vol. I starting, atlas spine chipped at head with 2-in. loss).

FIRST EDITION of the official record of Bougainville's voyage around the world. The main intention of the voyage was political: to extend French influence in Indochina. However, Bougainville also touched at Pondicherry, Manila, Macao, Surabaya, Sydney, Port Jackson, Valparaiso and Rio de Janeiro. Bougainville had served as an 18-year-old ensign on the Baudin voyage, and after distinguished service in the Napoleonic wars, he was given command of the frigate La Thétis and the corvette L'Esperance. He spent several months in and around Sydney, where he collected considerable ornithological material. From here both ships crossed to Valparaiso where la Touanne commenced his overland journey to rejoin the expedition at Rio. The account of this journey takes up much of the second volume, together with René Primevère Lesson's account of the natural history (see lot 117). Borba de Moraes I, p.115; Ferguson 2236; Fine Bird Books (1990) p.79; Hill 162; Nissen ZBI 483; Sabin 6875; Whittell p.68; Wood p.251; Zimmer 83.