Kane (Elisha Kent). The U.S. Grinnell Expedition in Search of Sir John Franklin, A Personal

Kane (Elisha Kent). The U.S. Grinnell Expedition in Search of Sir John Franklin, A Personal Narrative, 1st edition, New York: Harper & Brothers, 1853, 552,[8]pp., 3 maps & charts (including one folding), 5 mezzotint plates (including frontispiece), 8 tinted lithograph plates, one wood engraved plate and numerous wood engraved vignettes to text, 8 pages of adverts at rear, scattered spotting throughout, original cloth gilt, joints and head & foot of spine strengthened & repaired, some refurbishing to spine and corners, light cracking to joints, 8vo Sabin 36998. Very rare first edition of the classic of arctic exploration, more often found in the re-issue of 1854. 4,000 copies were originally printed and bound awaiting distribution in Harper's warehouse when a fire destroyed the building and majority of copies on December 10, 1853. The plates were stored in a vault and escaped damage. Harper's quickly printed a new edition bearing the 1854 date. Only a few copies of the 1853 edition had been issued before the fire. (1)