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[6], 40 pp, Folding engraved map. (8vo) 16x9 cm (6¼x3½"), modern calf in antique style. First Edition.

The rare German first edition of "An account of the new northern archipelago, lately discovered by the Russians in the seas of Kamtschatka and Anadir," published later  the same year in English. The map is the rather charmingly engraved "Carte du nouvel Archipel de Nord decouvert par les Russes dans la Mer de Kamtschatka et d'Anadir," with a depiction of natives fishing from the shore in front of their wooden domicile. Warren Heckrotte comments, "The Vorbericht states that the text and chart first appeared in the Geographical Calender, Petersburg, in 1774. (How did Lada- Mocarski miss this? Probably couldn't locate a copy, so ignored it.) The Text was in German. Efimov reproduces the Russian chart. The map in the English edition is a more complete and exact copy of the Russian map than that of the German edition. Priority is given to the German edition, probably because it reproduces the original German text. The German edition is much rarer than the English." OCLC/WorldCat lists only nine copies of this German edition in institutional libraries, and no copies have sold at auction since 1975 according to American Book Prices Current.

Further Notes from the Files of Warren Heckrotte

Provenance: Golder, 11/85

References: L-M 20. Howes S-863. Masterson and Brower, Bering's Successors. Medushevskaya in Cartographia, 13, 1975. Efimov reproduces the original Russian map.