David Spilman Fine Books

Narrative of a Voyage to the Northwest Coast of America in the Years 1811, 1812, 1813, and 1814; or the First American Settlement on the Pacific [Astoria]

Franchere, Gabriel [J.V Huntington, Ed. & Trans]

New York: Redfield, 1854. Very Good. First American Edition. [First French Edition 1820] 12mo [7.5x5.5in]; 376 pp., [8] advertisements, three plates including frontispiece of Fort Astoria 1813, "second edition" preface by Huntington and appendix [added from French edition]; Original dark green pebbled cloth covers with gilt lettering on spine, blind stamped borders on front and back, all edges trimmed, plain end papers; Minor shelf wear to edges and corners, rubbing and soiling to original covers and corners, top and bottom of spine a little frayed, some foxing to plates and throughout, prior owner calling card tipped in [Graff 1400, Wagner-Camp 16:2]. Item #13798

Gabriel Franchere (1786-1863) was a French Canadian author and explorer of the Pacific Northwest [Wikipedia]. From Wagner-Camp, "In 1810 Franchere sailed on the ship Tonquin to the Columbia River for the founding of Astor's new trading post, Astoria. Franchere remained there from April 1811 to the spring of 1814." He then traveled overland to Montreal, arriving in September 1814. The first edition of this book was published in French in 1820. Washington Irving used it as a source for his book Astoria,or, Enterprise Beyond the Rocky Mountain. This first English edition adds a preface and appendix.

Price: $350.00