CRANTZ, David

CRANTZ, David. The history of Greenland: containing a description of the country, and his inhabitants… Translated from the High-Dutch…

 

 

London, printed for the Brethern’s Society, 1767.

 

 

£ 1,500

 

 

 

 

FIRST ENGLISH EDITION. 2 volumes. Vol. 1: lix, 405 pp.; Vol. 2: 491 [1]. With Titlepage (x 2), Advertisement, Preface and Table of Contents; 2 folding engraved maps (in vol. 1) and 7 folding copper plate engravings (5 in vol. 1; 2 in vol. 2). Book plate of previous owner on top pastedowns; browning on margins of first and last pages of both volumes; otherwise an internally very clean and crisp copy. Red speckled edges; contemporary dark tan calf; very slight wear on boards; spine divided in six compartments by five raised bands; gilt decoration and red morocco label with gilt title on spine. Fine copy.

 

 

The book contains a detailed and thorough history of Greenland including information on its natural history and its mores and customs. Amongst other topics, it describes whaling, sealing, fishing, health and medicine.  This is one of the most important works on the history of the missionary experience of the Moravian Brethren in Greenland. This 2-volume set contains the first edition in English of this work that was originally published in Dutch in 1765 and is here translated by Gambold.

 

 

 

Arctic Bibl. 3471; Chavanne 5633; Field 383; Sabin 17417; Cox II, p.19.