Whaling Log Book Sells For $3,600

February 2, 2017

An early 19th-century whaling log fetched $3,600 at National Book Auctions' Jan. 21 sale. The bound manuscript, featuring 48 leaves and 16 ink drawings, pertains to the whaling ship "Victory" of New Bedford, captained by Henry Adams. The ship left New Bedford in July 1823 for the whaling grounds off the coast of the southern tip of South America. The log begins in August of that year, and the ship reached the whaling grounds in October. The unnamed officer who kept the log was evidently put back to sea, as the log recommences in July 1824 on board the ship "New Galen" from Boston, heading toward Mexico.
The sale, held at the auction house's Freeville, N.Y., saleroom and through Invaluable, also featured material dating back to 1549. It was also the second session of a private collection of collectible modern horror, mystery, and science fiction books. Titles of note included "Astro-Theology" by William Derham; "A Voyage Round The World" by George Anson; "The Box from Japan" by Harry Stephen Keeler; and "Vampire" by Hanns Heinz Ewers.
National Book Auctions is a specialist auction house focusing almost exclusively on rare and collectible books and ephemera. Its sister company, Worth Auctions, handles a broad variety of personal property including fine art, furnishings, jewelry, coins, and more.
For more information, email either mail@nationalbookauctions.com or mail@worthauctions.com.

 

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