![SMITH, John (1580-1631). The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles: with the names of the Adventurers, Planters, and Governours from their first beginning An° 1584 to this present 1624. London: printed by J.D[awson] and I.H[avilland] for Michael Sparkes, 1624.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2017/NYR/2017_NYR_14998_0098_001(smith_john_the_generall_historie_of_virginia_new-england_and_the_summe044744).jpg?w=1)
![SMITH, John (1580-1631). The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles: with the names of the Adventurers, Planters, and Governours from their first beginning An° 1584 to this present 1624. London: printed by J.D[awson] and I.H[avilland] for Michael Sparkes, 1624.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2017/NYR/2017_NYR_14998_0098_002(smith_john_the_generall_historie_of_virginia_new-england_and_the_summe044800).jpg?w=1)
![SMITH, John (1580-1631). The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles: with the names of the Adventurers, Planters, and Governours from their first beginning An° 1584 to this present 1624. London: printed by J.D[awson] and I.H[avilland] for Michael Sparkes, 1624.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2017/NYR/2017_NYR_14998_0098_000(smith_john_the_generall_historie_of_virginia_new-england_and_the_summe095852).jpg?w=1)
PROPERTY FROM THE ROSEBROOK COLLECTION
SMITH, John (1580-1631). The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles: with the names of the Adventurers, Planters, and Governours from their first beginning An° 1584 to this present 1624. London: printed by J.D[awson] and I.H[avilland] for Michael Sparkes, 1624.
Details
SMITH, John (1580-1631). The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles: with the names of the Adventurers, Planters, and Governours from their first beginning An° 1584 to this present 1624. London: printed by J.D[awson] and I.H[avilland] for Michael Sparkes, 1624.
"Now falleth every man to worke, the Councell contrive the Fort, the rest cut downe trees to make place to pitch their Tents; some provide clapboard to relade the ships, some make gardens, some nets, &."
(book 3, pg. 42, describing the first actions of the Jamestown settlers on [14] May 1607.
The first edition, first issue of Smith’s masterpiece, “the foundation of England’s knowledge of America during the early period of colonization” (PMM). The work contains Smith's eye-witness account of the founding of Jamestown, his capture and rescue through the intercession of Pocahontas, his observations during his time spent in Virginia (1606-1609), and his explorations of the New England coast (1610-1617). The Generall Historie is a major American primary source, incorporating much of his early writing as well as contemporary narratives by others.
The six books of The Generall Historie comprise the following: the first book describes the first settlement of Virginia, and the subsequent voyages there to 1605; the second is Smith's description of the country and its Indian inhabitants; the third book relates the occurrences of Smith's voyage and the settlement of Jamestown, from December 1606 to 1609; the fourth book continues the Virginia history from the planting of Point Comfort in 1609 to 1623; the fifth book comprises the history of the Bermudas (or Summer Isles) from 1593 to 1624; and the sixth book contains the history of New England from 1614 to 1624. The book was printed by two printers, to each of whom Smith gave half of their text. Their miscalculations of text length created a break in pagination—there are no pages 97-104. There is only one printing of the text, although Smith continually updated the title-page of the work to keep it current and reflect the death of James I and the accession of Charles I, whose portrait appears on this title. The present copy is the first issue title page, dated 1624 and the text in early impression, with “thir” for “their” in the last line of p. 90, and “degression” for “digression” in the shoulder note on p. 119. The maps are in various states, as in nearly all copies of this edition, as itemized below. This copy without the errata sometimes found pasted to foot of final page or the portrait of Pocahontas, but with the dedication portrait of the Duchess of Richmond and Lenox (the portraits issued separately and inserted in only some copies). Burden North America 164, 187, 212, 213; Church 402; European Americana 624/152; Pilling Algonquian pp. 470-471; PMM 124; Sabin 82824; STC 22790; Vail 68.
Folio (298 x 187mm). Engraved dedication portrait; first issue title page engraved by John Barra (portrait and title inlaid with slight loss at edges, text with light even toning); and 4 engraved maps, comprising; double-page map of Virginia with 5 large vignettes, Burden’s 4th state, 283 x 363mm sheet size; folding map of Virginia by William Hole, Burden’s 11th state, 335 x 427mm sheet size (laid down, supplied after 1934, few tiny losses at edges and to centerfold); double-page map of Bermuda surrounded by views of buildings, Sabin’s 3rd state; folding map of New England, Burden’s 4th state, 312 x 372mm sheet size (long repaired tear, light staining). Late 19th- or early 20th-century full red morocco richly gilt, spine gilt in compartments, turn-ins gilt, green silk doublures, all edges gilt (touch of rubbing to spine ends). Provenance: Frederick R. Halsey (1874-1918; according to information supplied in Huntington sale) – S.R. Christie-Miller to Henry E. Huntington (1850-1926; small pencil duplicate mark; Christie-Miller / Huntington sale, Anderson Galleries, 24-25 January, 1917, lot 266) – Roderick Terry (1876-1933; bookplate; his sale, American Art Association, Anderson Galleries, 2-3 May 1934, lot 307).
"Now falleth every man to worke, the Councell contrive the Fort, the rest cut downe trees to make place to pitch their Tents; some provide clapboard to relade the ships, some make gardens, some nets, &."
(book 3, pg. 42, describing the first actions of the Jamestown settlers on [14] May 1607.
The first edition, first issue of Smith’s masterpiece, “the foundation of England’s knowledge of America during the early period of colonization” (PMM). The work contains Smith's eye-witness account of the founding of Jamestown, his capture and rescue through the intercession of Pocahontas, his observations during his time spent in Virginia (1606-1609), and his explorations of the New England coast (1610-1617). The Generall Historie is a major American primary source, incorporating much of his early writing as well as contemporary narratives by others.
The six books of The Generall Historie comprise the following: the first book describes the first settlement of Virginia, and the subsequent voyages there to 1605; the second is Smith's description of the country and its Indian inhabitants; the third book relates the occurrences of Smith's voyage and the settlement of Jamestown, from December 1606 to 1609; the fourth book continues the Virginia history from the planting of Point Comfort in 1609 to 1623; the fifth book comprises the history of the Bermudas (or Summer Isles) from 1593 to 1624; and the sixth book contains the history of New England from 1614 to 1624. The book was printed by two printers, to each of whom Smith gave half of their text. Their miscalculations of text length created a break in pagination—there are no pages 97-104. There is only one printing of the text, although Smith continually updated the title-page of the work to keep it current and reflect the death of James I and the accession of Charles I, whose portrait appears on this title. The present copy is the first issue title page, dated 1624 and the text in early impression, with “thir” for “their” in the last line of p. 90, and “degression” for “digression” in the shoulder note on p. 119. The maps are in various states, as in nearly all copies of this edition, as itemized below. This copy without the errata sometimes found pasted to foot of final page or the portrait of Pocahontas, but with the dedication portrait of the Duchess of Richmond and Lenox (the portraits issued separately and inserted in only some copies). Burden North America 164, 187, 212, 213; Church 402; European Americana 624/152; Pilling Algonquian pp. 470-471; PMM 124; Sabin 82824; STC 22790; Vail 68.
Folio (298 x 187mm). Engraved dedication portrait; first issue title page engraved by John Barra (portrait and title inlaid with slight loss at edges, text with light even toning); and 4 engraved maps, comprising; double-page map of Virginia with 5 large vignettes, Burden’s 4th state, 283 x 363mm sheet size; folding map of Virginia by William Hole, Burden’s 11th state, 335 x 427mm sheet size (laid down, supplied after 1934, few tiny losses at edges and to centerfold); double-page map of Bermuda surrounded by views of buildings, Sabin’s 3rd state; folding map of New England, Burden’s 4th state, 312 x 372mm sheet size (long repaired tear, light staining). Late 19th- or early 20th-century full red morocco richly gilt, spine gilt in compartments, turn-ins gilt, green silk doublures, all edges gilt (touch of rubbing to spine ends). Provenance: Frederick R. Halsey (1874-1918; according to information supplied in Huntington sale) – S.R. Christie-Miller to Henry E. Huntington (1850-1926; small pencil duplicate mark; Christie-Miller / Huntington sale, Anderson Galleries, 24-25 January, 1917, lot 266) – Roderick Terry (1876-1933; bookplate; his sale, American Art Association, Anderson Galleries, 2-3 May 1934, lot 307).