[ROALD AMUNDSEN]. The South Pole: An Account of the Norwegian Antarctic Expedition in the "Fram," 1910-1912. London: John Murray, 1912.
FIRST EDITION in English. In two volumes; leather-bound; hardcovers; thick octavos (22.5 x 16.5 cm); pp. xxxv, 392; x, 449. English text, translated from the Norwegian by A.G. Chater. Handsomely bound in burgundy three-quarter morocco by Morrell; cloth sides; top edges gilt; half-titles. With 21 maps and charts, 136 illustrations, appendices. Printed by Billing and Sons, Limited. Condition: NEAR FINE. Bindings tight, secure and square, with the joints and hinges perfectly intact, covers very well-preserved. Contents compete, some trivial sporadic spotting, without previous ownership markings. Exquisite.
Notes: First edition in English, published the year before the New York edition and quite scarce. Amundsen had originally planned an expedition to repeat Nansen's drift with the Fram through the Arctic Ocean, and presumably to try for the north pole, but support for the project fell with the announcement of Cook's & Peary's accomplishments. He then turned toward the south, even though Scott's plans to attempt the south pole were well known and was severely criticized (mostly in Great Britain) for competing with Scott. The two polar journeys were in marked contrast, and form part of one of the greatest dramas of exploration - Amundsen made the trip with dogs and skis, and with little difficulty, reaching the pole a month before Scott's party; Scott and four others reached the pole, but died on the return, just short of safety, after an heroic but ill-planned trip, dragging their own sleds. The English edition includes ten additional photographic illustrations not used in the original Norwegian version. Rosove, 9.A1; Spence 16.
