1878 Rare Book - Life of Sir Martin Frobisher, Knight and the Northwest Passage

Author: Rev. Frank Jones.
Title: The Life of Sir Martin Frobisher, Knight: Containing a Narrative of the Spanish Armada.
Publisher: London, Longmans, Green, and Co., 1878. Second edition.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 7 x 5 inches.
Pages: xxx, 360 pages.
Binding: Near fine and highly attractive original publisher’s blue cloth binding, richly decorated in black and gilt with a striking central pictorial ship design to the front cover and a gilt emblem to the rear (hinges fine, binding firm) under a protective removable mylar cover. All edges gilt. A particularly bright and well-preserved example.
Content: Very good condition. Pages clean overall with light, scattered foxing as seen. This copy bears an attractive Edinburgh school prize bookplate to the front pastedown, printed in Latin and awarded to Joanni J. S. Watson in 1872. The plate features a finely engraved armorial device with a shield surmounted by an anchor. Notably, the same armorial device appears in gilt on the rear cover, creating a pleasing visual link between the book’s provenance and its decorative binding.
Illustrations: Complete with the engraved portrait frontispiece, three maps (including Arctic regions and Davis Strait), and the plate of facsimile handwriting.

Estimate: (USD 250 – 300)

The book: This beautifully produced second edition of The Life of Sir Martin Frobisher offers a compelling account of one of Elizabethan England’s most notable seafarers and explorers. Published in 1878 by Longmans, Green, and Co., the work combines biography with a narrative of the Spanish Armada, situating Frobisher within the broader maritime ambitions and conflicts of the late 16th century.

Frobisher is best remembered for his voyages in search of the Northwest Passage, and this volume richly documents those expeditions, accompanied by detailed maps of the Arctic regions and Davis Strait. The inclusion of a facsimile of Frobisher’s handwriting further enhances the historical character of the book, offering a tangible connection to the explorer himself.

The elaborate publisher’s binding, with its bold maritime motifs and vivid gilt decoration, is a fine example of late Victorian book design. Combined with its complete illustrative program and excellent state of preservation, this copy stands as a particularly desirable example for collectors of exploration, naval history, and finely bound Victorian works.

The author: The Rev. Frank Jones was a 19th-century author and scholar known for his historical and biographical works. In this volume, he brings together contemporary research and historical sources to present a detailed and engaging portrait of Sir Martin Frobisher, contributing to the Victorian revival of interest in England’s maritime past.