Curio

State Library of New South Wales
The life of Captain James Cook

The life of Captain James Cook

1788
Bound volume
London: Printed for G Nicol ... and G G J and J Robinson ..., 1788
Bequest of Sir William Dixson, 1952
SAFE/ Q78/8

Like many collectors of his day, Sir William collected material related to Cook, termed by collectors as ‘Cookiarnia’. Along with numerous copies of the first edition of the Kippis account, he owned a German edition published in 1789, and collected maps drawn by Cook, objects supposedly used by Cook and numerous illustrated editions of Cook’s voyages. He also kept a volume of carefully selected news clippings about Cook and any items that came up for sale. The volume also includes notes from manuscripts and publications that mentioned Cook in any detail.

The distinguishing feature

The distinguishing feature of this Kippis edition is the fine binding and portrait inlaid in the front cover. The goldwork is an example of dentelle (from the French ‘lace’) – a binder’s term for the lace-like decorative borders, usually in gold, on book covers.

The portrait

The portrait is based on a portrait of Cook painted by Nathaniel Dance about 1775. Commissioned by Joseph Banks, the Dance portrait has become the best-known and most widely reproduced image of Cook. For many years, Banks kept the portrait above his fireplace as reminder of his friendship with Cook. According to another Cook biographer, Nicholas Thomas, the portrait shows a ‘severe naval man, tapping a map of the southern hemisphere.’* 

Footnotes
* Nicholas Thomas, Cook: the Extraordinary Voyages of Captain James Cook, 2003, p 265.