Antarctic Days. Sketches of the Homely Side of Polar Life by Two of Shackleton’s Men: Introduced by Sir Ernest Shackleton.

SHACKLETON, Ernest; James Murray and George Marston.

$20,000.00

Item Number: 132467

London: Andrew Melrose, 1913.

Limited edition de luxe of this account of the 1907-09 Nimrod Expedition under Shackleton. number 181 of 280 copies signed on the recto of the limitation leaf by E.H. Shackleton, James Murray and George Marston. Octavo, original blue cloth with gilt titles to the spine and front panel with a mounted color illustration, top edge gilt, 4 mounted color plates after watercolors by C. Day, 34 photo illustrations on 28 plates. In near fine condition with a light rubbing, with the original dust jacket lacking the spine. A very nice example, as most copies have been rebound and we have never seen another example in the original dust jacket. Introduction by Sir Ernest Shackleton.

"For the first time an unofficial, and therefore more human document, is presented to the public .. I would advise anyone who wants to get to the kernel of the life of a Polar explorer to read the book" (Ernest Shackleton). "Very scarce...a fine complement to the two giants of the Antarctic bibliography also emanating from Shackleton's 1907-09 expedition, Aurora Australis and The Heart of the Antarctic, and one of the most sought-after Antarctic titles" (Rosove). Written with a good deal of jocularity, it gives us a feeling for the personal side of Shackleton's Nimrod expedition. [Spence 830; Taurus Collection 61; Rosove 236]