[Antarctic; Scott; Discovery; 'antarctic' printing] The South Polar Times. NO.1 of 250 and No.1 of 350

FULL DESCRIPTION ON APPLICATION. Booklist have cut off final sentences. First limited edition of the complete collection of the South Polar Times, a periodical created by Scott's crew during his two polar expeditions on the ships Discovery and Terra Nova. Quarto, three volumes, publisher's gilt decorated cloth, all edges gilt, frontispiece to each volume, elaborately illustrated with engravings after the expedition members' original drawings, many in colour, many pages loose but restored from degraded condition to fine-looking volumes.Volumes I and II are number 1 of only 250 copies, volume III is number 1 of 350 copies. Gutta percha 'takes the place of sewing for holding the leaves together' but required the intervention of a bookbinder to put it together again, with very marginal imprecisions. See note below on such bindings (from ABC for Book Collectors). As the binder himself reveals: I utilised the same method as the original binder. This was a highly unusual (for the period) glued binding technique, glueing individual pages to a cloth spine. I was able to keep all parts of the original books, with the one exception that I needed to insert new paste-downs on the inside covers. I did luckily have the exact paper used in the original in the workshop. As for the durability of the binding, it will be exactly as the original, ie not as robust as a stitched binding. This kind of binding is usually used for paperbacks or catalogues, not books of this size and weight. The fact that the original books fell apart is no surprise. Nobody would expect a glued binding to last for centuries. But it should hold well enough. And it has the benefit of being an authentic restoration!The binder has added new endpapers and created a box to keep the Volumes in. The Letters and 'Antarctic' printing are separately boxed - enclosures include letters from J.K. Laughton (Co-Founder, Secretary, Navy Records Society) and Lady Kathleen Scott to Clements Markham, sometime President of the Royal Geographical Society, indicating that this was his set, fittingly for his contribution to Antarctic Exploration. Also enclosed: two items printed on the Expedition (presumably on the Discovery while it made its way to the Antarctic) of which the only other copies traced are part of the Discovery Papers (MS 366/17;ER [Antarctic 1901-04] in Cambridge University Library collections. See description of separate items below.Captain Robert Falcon Scott led two expeditions to the Antarctic: on the ship Discovery from 1901-4 and the Terra Nova from 1910-13. Scott and his men entertained themselves during the long, dark winter months by creating the South Polar times, a monthly magazine typed and illustrated by the expedition members and read aloud to all deck hands. It was decided that each number should contain, besides the editorial, a summary of the events and meteorological conditions for the past month, certain scientifically instructive articles dealing with our work and our surroundings, and certain others written in a lighter vein. As the scheme developed it was found that other features, such as full-page caricatures, acrostics, and puzzles, could be added; and now each month sees the production of a stout volume which is read with much interest and amusement by everyone. One of the pleasantest points with regard to it is that the men contribute as well as the officers; in fact, some of the best and quite the most amusing articles are written by the occupants of the mess-deck, of whom one or two show extraordinary ability with the pen. But beyond all else the journal owes its excellence to the principal artist, Wilson, who carries out the greater part of the illustration and produces drawings that would be appreciated any where (Scott, The Voyage of the Discovery, 362)Scott's (and the Expedition) connection with Markham is mentioned in his Wikipedia entry: Before his appointment to lead the Discovery expedition, Scott had a career as a naval officer in the Royal Navy. In 1899, he had a chance encounter with Sir Clements Markham, the president of the Royal Geographical Society, and thus learned of a planned Antarctic expedition, which he soon volunteered to lead. Having taken this step, his name became inseparably associated with the Antarctic, the field of work to which he remained committed during the final 12 years of his life.About the Gutta Percha binding: [GUTTA-PERCHA, or CAOUTCHOUC, BINDINGAn invention of the versatile Thomas Hancock ], this process by which a rubber solution takes the place of sewing for holding the leaves together, has been employed at intervals by bookbinders since about 1840 […] In most 19th century books so bound the rubber has perished, so that some, if not most, of the leaves have come loose. Since they are cut flush at the back, instead of being GATHERED in QUIRES as for normal CASING, it is almost impossible to make a tidy job of RE-SETTING them. [John Carter, ABC for Book-COLLECTORS (3rd Edn, revised, 1961].Letters and Ephemera:These letters and ephemeral items were enclosed in a copy of South Polar News, No.1 of 250/350 (separately described eventually), encouraging the presumption that it was Clements Markham's copy, his Presidency of the RGS adding weight to this presumption, and stimulus to Antarctic Explorartion. Another letter to him from J.K. Laughton (pioneer naval historian), and material printed at the South Pole (all found in South Polar News) will be described separately below.a. Lady Scott [Kathleen Scott, née Edith Agnes Kathleen Bruce] (1878-1947), widow of Antarctic explorer Robert Falcon Scott [Sir Clements Markham (1830-1916), President of the Royal Geographical Society] Two Autograph Letters Signed to Sir Clements Markham describing how during the Great War she has pledged herself 'pocket & soul to a french military hospital'. ONE: 23 January [1915]; on letterhead of 174 Buckingham Palace Road, SW [London]. TWO: 19 February 1915; on letterhead of the Hopital Temporaire d'Arc-en-Barrois (Haute-Marne) [France]. Two excellent letters (Found enclosed in South Polar News - see above See note at end), indicating the boundless energy of this extraordinary woman: she gives a vivid account of her efforts to establish a field hospital in France, reports on a dinner with the 'dejected' Prime Minister Asquith, describes her execution of her most famous sculpture, and gives details of the war service of various 'Antarctics'. See the entries for her and Markham in the Oxford DNB. Both items in very good condition, lightly aged and worn. Both signed 'Kathleen Scott'. ONE 23 January [1915]): 4pp, landscape 12mo. Folded twice. Annotated by Markham in a shaky hand (he was within a year of his death): '23 January 1915 / Lady Scott' and 'Kathleen'. Begins: 'My dear Sir Clements / I found your letter on my return from France where I have pledged myself pocket & soul to a french military hospital over towards the frontier of Alsace - It is far from the Coast & the Duchesses & in a place where it is very badly needed - We have french (150) soldiers & an English Staff. I took over an ambulance a short time ago. We went over on a transport - 70 motors & 150 men & me! Then I took my contingent of 8 right across France by road from Havre, thro' Senlis, Meaud [sic] Montmirail etc - Of course the Germans had long left, but signs of their shells & trenches & many graves were there'. She has returned for three weeks to 'see Peter' (her son the future painter and ornithologist Peter Scott), 'make a Statue' and 'raise more funds for the hospital', which of the three reasons for returning she loathes, 'but its worth it'. She can 'add a few' to his 'list of Antarctics serving', and does so listing nine individuals and their placement. 'I hear Evans fired too shots at one of our own Submarines & missed it! Capt Campbell told me!' 'Campbell' is Victor L. A. Campbell (1875-1956), who had been first officer on Scott's 1910 Terra Nova expedition, and she continues regarding him: 'He is longing to be at sea & rather chafing at having been turned into a soldier.' She reports that she died with the prime minster 'Mr. Asquith last night who seemed rather dejected about the navy. Admiral Bailey is to be superseded because of the Formidable affair. Regarding what is perhaps her most famous work, a large bronze of her husband, she writes: 'I am at work on a very big statue of Con for Waterloo Place for the Fleet. It is nearly finished & I think the best I have done.' She concludes: 'I never heard any more of the Indian memorial to Bowers. Do take care of your two dear selves'. TWO (19 February 1915): 2pp, 4to. Folded three times. Annotated by Markham: 'Kathleen / 19 Feb'. Begins: 'My dear Sir Clements / How very very kind of you to send me that cheque. I am so very grateful. This work is wonderfully well worth doing, we have 100 wounded now & are preparing to take in another 50. We have very serious cases indeed, & amputations have to take place distressingly often. Today a poor fellow who has been a garcon at the Gare S. Lazare for 16 years has to lose his leg. The pluck of these people is most inspiring, & their perky manners very touching.' The French government have treated the hospital very well up to that point, '& save that we have a bad-tempered head surgeon we should be a very efficient & well worked concern'. She has been 'back & forwards five times since the beginning of the war', and regrets that is not at the hospital very much, 'but each time I get safely home I have passionate wires begging me to return immediately, which is tiresome'. She has 'seen no Antarctic people lately'. After asking after Markham's plans, she writes that her son Peter is 'growing into an enormous child & really ridiculously intelligent'. In the course of a long postscript she writes that 'Dennis Lillie wants to join me here as an orderly & I'm thinking of having him in spite of Dr Atkinson who says to him God help the poor fellows you try to succour [;] you will probably dump them down somewhere & forget all about them!' The postscript ends, again regarding Victor L. A. Campbell: 'Capt Campbell I believe goes out tomorrow to the Dardanelles in Command of Drake Division of Naval Brigade.' b. [Discovery; Antarctic Printing; on the voyage out!] Leaflet/Handbill, one page, 4to, fold mark, blue ink, good condition, announcing in caps, Discovery Lectures | No. 2... FULL DESCRIPTION ON APPLICATION