DOLINGER Philippe, MARTHELOT P. HEITZ R. BIEDERMANN A.Livre Rare Book
Visitor's book from the Bruton Galleries; containing signatures of crew members and visitors to the "Discovery" Antarctic Exhibition.
1904réf. 166196London: The Bruton Galleries Bond Street 1904-36. The blockbuster Discovery exhibition of 1904 The original visitor's book for one of the stellar red-carpet events of the season: the Bruton Galleries exhibition of artefacts and artwork from Scott's Discovery expedition a landmark in polar exploration. It includes the signatures of numerous crew members including Ernest H. Shackleton Edward A. Wilson Charles Royds Reginald Skelton and Ernest E. Joyce alongside Clements Markham and Llewellyn Longstaff a financial angel of the expedition. The exhibition which opened in November 1904 was curated by Clements Markham who had organized the expedition and launched Scott's polar career. It was remarkably extensive the catalogue listing 484 items including 150 photographs by Reginald Skelton 200 watercolours and drawings by Edward A. Wilson equipment from the expedition a model of the Discovery rations and the South Polar Times. The photographs and artwork constituted a visual record of Antarctic conditions and documented gruelling conditions bringing home "the scale magic and danger of Antarctica with a compelling immediacy" Merwe & Michell p. 66. The show proved extraordinarily popular with "Bruton Street and New Bond Street lined with motorcars and carriages" Huxley p. 141. "Persons of rank and fashion were marshalled into a long queue by a policeman. Society folk were not used to queues in those days and they protested that they had tickets; so had everyone the constable replied and kept them in line" Huxley p. 141. It fuelled the public's growing excitement about polar exploration: "an exhibit of Wilson's Antarctic art attracted over ten thousand viewers to London's prestigious Bruton Gallery. Advertisements in the gallery catalogue touted paints and binoculars used by the artist in the Antarctic" Larson p 159. The Discovery crew received an exuberant homecoming hailed for their "British grit" and Edward VII awarded each man the Antarctic medal. "Indeed for many Scott and his men became the national heroes that the Boer War had failed to supply. The explorers became celebrities. Crowds packed their public appearances" Larson p. 158. The leading actress Ellen Terry attended the event. She had been present when the expedition docked in Portsmouth later writing a postcard to Scott thanking him for letting her see the Discovery. The members of the Discovery expedition who have signed include Ernest H. Shackleton third lieutenant Edward A. Wilson assistant surgeon and artist Charles Royds first lieutenant Reginald Skelton chief engineer and photographer Ernest E. Joyce petty officer Arthur Henry Blissett steward Jacob Cross petty officer Hartley T. Ferrar geologist and Reginald C. Ford chief steward and stores officer. Curiously Scott is not among them. This might be a consequence of his resolve "to keep as quiet as possible" after the expedition Huxley p. 158. Three Shackleton family members attended: Ernest H. Shackleton's sisters Gladys and Helen besides Eileen Shackleton of Bushey. Other noted polar explorers feature among the visitors such as Robert Rudmose-Brown of the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition Scotia 1902-4 alongside its honorary secretary James G. Ferrier. Another notable voyager is Charles Ede the assistant surgeon on HMS Assistance on the British Franklin Search Expedition 1850-1 and a "Mrs. Reynolds" the great-niece of Franklin. The visitor's book serves as a record of an early 20th-century red carpet event and contains approximately 1000 signatures including the writer Walter Jerrold alongside the artists Felix Moscheles and Marietta Pallis. Robert Baden-Powell the founder of the Boy Scout movement also attended. Princess Beatrice and Maria Amelia Queen of Portugal likewise attended. Successive pages record visitors from Lancashire Yorkshire and Scotland. Moreover there are numerous admirals and military men together with a collector of Egyptian art. Two further sections in the book relate to miscellaneous exhibitions held in later years. Folio 283 x 245 mm. Contemporary dark red skiver by Jas. Truscott & Sons of London flat spine gilt-lettered direct spine and covers decorated in gilt front cover lettered "Bruton Galleries/Visitor's Book" marbled endpapers all edges gilt; 115 lined pages signed bearing approximately 2000 names and addresses all recto of which 57 lined pages with approximately 1000 signatures pertaining to the Discovery expedition. Extremities with slight wear from handling some stripping of leather minor toning general finger soiling. A very good copy. Elspeth Huxley Scott 1990; Max Jones The Last Great Quest 2004; Edward J. Larson An Empire of Ice 2011; Pieter van der Merwe and Jeremy Michell eds South: The Race to the Pole 2018. hardcover
Peter Harrington · Royaume-Uni12 500,00 £GB≈ 14 875,99 €
