THE FIRST TO REACH THE SOUTH POLE: FIRST EDITION IN THE ORIGINAL NORWEGIAN OF AMUNDSEN’S OWN ACCOUNT

(ANTARCTIC) AMUNDSEN, Roald. Sydpolen den Norske Sydpolsfaerd med Fram, 1910-1912. Kristiania: Jacob Dybwads, 1912. Two volumes. Large octavo, publisher’s elaborate light blue pictorial cloth with dark blue panels on front covers surrounding inlaid photographic image of expedition party at South Pole, marbled edges, light blue endpapers.

First edition in book form, in the original Norwegian, of Amundsen’s own account of the first successful attempt to reach the South Pole, with 40 photographic plates, over two hundred full-page and in-text photographic illustrations, and numerous maps and charts, four folding, and facsimiles of notebook entries. An excellent copy of the scarce original Norwegian edition, in the publisher’s elaborate pictorial cloth.

Scott’s expedition to the South Pole was well-publicized, but his rival Roald Amundsen strategically kept the destination of his ship, the Fram, secret until the last moment. When the Norwegian finally revealed he was bound for the Pole, the backer of the British expedition opined that the Fram “has no more sailing qualities than a haystack. In any case, Scott will be on the ground and settled long before Amundsen turns up, if he ever does.” There were crucial differences in approach from Scott’s ill-fated expedition: dogs, rather than men, provided the raw power needed to pull equipment (they also eventually provided a food source) and the Norwegian crew knew to wear fur clothing rather than the wool used by the British team. Amundsen’s party reached the Pole 34 days ahead of Scott. He wrote later in his diary, “The North Pole had attracted me since the days of my childhood, and so I found myself at the South Pole. Can anything more perverse be conceived?” (Huntford, 44). Included in the Jacob Dybwads editions are Amundsen’s first dispatch from Hobart sent 8 March 1912 (pp. vii-xix), a laudatory introduction by Fridtjof Nansen (pp. xxvii-xxxv), and an analysis by mathematician Anton Alexander of the expedition’s sextant data. Originally issued in 40 parts in wrappers the same year, issued in book form immediately following the final part. This is Rosove’s variant c, with marbled edges, no priority established. Text in Norwegian. Spence 14. Taurus 70. Rosove 8.A2.c. Not in Conrad. Faint evidence of owner gift inscription.

Minor color restoration to spine ends and unobtrusive reinforcement to inner paper hinges only. A near-fine copy in the publisher’s original deluxe pictorial cloth. Scarce.