THE SOUTH POLAR TIMES 1902-1911. Centenary Edition. Three Volumes. [together with;] Volume IV.

Four volumes. Quarto. Limited edition. Publisher's original blue cloth with titles in gilt to the upper boards and spines and mounted colour illustrations within gilt borders to the upper boards. Blue silk page-markers. Profusely illustrated throughout in colour and black and white. A fine set, the bindings square, firm and bright, the contents immaculate throughout.

The first three volumes were originally published 1907-14, this facsimile offered in a numbered edition of 350 (this being number 227). The fourth volume was never previously published, this being copy 227 of an edition of 500 in which a facsimile of the text held by the Scott Polar Institute is accompanied by an extensive introduction by Ann Savours. This details the production of the South Polar Times; a comprehensive biography of the explorers who contributed to it; and a short section on "the tradition of polar publishing". The South Polar Times was originally produced to relieve the boredom of the cold, dark winter nights and raise the spirits of the men on board. In addition to its essays on seals, whales and penguins, therefore, there are also comic poems, puzzles, stories and cartoons. Scott's comments in the preface to the first published edition, written in 1907, seems to indicate that the journal achieved its goal: "I can see again a row of heads bent over a fresh monthly number to scan the latest efforts of out artists, and I can hear the hearty laughter at the sallies of our humorists and the general chaff when some sly allusion found its way home". A handsomely produced edition, offering an intimate insight into Scott's legendary expeditions.