LOUIS PHILIPPE I

Original Commemorative Medallion for the Voyage of the Astrolabe and the Zélée.

> click here to see the full size image.

Barre Paris, 1837. Bronze medal, 51 mm., attractive even tone, a few edge nicks, extremely fine. A fine example of the rare original medallion commemorating the departure on 7 September 1837 of the second voyage of the Astrolabe to the South Seas, under the command of Dumont d'Urville, with his companion vessel Zélée.

The French King Louis-Philippe was interested in expanding French presence in the southerly latitudes, and was all too aware of the accomplishments of the Englishman James Weddell in this region. Once again Dumont D'Urville sailed on the Astrolabe (Duperrey's old ship the Coquille renamed in honour of La Pérouse), but this time he was instructed to take his ships to the South Shetlands and then explore as far south as the ice would allow. After many trying months in the high latitudes, the crew began to have problems with scurvy, forcing the two vessels to retreat north to Chile. From thence they sailed to Valparaíso, the Juan Fernandez Islands, and Tahiti. The expedition spent many months visiting Pacific islands such as Samoa, Fiji and Vanikoro (this last with a view to finding out more about the wreck of La Pérouse. Their route took included a brief stop at Port Essington, the doomed British colony in Arnhem Land, and Port Jackson, and Hobart, where he prepared for a second difficult voyage in Antarctic and New Zealand waters. They returned to Toulon in November 1840 after an arduous thirty-eight months at sea.

The full inscription on the reverse reads: "Voyage autour du Monde, exploration du Pole Austral. Corvettes l'Astrolabe et la Zélée. Mr. Ducampe de Rosamel Ministre de la Marine. Mr. Dumont D'Urville Cape. de Vf. Commt. l'Expédition Mr. Jacquinot Commt. La Zélée.".
British Historical Medals, 1207; Marquess of Milford Haven, 377.

• AUD 4,300.00 > otras divisas
• nº de pedido: 903_103

• librero: Hordern House (AUSTRALIA)