Ernest Shackleton's Heart Of The Antarctic Nimrod Expedition frontispiece signed by 16 crew members including the expedition leader Shackleton himself, Adams, Mackintosh, etc. Other signers include, in alphabetical order: Jameson Adams; Bertram Armytage; Philip Brocklehurst; Bernard Day; Ernest Joyce; Alistair Mackay; Aeneas Mackintosh; Eric Marshall; George Marston; James Murray; William Roberts; Frank Wild; and Ray Wriestley. Very good with folds. 8.5" x 10.75."
These autographed page were excised by a previous owner from a deluxe limited first edition of Ernest Shackleton's account of the voyage, "The Heart of the Antarctic. Being the Story of the British Antarctic Expedition, 1907-1909" (London: William Heineman, 1909). The handsome two-volume set (offered alongside its companion volume, "Antarctic Book, Winter Quarters, 1907-1909") featured an unusual double-page frontispiece headlined "The British Antarctic Expedition, 1907-1909." Special book copies were signed by crew members on this double-page frontispiece.
The British Antarctic Expedition was the first of Shackleton's Antarctic expeditions, and marked several important achievements. Although expedition shore parties did not reach the South Pole, they established a Farthest South latitude record, reached the South Magnetic Pole, ascended the volcanic Mount Erebus, and conducted the longest Southern polar expedition to date. Of the approx. 30 crew members, 16 are here represented by their autographs. Three of the signers -- Alistair Mackay, Aeneas Mackintosh, and James Murray -- died on subsequent polar expeditions between 1914-1916.
The signers include:
- Ernest Shackleton (1874-1922), commander of the expedition, signed as "Ernest H Shackleton."
- Ray Wriestley (1886-1974), who served as a geologist, signed as "Ray Wriestley."
- Frank Wild (1873-1939) was a sailor in charge of expedition provisions, and he also participated in shore parties. Signed as "Frank Wild."
- Ernest Joyce (ca. 1875-1940) was tasked with overseeing stores, caring for sled dogs, and maintaining sledges. Signed as "Ernest Joyce."
- Bernard Day (1884-1934), an electrician and motor mechanic, signed as "Bernard C. Day."
- Philip Brocklehurst (1887-1975), assistant geologist, signed as "Philip L. Brocklehurst."
- Jameson Boyd Adams (1880-1962), second-in-command, who was one of the shore party to reach the Furthest South latitude. Signed as "J. B. Adams."
- Eric Marshall (1879-1963), surgeon and cartographer, signed as "Eric S. Marshall."
- Aeneas Mackintosh (1879-1916), Second Officer and navigator. Mackintosh lost his right eye in an accident in January 1908 and did not complete the expedition. He later died attempting to traverse sea ice between Cape Evans and Hut Point in the Antarctic in May 1916.
- William Roberts (born 1872), assistant geologist and cook, signed as "William C. Roberts."
- James Murray (1865-1914), naturalist and biologist, signed as "James Murray." He died on a Canadian polar expedition in February 1914.
- George Marston (1882-1940), expedition artist, signed as "Geo. E. Marston."
- Alistair Forbes Mackay (1878-1914), assistant surgeon and one of the shore party to scale Mount Erebus, signed as "A. Forbes Mackay." He died while attempting to reach Canada's Wrangel Island across sea ice in February 1914.
- Bertram Armytage (1869-1910), in charge of the expedition's stable of Manchurian ponies, signed as "B. Armytage."
- J Edgeworth David
- Douglas Mawson
