THE SAILING SHIPS OF NEW ENGLAND 1607-1907 [and] THE SAILING SHIPS OF NEW ENGLAND Series Two [and] THE SAILING SHIPS OF NEW ENGLAND Series Three by [Maritime, Sail] Robinson, John and Dow George Francis - 1922; 1924; 1928

Salem, MA.: Marine Research Society, 1922; 1924; 1928. Together three volumes. First Editions, LIMITED ISSUES, PRINTED ON SPECIAL LARGE PAPER, the first volume being one of only 60 hand-numbered copies of which only 50 were offered for sale, the second volume being one of only 95 numbered copies of which only 85 were for sale, and the last being one of only 97 numbered copies of which only 87 were for sale. These are Marine Research Society publications numbers 1, 5, and 18. Extensively illustrated, the first volume with a frontispiece in colour, the other two with lithographed frontispieces special to the issue, as those in the trade copies being reproduced in halftone. Volume one with 308 illustrations of ships reproduced in black and white from contemporary paintings, engravings, etc, on plates and with additional illustrations within the text; volume two with 244 illustrations of ships on plates and with additional illustrations within the text; and volume three with 214 illustrations of ships on plates and with additional illustrations within the text. Large, tall 8vos, in the publisher's original limited issue bindings of blue printer's boards backed in white vellum, the spines lettered in gilt, t.e.g., each in its own original black slipcase. 66pp; 51pp, 45pp, plus all plates. A fine and beautiful set, the vellum bright with vivid gilt, the text-blocks and all the plates pristine and appearing as near mint, a touch of very minor bumping to the board corners of Vol. I only, Vol. III with very small unobtrusive remnants of a removed bookplate, one slipcase with minor wear, the others quite fine. FIRST EDITIONS OF THE EXTREMELY HANDSOME VELLUM-BOUND LIMITED EDITION OF THIS IMPORTANT COLLECTION FROM THE MARINE RESEARCH SOCIETY. ANY OF THE THREE ARE EXTREMELY SCARCE, THE FIRST VOLUME IS RARE IN THIS FORMAT. TO FIND ALL THREE TOGETHER IN SUCH FINE CONDITION IS AN EXTREMELY RARE OCCURRENCE. A BEAUTIFUL AND ELUSIVE SET. The first volume of this set was the most limited of any of the Society's special issues, with only 50 copies having been offered for sale. The other two are nearly as exclusive with both have well fewer than 100 copies printed.
These volumes, the initial publication of the Society and the two expanding publications, present many ship pictures which had never before reproduced in print and many that are still not available elsewhere. It is the largest and still most authoritative collection of images of the sailing ships built, owned, or commanded by New Englanders. Along with the pictures there are valuable historic summaries of New England shipbuilding and the many, many types of sailing vessels launched from New England's sea ports.