Beschreibung:

Norwegian Antarctic Expedition, 1910-1912 "The South Pole": the complete set of fifty-seven direct positive glass lantern slides illustrating Amundsen's successful expedition to the South Pole. United Newspapers, London: [1912]. 3¼ x 3¼in. (8.2 x 8.2cm.), the mounts incorporating a printed slip '"THE SOUTH POLE" COPYRIGHT ON UNITED NEWSPAPERS LTD/SOLE MAKERS NEWTON & CO 37, KING ST., COVENT GARDEN, LONDON W.C.' and signed with initials, numbered and titled in white within the mount ('APF 1 Roald Amundsen.' etc.) by a contemporary hand. In the original cardboard case inscribed 'Amundsen Expedition to S. Pole' on the top Some twenty-five or so of these images were published in Amundsen's account of the expedition The South Pole and several more in biographies of the great explorer. It would appear that about half of the images have not been seen by the public other than in the public lectures held as part of the post-expedition fund raising effort by which Amundsen hoped to pay part of his expedition expenses. A 30-page booklet "The Discovery of the South Pole-Capt. Amundsen's expedition: a lecture... to accompany... lantern slides, etc." was written by Arthur Chater, the translator into English of Amundsen's narrative account of his South pole expedition, and published by Newton & Co. in 1912. Many big scoops in connection with exploration are credited to the United Newspapers group. In 1896 the group puhblished exclusively Dr. Nansen's narrative of his attempt to reach the North Pole, the ewxplorer receiving £4,000 for his account. The group had a similar contract with Shackleton for his Farthest South expedition, as did Amundsen for his South Pole expedition. It is believed that this full set of slides is an extremely rare example of only a very few sets produced by Newton & Co. in mid/late 1912. 57