Nansen - Paa Ski over Grønland - 1890

[Please note that the background setting in some images was created using AI to present the books in a pleasant environment. These background elements do not alter or affect the true representation and condition of the books]

NANSEN ON SKIING: THE FIRST VICTORIOUS CROSSING OF GREENLAND - COLLECTOR'S COPY
The original account of the first documented crossing of the Greenland ice cap. Nansen recounts the undertaking accomplished in 1888 with five companions, moving from the eastern coast toward the western coast. The volume combines exploration diary, scientific observations, encounters with the Inuit, and descriptions of equipment. Hundreds of illustrations and five folded maps reproduce the itinerary, landscapes, and protagonists of the expedition. First Norwegian edition of 1890, complete and preserved in the evocative illustrated publisher’s binding.

WHY TO BUY
PRIMA EDIZIONE NORVEGESE — Original edition in the author’s language, published immediately after the 1888–1889 expedition.
HISTORIC ENDEAVOR — Direct testimony of the first successful crossing of the Greenland ice cap, a pivotal event in the history of polar exploration.
COMPLETE ILLUSTRATED APPARATUS — Portrait of Nansen, hundreds of illustrations, full-page plates, and five folded maps, four of which are in color.
PUBLISHER’S BINDING AND PROVENANCE — Preserves the green figured cloth of Jul. Thorsen and the bookplate of Charlotte Meyer-Ebhardt.

MARKET VALUE
Complete copies of the first Norwegian edition, preserved in the publisher’s binding, are relatively uncommon on the market. Complete and well-preserved copies can command an indicative value of €1,500–1,700.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION - COLLECTOR'S COPY
Original publisher’s binding in green cloth, stamped with a front plate illustration, drypoint borders on the boards, gilt titles and ornaments on the spine. Portrait of the author in the front free endpaper; numerous black-and-white illustrations in the text, many full-page, by A. Bloch, Th. Holmboe, Eiv. Nielsen, and E. Werenskiold. Complete with the five folded maps, four of which are printed in color. Some physiological foxing. Ex libris of Charlotte Meyer-Ebhardt affixed to the front pastedown. In antique books, with a multi-century history, a few imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description. This insert contains AI Visualizations. Refer to the original photographs to verify the object’s actual condition. The images are an integral part of the description. Pp.: (4); 12; 704; (4).

FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
Paa Ski over Grønland.
Kristiania, H. Aschehoug & Co.s Forlag, 1890.
Fridtjof Nansen.

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
In 1888 Fridtjof Nansen organized a radically different expedition from previous Greenland exploration attempts. He decided to land on the sparsely inhabited eastern coast and proceed toward the western settlements: a strategy that eliminated any possibility of retreat and left success as the only option. With Otto Sverdrup, Oluf Christian Dietrichson, Kristian Kristiansen, and the two Sámi explorers Samuel Balto and Ole Nilsen Ravna, Nansen crossed the ice cap in about six weeks, opening a new era of polar exploration. The group reached the western coast too late for the last available ship and spent the winter in Godthåb, today Nuuk. The book documents not only the crossing but also preparations, sleds, skis, clothing, meteorological observations, survival techniques, and Inuit life. The expedition demonstrated the effectiveness of small, mobile teams capable of adopting local techniques, principles that would profoundly influence subsequent Arctic exploration. The Fram Museum confirms that in 1888 the six men were the first to complete the crossing of the Greenland ice cap. Fram Museum

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Fridtjof Nansen was born in Store Frøen, near Kristiania, in 1861 and died in Lysaker in 1930. Zoologist, oceanographer, explorer, diplomat, and humanitarian, he was one of the most authoritative figures in modern Norway. After crossing Greenland, he led the famous Fram expedition of 1893–1896, attempting to reach the North Pole by exploiting Arctic drift. His research contributed to the development of oceanography and Arctic scientific knowledge. He participated in the process that led to Norwegian independence and served as ambassador in London. After World War I he worked for repatriation of prisoners and for the assistance of refugees and populations affected by famine. His name remains linked to the “Nansen passport,” the international document for stateless people. In 1922 he received the Nobel Peace Prize.

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
Paa Ski over Grønland appeared in Kristiania in 1890 from H. Aschehoug & Co. This first Norwegian edition in a single volume of 704 pages marks the first organic publication of the expedition’s account. In the same year the English translation, The First Crossing of Greenland, was published in London by Longmans, Green and Co. in two volumes. The international success of the endeavor quickly favored translations and subsequent editions, sometimes abridged or revised. The first Norwegian edition stands out for its rich illustrated binding, the extensive illustrational apparatus, and the five folded maps. The title page declares “four color maps,” a statement that is correct because the fifth map is in black and white. Complete copies of all maps still preserved in the publisher’s binding are markedly more sought after. The collation matches that recorded by Christie’s and the Arctic Bibliography: XII, 704 pages, portrait, plates, and five folded maps. Christie’s

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
Arctic Bibliography, vol. 11, no. 12010.
Nansen, Fridtjof, Paa Ski over Grønland. En Skildring af Den Norske Grønlands-Ekspedition 1888–89, Kristiania, H. Aschehoug & Co., 1890.
Nansen, Fridtjof, The First Crossing of Greenland, London, Longmans, Green and Co., 1890, 2 vols.
Nasjonalbiblioteket, Oslo, digitized copies of the 1890 Aschehoug edition, URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2009052903015.
WorldCat, bibliographic records related to the first Norwegian edition of 1890.
Christie’s, Russian America & Polar Exploration: Highlights from the Martin Greene Library, lot no. 6116833.
Fram Museum, På ski over Grønland, 1888–1889.
The Geographical Journal and Scottish Geographical Magazine, contemporary reports and reviews of Nansen’s Greenland explorations.