AURORA AUSTRALIS

NB: This work was the first book completely printed and produced on the Antarctic Continent. In 1907 Shackleton embarked on an expedition to Antarctica aboard the Nimrod in an attempt to be the first to reach the South Pole. Having already visited the polar regions with Robert Falcon Scott on the Discovery Voyage 1903-04, Shackleton recognised the importance of maintaining moral among crew members during the dark winter months; and so to keep boredom at bay, the expedition took with them a printing press, an etching press, quantities of paper and ink and other materials needed to write, typeset, illustrate and bind a full-length publication. This book was produced under extremely difficult conditions in the cramped hut at Cape Royds on Ross Island - the expedition's base and home to fifteen men. Frank Wild and Ernest Joyce had learned the essentials of printing in England prior to departure, but with outdoor temperatures of minus 50 deg. or less, and indoor temperatures often below freezing, they had to move a candle back and forth under the ink plate to keep the ink from freezing solid. Expedition artist George Marston illustrated the volume with etchings and colour lithographs. Crew biologist James Murray, working on his specimens alongside Marston's etching press, noted "I've seen him during a whole night pull of half a dozen wrong ones for one good print, and he did not use so much language over it as might have been expected". Bernard Day, the expedition's motor mechanic, bound the book using venesta board - an early form of plywood - from packing cases to make book covers. These boards often bear stencilled letters indicating the original contents of the packing cases such as bottled fruit, chocolate, or as in this case, marmalade. They then used old pony harness and seal skin for the spine and hinges which secured with cords.

About 100 copies were produced; the exact figure is unknown as copies were not numbered. Of these it is thought about 25 to 30 were bound as in this example. The contents also differ somewhat from copy to copy.

Although produced mainly for presentation to members, friends and backers of Shackleton's expedition, relatively few copies are in fact signed or inscribed in any way; this copy is dedicated to Viscountess Grey, wife of the fourth Earl and one time Governor General of Canada.

£10000-18000

Results: £46,000 which with the buyer's premium took it to £53,000 or ca. $92,000, probably the highest an Aurora has ever sold for at auction. Here's what was said in the local paper:

Polar book is sold off for £53,000

By Tony Henderson, The Journal

A book printed in the Antarctic which ended up in a Northumberland stables yesterday became the most expensive volume to be sold in the North-East.

One of only 100 produced at explorer Ernest Shackleton's overwintering base, it was sold for £53,000 by Newcastle auction house Anderson & Garland.

What is technically the first book printed in the Antarctic had been signed by Shackleton to Lady Grey, the wife of Albert Henry Grey, 4th Earl Grey whose family seat was Howick Hall in Northumberland.

And it will be staying in the North-East as a Northumberland polar enthusiast beat off national and international interest, including bids from New York and Canada.

The book's covers are made from the thin wooden packing of a crate which contained marmalade and pony harness and seal skin were used for the binding. The 1908 British Antarctic Expedition was the second of four to the South Pole by Shackleton.

He took a small printing and etching press to relieve boredom and keep up morale during the long winter months holed up in the expedition base. Team members wrote items, illustrated by lithographs and etchings.

Auction house book specialist John Anderson discovered the book, which was sold by a descendant of Lady Grey, in a tea chest in stables.

He said: "It was a privilege to handle a book which resonates with history. It is an evocative rarity. Not only is the book phenomenally rare, but Shackleton did not sign every book, but he did sign this one to Lady Grey."

The books, never numbered, are known by the stenciled descriptions of what the packing cases contained, such as the chocolate, bottled fruit and coffee editions.

—From The Journal. 23 March 2006

Rare Shackleton book is auctioned for £43,000