Rare prospectus of the articles of association of the Dutch Whaling Company (Nederlandsche Walvischvisscherij-Maatschappij), published to attract new shareholders. The company estimated that they needed approximately 600,000 guilders (ca. € 6,300,000 today) for the construction and rigging of five new ships. The work starts with an introduction in praise of whaling, and especially the Dutch whale hunt, followed by 32 articles explaining the companies constitution. The Dutch Whaling Company - which operated under a government-granted monopoly - was founded by Coenraad Brandligt who joined forces with the merchant house Van Marselis. In the same year Brandligt also published an historical overview of the Dutch whale fishery, urging to exploit different waters instead of the more traditional locations such as Greenland and the Davis Strait. He recommended the Dutch whalers to head for the Northwest Coast of North America.
With bookplate of G.J. Honing. In very good condition, only slightly browned with a few dog-eared leaves. Edges of the wrappers somehwat frayed and partly split on spine. Jenkins, Bibl. of whaling, p. 148; Muller, America 1799; WorldCat (5 copies); for the company: Schokkenbroek, Trying-out (2008), pp. 81-84.