A rare association copy from one of the twentieth century’s most iconic expeditions
This remarkable first edition of Kon-Tiki represents a near ideal form of association copy. Not only is it signed and warmly inscribed by Thor Heyerdahl, but it also bears the signatures of every member of the six man crew who sailed the balsa raft across the Pacific in 1947. Such fully subscribed copies are seldom encountered and belong among the most desirable artifacts connected to the expedition.
The volume captures the extraordinary human constellation behind the journey. Heyerdahl, the driving mind and visionary leader, is joined by Herman Watzinger, the engineer responsible for the raft’s structural calculations; Erik Hesselberg, the navigator and artist; Bengt Danielsson, the ethnographer whose Polynesian studies became central to the project’s intellectual frame; and the radio operators Torstein Raaby and Knut M. Haugland, both decorated for their wartime service. Their collective signatures transform the book into a document of shared endeavour, courage, and scientific curiosity.
Heyerdahl’s dedication reads:
“To Mrs. Maria Moström with warm regards from Thor Heyerdahl, 16 December 1949.”
Beneath it follow the signatures and greetings of the entire crew, including Danielsson’s evocative “With South Sea greetings,” dated in Stockholm on 6 November 1951. The inscription suggests a personal presentation, likely by Heyerdahl himself, placing the book firmly within the network of individuals touched by the expedition during its immediate post publication moment.
The binding shows honest wear consistent with handling and age. The signed leaves remain clean and entirely legible, preserving the clarity of each autograph. As an artefact, the book stands at the intersection of exploration literature, twentieth century cultural history, and the mythology of scientific adventurism that defined the postwar period.
Full crew signed copies rank among the rarest and most sought after editions of Kon-Tiki. This example offers collectors an exceptional opportunity to acquire a complete and authenticated witness to the expedition and to the personalities who shaped its enduring legacy.
A rare association copy from one of the twentieth century’s most iconic expeditions
This remarkable first edition of Kon-Tiki represents a near ideal form of association copy. Not only is it signed and warmly inscribed by Thor Heyerdahl, but it also bears the signatures of every member of the six man crew who sailed the balsa raft across the Pacific in 1947. Such fully subscribed copies are seldom encountered and belong among the most desirable artifacts connected to the expedition.
The volume captures the extraordinary human constellation behind the journey. Heyerdahl, the driving mind and visionary leader, is joined by Herman Watzinger, the engineer responsible for the raft’s structural calculations; Erik Hesselberg, the navigator and artist; Bengt Danielsson, the ethnographer whose Polynesian studies became central to the project’s intellectual frame; and the radio operators Torstein Raaby and Knut M. Haugland, both decorated for their wartime service. Their collective signatures transform the book into a document of shared endeavour, courage, and scientific curiosity.
Heyerdahl’s dedication reads:
“To Mrs. Maria Moström with warm regards from Thor Heyerdahl, 16 December 1949.”
Beneath it follow the signatures and greetings of the entire crew, including Danielsson’s evocative “With South Sea greetings,” dated in Stockholm on 6 November 1951. The inscription suggests a personal presentation, likely by Heyerdahl himself, placing the book firmly within the network of individuals touched by the expedition during its immediate post publication moment.
The binding shows honest wear consistent with handling and age. The signed leaves remain clean and entirely legible, preserving the clarity of each autograph. As an artefact, the book stands at the intersection of exploration literature, twentieth century cultural history, and the mythology of scientific adventurism that defined the postwar period.
Full crew signed copies rank among the rarest and most sought after editions of Kon-Tiki. This example offers collectors an exceptional opportunity to acquire a complete and authenticated witness to the expedition and to the personalities who shaped its enduring legacy.
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