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Aku-Aku by Thor Heyerdahl (RARE, First Edition), 1958 📜🏛️🗿

Name: Aku-Aku by Thor Heyerdahl (RARE, First Edition), 1958 📜🏛️🗿
Brand: Wall Antiques
Price: 75.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$75.00

Sale Sold out

Chapter 1: Introduction 📜🔍🏛️

This is a first edition, first printing of the book Aku-Aku: The Secret of Easter Island by the Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl.

The listing includes two copies: a hardcover edition with its original dust jacket, published by Rand McNally & Company in 1958, and a later paperback edition from Ballantine Books. The book is a sound acquisition for any serious collector of exploration narratives, archaeology, or first editions.

Chapter 2: About the Book 📖✍️✨

Aku-Aku is the account of Thor Heyerdahl's 1955 archaeological expedition to Easter Island. He and his team attempted to solve the mystery of how the giant moai statues were moved and erected.

The narrative is a blend of scientific inquiry, personal adventure, and cultural discovery. Heyerdahl’s book is known for its detailed descriptions of the island's history and culture. The book's authenticity and adventurous spirit are captured in its direct, firsthand prose.

The hardback copy, which is the focus of this listing, includes 62 photographs in full color, a feature noted on the dust jacket.

Chapter 3: About the Author ✍️🏛️

Thor Heyerdahl (1914-2002) was a Norwegian ethnographer and adventurer. He is best known for his Kon-Tiki expedition in 1947, where he sailed a balsa wood raft from South America to Polynesia.

Heyerdahl’s work was often controversial among academics, but he was a global celebrity whose books and films captivated a generation of readers with their bold ideas and adventurous spirit. He also led the Ra expeditions, attempting to cross the Atlantic in a papyrus reed boat.

Chapter 4: Historical/Political Era Context 🌍🕰️📜

Published in 1958, this book is a document of a post-war America that was at the height of its scientific and technological confidence. The book reflects a societal fascination with exploration and adventure in a time of Cold War anxieties.

The book’s narrative, with its focus on solving a historical mystery, provided a sense of wonder and intellectual curiosity for readers. The book’s publication also coincides with the rise of the modern non-fiction narrative, a genre that sought to make complex topics accessible to a mass audience.

Chapter 5: The Ideal Collector 💡🧐🏛️

This book is for a curator of exploration narratives, a scholar of anthropology, or a private collector of modern first editions.

It is an ideal acquisition for an individual who values a book's intellectual and historical significance. It is an item for a library that tells a story not just through its content but through its existence as a rare cultural landmark.

Chapter 6: Value & Rarity 💎✨🏛️

This First Edition of Aku-Aku is 67 years old as of 2025.

As a first edition of a popular and well-regarded work, this book is a collectible item. The scarcity of a well-preserved first printing in this condition is a key factor in its value.

The presence of the original dust jacket with the hardback copy is a significant factor in its collectibility and value. The book has made its journey from its original publication in Chicago, USA, to its home in Carmichael, California.

Chapter 7: Condition 🔎📚✨

This is a detailed condition report.

Hardcover: Used hardcover with the original dust jacket. The hardback is in a solid state, with a tight binding and clean pages. The covers show some rubbing and shelf wear, which is expected for a book of this age. The dust jacket is intact with some minor tears and edge wear.
Paperback: The paperback is a later edition and is in fair condition. It shows significant wear on the spine and covers, but all pages are present.
Inscriptions: There is a handwritten inscription on the endpaper of the hardcover that says "J. Southwick" with price markings of "$2.95" and "$989". There is also the number "'25" written below it. There are no personal inscriptions or markings in the paperback copy.

Chapter 8: Fun Facts & Unique Features 🤓📜🤩

Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki expedition was so famous that it was the subject of a best-selling book and an Academy Award-winning documentary.
The book's title, Aku-Aku, is the name of a guardian spirit in the mythology of Easter Island. Heyerdahl chose this title after a local chief revealed the secret location of hidden statues by calling out to his Aku-Aku, or personal guardian spirit.
Thor Heyerdahl's expeditions were not just about adventure; they were designed to test his theories about ancient trans-oceanic migrations. His Kon-Tiki voyage was to prove that ancient South Americans could have reached Polynesia, and his Ra expeditions were to demonstrate that ancient peoples could have crossed the Atlantic in reed boats.
Heyerdahl himself was an accomplished artist who sometimes sketched his expeditions, and some of his drawings are included in his books.