Tobias Furneaux signature - Two indentures for the Furneaux and Wallis families in Cornwall - 1766 and 1739

Rare example of Tobias Furneaux's Signature

Two Indentures from 1766 and 1739 signed by the Furneaux and Wallis families in Cornwall. One is signed by Tobias Furneaux himself and is from 1766, while the other is signed by John Wallis (Samual Wallis’s father) from 1739.

Tobias Furneaux was Commander of HMS Adventure on Cook’s second Voyage to the Antarctic and was first man to circumnavigate the globe in both directions. He would later sail to England with Omai, the first Tahitian to visit Europe, on the Ship the Adventure. Omai would be famously painted by Reynolds. Furneaux was the first European to step foot on Tahiti (on Samuel Wallis’ 1766 voyage). He is an important figures in the history of exploration of the Pacific. These documents highlight the links between the Furneaux and Wallis families and give some background history to the man.

The Furneaux family document describes the family home at sully in Cornwall and was signed in February 1766, a few months before Tobias Furneaux left from Plymouth with Captain Samual Wallis on their voyage to Tahiti. This voyage is described in Volume 1 of Hawkesworth's voyage (1773).

Tobias Furneaux’s signature is very rare - I cannot find any previously at auction.