Products | Voyager Rare Books Maps & Prints

Geographical Memoir of Melville Island and Port Essington on the Coburg Peninsula Northern Australia; Observations on the Settlements Established on the North Coast of New Holland, in the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, London 1834

Published by John Murray, London on behalf of the Society. This is Volume the Fourth 1834 – Part II. Octavo, pages 129-422 plus index and Contents page repeated at rear with four folding maps and two plates at rear. Original card wrapper, chipped to front edge (re-enforced with archival japan paper) otherwise a very good copy in original state

The report on Australia is by Major Campbell, 57 Foot, formerly Commandant of Melville Island. The report comprises pages 129-182 and is regarded as a very early fundamental report on the region. The accompanying map is a sizeable (44cm long) fold out with original hand colouring. The related map is partly discoloured.

Of further interest … extracts from a Spanish Manuscript regarding expeditions between 1749 and 1776 with the view to establishing a Colony on Juan Fernandez. Interestingly, just after Lord Anson’s visit.

Observations regarding the inhabitants of the Southern Coast of Arabia and the route through the desert from Kosir to Kench.

Further reports on the Journal of Captain Robinson on HMS Favourite around Newfoundland. Bartholomew on HMS Leven on the Coast of west Africa. Schoolcraft and the expedition through the Upper Mississippi to Itasca Lake with a nice map at rear. Grenville Temple’s Travels in Tunis. A paper on the Migration of Polynesians by Australian John Dunmore Lang, one of the earliest attempts at the subject. Three Years in Abyssinia by Samuel Gobart. Travels in central Asia by Connolly and Burnes. Miscellaneous items on British Guiana, Chilli, South Africa, the Euphrates and the Nubian desert.

Other than the Melville Island/Port Essington Map and that of the Mississippi explorations we have useful maps of Part of British Guyana and the Central Asian routes of Connolly and Burnes. The two plates are very browned and aged.

Unusual to have Campbell’s report still bound in its original wrappers with the other reports of interest and, of course, the map.

Early RGS Journal and early Northern territory Report – with some interesting extra’s and map.

$290.00

Updating cart…

“Wrinkles” or Hints to Sportsmen and Travellers upon Dress, Equipment, Armament & Camp Life – By H.A.L “the Old Shekarry” … Henry Astbury Leveson. – First Edition 1868.

A rare first edition of this excellent guide for gentleman travellers and sportsmen.

Octavo, 294 pages, plus lengthy catalogue, published by Saunders, Otley & Co, Brook Street, London in 1868. Re-cased in original binding with gilt design to front. All up a very good copy of a scarce item.

Henry Astbury Leveson (1828-1875) was a bit of a gent. Commissioned into the Honourable East India Company at the age of 17. Fought in the Crimea in the Ottoman Cavalry and several other more unusual skirmishes. Between wars he spent much time travelling in Africa and Asia big game hunting and unfortunately shot most things.

A nicely illustrated book and when reading you can see how helpful it must have been to the wanabee explorer traveller full of information, hints and tips and maybe some placed advertisements. Contents start with “Upon Dress” and flow to Equipment; Sporting and Military Armament; with Practical Hints on the Use of the Rifle; Tents and Encampments. Among the “Hints” chapters we see Hints for Naturalists – Directions for Collecting and Preserving Specimens, Closing with a chapter on “the Forest and the Mountain”

No better guide to “enjoyment” and survival in Darkest Africa and Deepest Asia

$180.00

Updating cart…

The Constitution of England or An Account of the English Government – J.L. De Lolme – 1777 (Once the Property of First Fleet Ship Owner – Sir William Curtis 1st Baronet of Cullands Grove).

Published by Kearsley, Fleet Street and Ridley, St James Street, London in 1777

Octavo, 404 pages, bound in full “’tree” calf with gilt decoration to the borders of front and back boards, gilt decoration to spine, black leather title label, maybe later. A beautiful example. Bookplate of first owner, Sir William Curtis Baronet to front paste-down. A few marks around the title otherwise a very good if not better copy.

An 18th Century classic first published in Holland in 1771. Highly praised by Bentham who compared it with the distinguished work of Blackstone. John Louis de Lolme was born at Geneva in 1740 and arrived in England in 1769 where he began studying its Government intrigued by the peculiarity of the system. After a year he began his book … it was complete within another year and published in French as we say in Holland. Seemingly, it was pirated by unknown parties and a poor translation appeared with booksellers in England. De Lolme had the book withdrawn (it cost him a princely sum) and published this translation assisted by Baron Maseres who had been in England for many years and had Chambers at the Temple Bar.

The work enjoyed a high reputation and appeared at a time that Constitutional matters were being vigorously debated. Written in an easy style the book flatters the national pride by representing England as the only country where Government was strong and free. Reviewers thought the work contained many shrewd observations on political affairs and contained genuine original thought.

The first owner Sir William Curtis (1752-1829) was an English businessman, banker and politician. Born in Wapping the son of a sea-biscuit manufacturer who supplied the Navy (money in that!). He became a Member of Parliament for the City of London in 1790 holding the seat for 28 years. For a period, he was also the Lord Mayor of London. He was made 1st Baronet of Cullands Grove in 1802. He later declined a Peerage.

Of very special interest is that, from his amassed wealth Sir William was owner of several vessels, one being the Lady Penrhyn which, on its first voyage, participated in the Arthur Phillip’s First Fleet and carried 101 female convicts to Botany Bay, New South Wales. The ship went on into the Pacific and named Curtis Island, a new discovery after its owner.

Fine 18th Century Constitutional Review – Once the Property of First Fleet Ship Owner – Sir William Curtis.

$240.00

Updating cart…

Tasman’s Kaart – van Zijn Australische Ontdekkingen 1644 – Dr F.C. Wielder

The landmark book by distinguished cartographic expert Dr F.C. Wielder. Published by Martinus Nijhoff, the Hague, Holland in 1942.

A full study of the cartography stemming from the Tasman voyages. Without the large folding Bonaparte map as nearly always. Notwithstanding that, there are nineteen maps and coastal views reproduced, some double page and one double page with fold-out.

Published in Dutch with a minimal amount of English content … the cartographically inclined can follow the gist without language knowledge … but it obviously helps!

Large quarto, 140 pages, original blue cloth covered boards with paper label. Some age to the exterior, internally very good.

References maps include those from Gerritsz, Tasman’s Journal, Jacobsen, Gilesmans, Vingboons and of course Thevenot … the first near full map devoted to Australia.

Fundamental work on Tasman’s charting downunder

$90.00

Updating cart…

Sixth Archbold Expedition to New Guinea 1959 (Ascent of Mt Wilhelm) – Brass – Egloff’s Copy

Results of the Archbold Expeditions No 86. Summary of the Sixth Archbold Expedition to New Guinea (1959)

The Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, New York. Published 1964. Quarto, soft cover with standard blue wrapper, 215 pages plus illustrations from photographs at the end with a detailed folding map of the locations explored. Distinguished anthropologist Brain J Egloff’s copy. Very good condition.

Richard Archbold (1907-1976), American zoologist, was from a wealthy background. He attended Columbia University but never finished his formal training. Before WWII he funded three substantial expeditions to New Guinea. One of the members of his team was the Toowoomba born Leonard Brass (1900-1971) a brilliant botanist. After the War the expeditions resumed with three further expeditions completed in New Guinea under the leadership of Brass. This is the “Summary” of the Fourth Expedition – 1953. Before the War Brass had moved to Canada and then the USA where he became a citizen, working closely with Archbold. He was a curator of the Archbald Collection housed and the American Museum of Natural History.

Brian Egloff has had an inspiring career, assisting the National Museum of PNG, Port Arthur in Tasmania and the preservation and restoration of the Tam Ting Caves in Laos. He has published several interesting books … our choice being “The Bones of the Ancestors – The Ambum Stone” which centres on a 3,000-year-old New Guinea artefact that made its way to Australia.

In this the Sixth Expedition, Brass and his team are back on the mainland. Based out of Lae they took in some high ground including New Guinea’s highest peak, Mount Wilhelm 14,950 feet, to which they made the top. Mt Otto and Mt Michael .. and also to the Eddie Creek region and the Upper Markham Valley

Brass’s reports are written in a very readable style and whilst containing the scientific information expected (they collected another 50,000 specimens) his general narrative of the trekking and observations along the way are very enjoyable.

Fundamental New Guinea record – Sixth Archbold

$80.00

Updating cart…

Fifth Archbold Expedition to New Guinea 1956-1957 – Brass

Results of the Archbold Expeditions No 79. Summary of the Fifth Archbold Expedition to New Guinea (1956-1957)

The Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, New York. Published 1959. Quarto, soft cover with standard blue wrapper, 69 pages plus illustrations from photographs at the end with an annotated map showing the locations explored. Very good copy.

Richard Archbold (1907-1976), American zoologist, was from a wealthy background. He attended Columbia University but never finished his formal training. Before WWII he funded three substantial expeditions to New Guinea. One of the members of his team was the Toowoomba born Leonard Brass (1900-1971) a brilliant botanist. After the War the expeditions resumed with three further expeditions completed in New Guinea under the leadership of Brass. This is the “Summary” of the Fourth Expedition – 1953. Before the War Brass had moved to Canada and then the USA where he became a citizen, working closely with Archbold. He was a curator of the Archbald Collection housed and the American Museum of Natural History.

In this the Fifth Expedition, Brass and his team are in the island groups to the east … Normanby, Fergusson, Misima, Sudest and Rossel (in the Louisade Archipelago), Woodlark Island and Kiriwina in the Trobriands. On the mainland the conducted specimen collections at Moruna near Samarai and near Milne and Modewa Bay.

Brass’s reports are written in a very readable style and whilst containing the scientific information expected (they collected close to 80,000 specimens) his general narrative of the trekking and observations along the way are very enjoyable. At Misima references are made to the glimpse of early gold … if only they had known …

Fundamental New Guinea record – Fifth Archbold – out in the Islands.

$70.00

Updating cart…

All products

Geographical Memoir of Melville Island and Port Essington on the Coburg Peninsula Northern Australia; Observations on the Settlements Established on the North Coast of New Holland, in the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, London 1834

“Wrinkles” or Hints to Sportsmen and Travellers upon Dress, Equipment, Armament & Camp Life – By H.A.L “the Old Shekarry” … Henry Astbury Leveson. – First Edition 1868.

The Constitution of England or An Account of the English Government – J.L. De Lolme – 1777 (Once the Property of First Fleet Ship Owner – Sir William Curtis 1st Baronet of Cullands Grove).

Tasman’s Kaart – van Zijn Australische Ontdekkingen 1644 – Dr F.C. Wielder

Sixth Archbold Expedition to New Guinea 1959 (Ascent of Mt Wilhelm) – Brass – Egloff’s Copy

Fifth Archbold Expedition to New Guinea 1956-1957 – Brass

Product Categories