Products | Voyager Rare Books Maps & Prints

The Cruise of the Dream Ship – Ralph Stock (1950 Edition in Complete Dust Jacket)

First published 1921, this is the 1950 edition same publisher, Heinemann, London.

Octavo, 265 pages, numerous from period photographs. Super dust jacket for seventy years old, a few spots to top edge and a little aged in the ends, internally very clean and bright, rates as a very good copy.

The Dream Ship was originally designed as a lifeboat for the North Sea fishing fleet. Forty-seven feet with a fifteen foot beam and eight foot draught … to start there was no money to buy here … but these obstacles are often overcome. Purchased, converted and fitted out we are off to the Pacific … first down to Vigo, the Canaries and over to the West Indies and Barbados. Through the Panama and to the Galapagos and then the Marquesas and the Paumoto Islands, Tahiti (its pleasures and problems). Moorea, Palmertson (almost a Hurricane), Savage, Friendly and on to Thursday Island … Finally some advice to “Dreamers of Dream Ships”

Sailing fantasy fulfilled on the Dream Ship

$35.00

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Moana – The Vastness of the Sea – Bernard Gorsky – First English edition 1956

A very nice copy of the first English edition published in 1956.

Translated from the original French by Alec Brown an published by Elek Books, London. Interestingly, still published a year before the French equivalent.

Octavo, 239 pages with endpaper maps and numerous illustrations taken from photographs of the voyage, many underwater. Very goo condition, tres clean inside.

Bernard Gorsky was inspired on reading a sailing adventure. He assembled a crew of three and bought a forty-foot cutter. They set sail from Dinard and the book follows their travels to Tangiers, the Canaries and across the Atlantic to the West Indies with some beautiful sailing and diving. Through the Panama with time in the Galapagos among the turtles and further west to the Atolls of Tuamotu and Tahiti.

The writing is special and has been compared, rather curiously, with Melville and Conrad .. well it is a delight

Moana – a superior sailing and diving adventure

$30.00

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A Voyage Around the World (1785-1788) – Captain George Dixon

One of the harder to find facsimile published Israel, Amsterdam; this one in 1968.

Full original title … “A Voyage Round the World; but more particularly to the North-West Coast of America; performed in 1785, 1786, 1787, and 1788, in The King George and Queen Charlotte, Captains Portlock and Dixon. Dedicated, by permission, to Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. By Captain George Dixon.

Originally published by Geo. Goulding, Haydn’s Head, No ^, James Street, Covent Garden, 1789.

This form thick quarto, xxix (Introduction and Content, 360 pages, plus additional appendices 47 pages. Enormous folding chart of the Pacific as frontispiece. A further 21 plates of charts, maps and natural history exhibits, many folding. Very good condition. Heavy (1.3kgs), will require an overseas postage supplement.

Dixon has served under Cook on the Third Voyage on the Resolution. During that voyage he became aware of the commercial opportunities on the American North-West Coast. Dixon promoted a venture to exploit the fur trade in that region. He became partner in the King George’s Sound Company and an expedition was mounted with Dixon Captain of the Queen Charlotte and Portlock Captain of the larger King George. In the summers of 1786 and 1787 they explored the coastline of British Colombia and Alaska, spending the winter in Hawaiian Islands … they were the first to visit Moloka. Back in the North-West a good cargo of furs was collected, and the party sailed to China where they were traded … returning to England. During their exploits they were the first to understand that Haida Gwaii were islands and not part of the mainland; they explored Queen Charlotte Sound, Yakutat Bay, Sita Bay and the Dixon Entrance … they named the are where they took many fur cloaks .. Cloak Bay.

Dixon one of the less promoted Cook prodigies … with a commercial venture that went around the world and filled in the North-West Pacific.

$120.00

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The Poetical Works of Chaucer – Complete 1782 [The Father of the English Language] – 14 Vols in 7 Original Period Bindings

The very first Bell’s Edition, rare complete. Miscellaneous Pieces from Urry’s Edition of 1721; The Canterbury Tales from Tyrwhitt’s Edition of 1775. The text of each volume printed Edinburg: at The Apollo Press, by the Martins 7th September 1782; engravings John Bell British Library dated variously 1782.

Fourteen volumes bound as seven, small 12mo, with engraved portrait and extra engraved titles to each volume. Over 3,000 pages all up. Bound in full, original mottled calf, spines with gilt bands and designs, separate red leather title labels. Boards ruled in gold, all board edges knurled in gold. A little rubbed and one tender joint, otherwise a very attractive antiquarian set.

Volume I, 267 pages … including the “Life of the Author”. Vol II printed similarly … the Canterbury Tales … 258 pages. Vol III, 223 pages … more Tales and Prologues … Wife of Bath, Friar, Squire, Merchant etc. Vol IV, 236 pages, … Doctors and Monk’s Tale etc. Vol V, 228 pages and the Nun etc. Vol VI, 274 pages … Ploughman … the Merchant’s Second Tale etc. Vol VII, 198 pages The Romaunt of the Rose. Vol VIII, 195 pages … The Troils and Creseide, in five bokes. Vol IX, 198 pages. Vol X, 194 pages the Troils continued. Vol XI, 194 pages … the Legends … Cleopatra, Dido, Ariadne etc. Vol XII, 290 pages … the Dreams, the Cuckoo and the Nightingale. Vol XII, 177 pages … the Complaints … the Black Night, Mars and Venus, the Court of Love etc. Vol XIII, 200 pages, the House of Fame and Ballads … including “The Craft of Lovers”. Vol XIV, 244 pages see below.

The final volume we find most useful, containing, an Account of the Works of Chaucer; Explanations of Abbreviations; Glossary and … Words and Phrases not understood.

Rare complete originally bound set of Chaucer from the 18th Century. With assistance in the “Understanding”.

SO SORRY SOLD

$490.00

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Discoverie of Guiana – Sir Walter Ralegh

Sir Walter Ralegh’s [Old Spelling] account of his expedition to the Orinoco (now Venezuela as opposed to Guyana) published in 1595 was one of the greatest accounts of the Elizabethan era. And, in incredible writing. After all, the man was to go on and write his “History of the World” whilst in the Tower. His speech at his execution cannot be surpassed … by any speech.

This Account published by the Hakluyt Society in 2006 is no mere facsimile of the “out of reach”’ original. The Ralegh manuscript still exist and is in the Library of Lambeth Palace. The editor of this work has studiously compared the manuscript with the published account, the latter influenced by Ralegh’s benefactors and various upper crust promoters of the day.

The larger format Hakluyt of more modern times. 360 pages, 11 illustration including charts, maps etc. A very good copy.

The upshot is truly amazing. Ralegh’s manuscript contains … lively tales of Amazon women, drinking bouts and swash buckling adventures” were all deleted. And, the focus of the published account was moved towards opportunities for profit, gold mines and the like … when the manuscript paid little attention to such matters.

It is suggested that Raleigh, when in the Tower, went along with the fantasies of riches and profits, as a strategy for his release … likely, we suggest.

A special work with the manuscript and the book compared as we turn the pages.

Sir Walter Raleigh up the Orinoco … the First Account of It!

SO SORRY SOLD

$90.00

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A Voyage to the South Sea – William Bligh

Title continues … Undertaken by Command of His Majesty, for the Purpose of Conveying the Bread-Fruit Tree to the West Indies, in His Majesty’s Ship the Bounty, commanded by Lieutenant William Bligh. Including an account of the Mutiny on board the said ship and the subsequent voyage of Part of the Crew, in the Ship’s Boat, From Tofoa, one of the Friendly Islands, To Timor, a Dutch Settlement in the East Indies.

The most authentic of the facsimiles of this popular account. Published by the Libraries Board of South Australia in 1969. Quarto, 264 pages. Original cloth covered boards, title label. One plate of the Breadfruit, 2 folding plans, 4 maps of which 3 folding, various illustrations including frontispiece of Bligh, all in keeping with the original. The multiple fold “Track of the Boat” is so long it’s too hard for use to get a good image.

Famous voyage from England via Cape Town, St Paul and Van Diemen’s Land to Tahiti. Sojourn and description, sailing in return and the Mutiny off Tofoa, open boat voyage for Bligh and his supporters to Coupang in Dutch Timor for a passage to England,

Bligh and eighteen of his crew were set adrift by Fletcher Christian, the Master’s Mate of the Bounty and made the journey of 4,000 miles in an open boat. Several of the mutineers who had settled on Pitcairn Island to return to Tahiti were eventually captured and three were executed in England. Bligh was subject to two further effective mutinies in his career, although only the New South wales fiasco can be blamed on the harsh exercise of his authority.

Bligh … the Breadfruit, the Mutiny and the Boat … the authentic account

SO SORRY SOLD

$135.00

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All products

The Cruise of the Dream Ship – Ralph Stock (1950 Edition in Complete Dust Jacket)

Moana – The Vastness of the Sea – Bernard Gorsky – First English edition 1956

A Voyage Around the World (1785-1788) – Captain George Dixon

The Poetical Works of Chaucer – Complete 1782 [The Father of the English Language] – 14 Vols in 7 Original Period Bindings

Discoverie of Guiana – Sir Walter Ralegh

A Voyage to the South Sea – William Bligh

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