Products | Voyager Rare Books Maps & Prints

Sea Dangers [The Affair of the US Brig Somers] – Philip McFarland

First edition, published by Schocken, New York in 1985. Large octavo, 308 pages, a little age to jacket otherwise a very good copy.

In 1842 on the American Brig “Somers” a young officer and two seamen were hung for mutiny, a court martial followed for the commanding officer. A very well researched and written book.

Formed the basis of “Billy Rudd” by Herman Melville.

American Mutiny … or was it?

$25.00

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Raymond Howgego’s Monumental reference on the Exploration of Australia and Beyond.

Four Massive volumes which we regard complete, as they contain all the factual works [Howgego also produced a book on fictional travel]. Published progressively by Hordern House.

Land and sea exploration from the earliest days to circa 1940. Over four thousand pages in all with surely every event and fact worthy of mention. In pristine condition, weighing over 11 kgs so postage will be circa $80.00 at cost.

Raymond Howgego was teacher of physics before he gave that up to become a full-time traveller and travel writer. Possibly put down more words than any other living person. Seemingly can handle almost all European languages and Arabic and probably a few others. He still has an interest in amateur radio and fixing electronic items … we withhold his call sign, but you can find it if you try.

As new comprehensive definitive history of Exploration.

$580.00

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De Re Metallica – Georgius Agricola [the Hoover Translation]

This is the second printing of the famous Hoover translation of the equally famous 16^th Century monumental publication by Georgius Agricola on all things then known in mining, metallurgy, geology etc.

Longer title … De re Metallica translated from the first Latin edition of 1556 with biographical introduction, annotations and appendices upon the development of mining methods, metallurgical processes, geology, mineralogy & mining law from the earliest times to the 16^th century by Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover.

This edition, published by Dover, New York in 1950. 638 pages after xxxi preliminaries, illustrated throughout from the images of the original wood engravings. Blue green themed dust jacket variant. Jacket near perfect. A very good to better copy.

The series of books within the book (an early style) I Arguments against the art of mining II The miner and the mining of veins III Veins and stringers and seams in rocks IV The method of delimiting veins and the functions of the mining officials V The digging of ore and the Surveyor’s art VI The miner’s tools and machines VII The assaying of ore VIII Rules for the work of roasting, crushing, and washing the ore IX Methods of smelting ores X the work of separating silver from gold, and lead from gold and silver XI Separating silver from copper XII rules for manufacturing salt, soda, alum, vitriol, sulphur, bitumen, and glass … Agricola’s works – Ancient authors on mineralogy, mining, metallurgy- Nomenclature to be adopted for weights and measures etc.

There is so much to admire about this book … the date of the foundation work, its breadth and quality, the learning from the engravings. Strangely maybe we particularly like the section on pumps in mines – essential equipment for water bound mines and the ingenuity pre powered machines is very interesting. Regarding the translation – what a job done by Hoover(s). The difficulty must have been very challenging – for example Agricola struggled to find Latin equivalents for many mining terms so had to contrive them from everyday Latin words – Hoover then had to decipher these once and only Latin words – unsurprising that his hair was depleted.

De Re Metalicca – The Foundation Work for all Mining and related – the readable version

$140.00

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The Tasmanian Tiger in Pictures – Dr Eric Guiler

A scarce item by the unchallengeable Thylacine expert Dr Eric Guiller.

Published in 1993. Soft wrapper, landscape, 28 pages with numerous illustrations from old photographs and contemporary photographs from the authors expeditions and field studies – he followed the Thylacine for over 40 years. Also, maps showing sightings and “unfortunately” earlier killings, sketches of Tiger tracks identified by Eric Guiler etc.

Very good if not better condition.

Guiler out and about the bush …. searching for the Thylacine – convincing.

$80.00

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The Wedding Guest Sat on a Stone – Richard Shattuck – First US Edition 1940

Published by the World Syndicate, New York in 1940. Another that made it into a movie.

Octavo, 262 pages, pretty good condition.

A somewhat amusing mystery concerning, amongst a lot of frivolity, numerous attempts to hide a dead body which after one failed attempt in an elevator … disappears.

The title comes from the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, if you understand how that is framed – each chapter here has some context – a bit high-brow really for the genre.

If you want to hide a dead body this will tell you where not to hide one!

$50.00

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She Shall Have Murder – Delano Ames – First US Edition 1949

Published by Rinehart, New York in 1949.

Octavo, 245 pages. The first book in a series of murder mysteries featuring Jane Hamish and Dagobert Brown. Super stuff a plot that would fit today’s take on the classic murder mystery.

Delano Ames and American, who moved to England and then Spain had huge success with this genre.

Made into a movie the following year.

A plot built on a fantasy of a plot.

$50.00

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All products

Sea Dangers [The Affair of the US Brig Somers] – Philip McFarland

Raymond Howgego’s Monumental reference on the Exploration of Australia and Beyond.

De Re Metallica – Georgius Agricola [the Hoover Translation]

The Tasmanian Tiger in Pictures – Dr Eric Guiler

The Wedding Guest Sat on a Stone – Richard Shattuck – First US Edition 1940

She Shall Have Murder – Delano Ames – First US Edition 1949

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