Travel & Voyages

Roald Amundsen’s Journey in Flight – From Pole to Pole – Garth Cameron.

Hard to find in Australia possibly because of the unusual publisher Skyhorse Publishing albeit first American 2014 having been published by the equally difficult to find Pen and Sword, England version of the previous year.

Octavo, 199 pages, illustrated throughout, maps and from original photographs. Useful although sometimes patronising glossary of terms [we do know what an aircraft is]. Very good if not fine copy.

Amundsen’s aviation involvement and it was extensive and, given the period, rather experimental. He was lost through it in the end … his list of life achievements is undoubtedly heroic – we find this side of him all that more interesting.

The writer a New Zealander with a love of flying – powered and gliding produces a well researched book – the presentation has a hint of a self-published style likely because of then Skyhorse – but we like it.

Amundsen in the air – the cold air that is – a significant story and one that was his end.

$35.00

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Treks and Palavers [Travels in Nigeria]-Richard Oakley – 1938

Before we go further “Palaver” is meant in the truest sense – an improvised meeting which was often held with groups to iron out some difficulty – Oakley was good with a palaver … Voyager likes this book – there is something special about it …

A first edition published by Seeley etc, London [they published a number of high quality serious travel accounts. Thick octavo, 300 pages, good sketch map and numerous full page illustrations from original photographs. No jacket, original red cloth covered binding, top edge stained red as required – very good condition.

A full and interesting account from Captain Oakley who was for a period a Magistrate in the Nigerian Administrative Service. He draws on other key references as well as his own extensive travels and experiences. We like it even more the deeper he gets into Nigeria up towards the Chad border. Surprisingly few good accounts on this African major and their now disappearing underlying culture(s)

Richard Oakley and one of the better accounts on Nigeria.

$60.00

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The Sextant Simplified [A Practical Explanation of the Use of the Sextant at Sea] – Oswald Watts

A later edition of this “go to” book on the sextant published by Thomas Reed, Sunderland etc in 1969.

Octavo, 100 pages, many diagrams and images to explain the use of the instrument as one would expect. A near fine copy.

First glance the sextant is a pretty simple and straightforward device. This book take one from the simple “take and angle” understanding to the more complex use and correction required have a solid and sure position – quite useful the sure bit when facing reefs and rock in previously new territory.

Sextant explained – enough to make you a master mariner – fill up the bathtub and go for it!

$35.00

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In Crocodile Land – Wandering in the Northern Territory – Ion idriess

Published by Angus and Robertson in 1948, a reprint of the first.

Tall octavo, 241 pages, with great period photographs – lots of crocs! A very good copy.

Idriess crocodile and buffalo hunting in the “bad coasts” of the Northern Territory. Wild men and Wilder women!

Idriess gets the Croc’s

$50.00

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“The Arabian Nights” – The Book of the Thousand Nights and A Night & The Supplemental Nights to the Thousand Nights and A Night – 16 Volumes Complete – Sir Richard Francis Burton

To many, one of the greatest men to live in the Victorian era Sir Richard Francis Burton- Adventurer, Explorer, Linguist extraordinaire… originally published the first ten volume work in 1885 and the additional six volumes between 1886 and 1888.

Criticised and acclaimed Burton did not hold back exposing the sexual imagery in the source texts and further emphasising by adding extensive footnotes and appendices on Oriental sexual more.

Because of strict laws on obscene material these volumes were printed privately for subscribers only by “The Burton Club” – this set circa 1910.

Collectable and gift worthy. A trifle rubbed here and there and the gilt spines a little light affected – otherwise a super and substantial set.

Heavy and obviously large in scale – a postage supplement will be required, at cost, dependent on the location of the purchaser … please enquire – it will be worthwhile

The whole of the Arabian Nights in captivating Burton Language.

$490.00

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Under the Southern Cross – Horace Leaf [Intro by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Spiritualism Down under etc] – First Edition 1923

Scarce book and impossible to find with its dust jacket (albeit chipped). A super copy.

Horace Leaf (1886-1971) was a serious spiritualist, clairvoyant with and interest in psychometry and healing. He was a friend and associate of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – who writes the introduction. The pair worked together to find the missing Agatha Christie and made contact with Lenin when he was on the other side.

Conan Doyle had done his own tour of the Antipodes and had wanted Leaf with him – Leaf couldn’t make it. Afterwards, Conan Doyle persisted with Leaf to make a trip down under … Leaf didn’t think he had the financial wherewithal … Conan Doyle responded by saying he had left five hundred pounds in Australia for Leaf.

The book is a very interesting read. Published by Cecil Palmer, London in 1923. Thick octavo, 263 pages, illustrated from photographs taken on tour. All in excellent condition – accept that there are three strange pin style holes right through the rear board and the last group of pages – strange and almost unnoticeable – could be some strange experiment has taken place?

Leaf arrives in Western Australia and makes himself busy and then off to the Gold Fields; on to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane before a boat to New Zealand, north and south islands. Returning to Sydney he makes a trip to Tasmania [the only addition to the Conan Doyle route].

This all sounds like a regular travel trip but not so. Along the way we have interesting psychic goings on with some startling occurrences particularly the Melbourne readings. Interesting positive references to aboriginal character. Near the end we have a journey up Mt Wellington Hobart to a tea house to have the leaves read by a psychic – who passes the test – this must have been at the Springs Hotel which burned down in the 1967 bush fires.

Leaf wrote Conan Doyle’s obituary published in “Ghost Stories” in October 1930. Unfortunately, Leaf may indirectly have exacerbated Conan Doyle’s health leading to his move to the “other side”.

Psychic tour of Australia by Conan Doyle Associate.

$120.00

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Roald Amundsen’s Journey in Flight – From Pole to Pole – Garth Cameron.

Treks and Palavers [Travels in Nigeria]-Richard Oakley – 1938

The Sextant Simplified [A Practical Explanation of the Use of the Sextant at Sea] – Oswald Watts

In Crocodile Land – Wandering in the Northern Territory – Ion idriess

“The Arabian Nights” – The Book of the Thousand Nights and A Night & The Supplemental Nights to the Thousand Nights and A Night – 16 Volumes Complete – Sir Richard Francis Burton

Under the Southern Cross – Horace Leaf [Intro by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Spiritualism Down under etc] – First Edition 1923

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