Maps | Archive | Voyager Rare Books Maps & Prints

The Voyage of the Brig Mercury – Including Maria’s Islands near Van Diemen’s Land

Full title … Observations and Remarks made during a Voyage to the Islands of Tenerife, Amsterdam, Maria’s Islands near Van Diemen’s Land; Otaheite, Sandwich Islands, Owhyhee, the Fox Islands on the North West Coast of America, Tinian, and then to Canton, in the Brig Mercury, Commanded by John Henry Cox …

Illustrated with a Sketch of the Island of Amsterdam, a Plan of Oyster Harbour at the Maria Islands, with some views of the Land; a Curious Medal; and a Club accurately engraved.

Originally published for the author Lieutenant George Mortimer of the Marines, T Cadell in the Strand et al. in 1792.

This fine facsimile published by Israel, Amsterdam in 1975. Small quarto, 73 pages with the charts faithfully reproduced. A clean crisp copy.

The original account of this voyage difficult near impossible to obtain. Mortimer suggests that the Voyage was chiefly undertaken from motives of curiosity by Mr Cox, the fur trade on the North West Coast of America was the ultimate objective.

Mortimer’s narrative is a pleasing and easily read account. The visit to Amsterdam Island well to the South in the Indian Ocean, nearly Antarctic, is important to cold weather island enthusiasts. Cox had planned to call in at Adventure Bay in Van Diemen’s Land but missed it and ended up at Maria’s Island … he named Oyster Bay and the charts produced is of historical value. The progression across the Pacific to the North west Coast of America has unique elements and interesting encounters with Russians in the locale.

Mortimer on Cox’s Voyage .. important Tasmanian content

$60.00

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South American Aguti and Paca – 1820

An original hand coloured engraving using the stipple technique published as part of the “Dictionniare des Sciences Naturelles” by Dumont de Saint-Croix published in Paris c1820’s. Engraved by Stranhi after an image by Pretre.

At the time the Aguti (Agouti) and Paca were thought to be of the same family group … not so now .. they have different toe arrangements etc.

They are however, both herbivorous rodents and among the largest in the world.

The Paca can achieve a weight of 14kg on a good diet and is the more attractive with its sides patterned with spots and stripes. There are two distinct types … the lowland variety cab be found all the way from Northern Argentina to Mexico. A smaller Paca lives in the northern Andes and the Paramo grasslands.

The Agouti is generally a smaller animal weighing in around 4 kgs. They are pretty shy compared with the Paca and pretty scared of humanoids. They prevail over much of the middle and north of South America and in the West Indies.

Price $160.00 framed in Voyager Natural History style ….

South American Rodents – rather cute – and large

$160.00

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Map of Bengal – Petrus Bertius – 1602

An original and delightful miniature copper engraved map of “Bengala” by the great geographer Bertius published in the Latin edition of his miniature atlas of 1602. The engraving were carried out by Jocodus Hondius.

The decorative map show the Bay of Bengal the main towns, surrounding hills and the rivers coming down to the delta including the sacred River Ganges. A special little map fro lover of the region.

Price $90.00 unframed or $190.00 framed in typical Voyager style with lavish gilt surround

The Mystery of Bengal Over 400 Year old

$90.00

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Map of the World – Cartographer De l’Ilse – Engraved and Published by Chatelain – c1730

An original copper engraved map of the world in two hemispheres by Gullaume De L’Isle published in Amsterdam by Chatelain.

The full title to the map is … “Mappe Monde ou description Generale du Globe Terrestre suivant M. De L’Isle de l’Academie Royale des Sciences”.

A curious map reflecting the unknown and the incorrect at the time. Nothing understood about the North West Coast of America although a land mass. to the east, is identified but not named … this is the fictitious “Campany’s Land”. The Dutch understanding of Australia (Nouvelle Holland)is shown with its limitations but without the south coast of Tasmania, noting also the mountain ranges shown in the North West. A most unusual map with some interesting features.

Gullaume De l’Isle (1675-1726) was a leading French cartographer of his period, following Sanson. His father was involved in geography and education although Gullaume was independent and bright at an early age. He was mentored by the great Astronomer Cassini. He became a member of the Acadamie Royale de Sciences and was appointed by Louis XIV to teach geography to the Dauphin. Like most cartographer his maps continued to be published well after his death. His intellectual property was eventually taken over by cartographer Bauche.

Henri Abraham Chatelain (1684-1743) was a Huguenot who lived variously in Paris, London the Hague and Amsterdam. He was the main mover in a family of engravers and publishers, and produced the Atlas Historic which included maps after De l’Isle of which this delightful World Map is an example.

Price $260.00 unframed or $390.00 framed in Voyager rare map style … enquire if you wish it framed or need to discuss framing options.

Intriguing world map with lots of curiosity.

$260.00

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Willem de Vlamingh’s Explorations of Australia, 1696-1697 – Willem C.H. Robert

Published by Philo Press, Amsterdam a first edition 1972.

Large octavo, 206 pages with fold-out map at rear and nautical charts, illustrated. Very good near fine condition.

A special and hard to get account of Vlamingh’s explorations of the coastline of Western Australia.

They left a pewter dish on Dirk Hartog Island and the journals and maps in the Dutch archive which form the basis of this scholarly work.

In Old Dutch and English translated with care of the then meaning.

Four excellent fold out charts assist the reader.

A special reference hard to find and fine condition

$80.00

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The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society London – April 1925 – The Great Barrier Reef

Complete edition April 1925 in original blue wrappers. Pages 281-376 after adverts, preliminaries etc with folding map at rear.

The Great Barrier Reef by Colonel Sir Gerald Lenox-Conyngham and F.A. Potts the latter talking about “Life of the Reef”. Irish born Conyngham (1866-1956) was a surveyor and geodesist of some note. He was trained at the Royal Military Academy Woolwich and at Chatham. His study partly emphasises how little was known about the Great Barrier Reef at the time and his remarks and the report of Potts resulted in some lengthy discussion afterwards with interesting references back to Bramble, Stokes, Owen Stanley etc again emphasising the importance of the knowledge gained during those early 19thC voyages.

Further of interest is a lengthy report on Nepal by Brig-General C.G. Bruce and Major Northey with a nice map and excellent photographs.

And, a good study of the North-West extensions of the Jubaland Plain and the drainage of the Upper Nile by John Parkinson

Great Barrier Reef – 1925 Perspective

$90.00

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The Voyage of the Brig Mercury – Including Maria’s Islands near Van Diemen’s Land

South American Aguti and Paca – 1820

Map of Bengal – Petrus Bertius – 1602

Map of the World – Cartographer De l’Ilse – Engraved and Published by Chatelain – c1730

Willem de Vlamingh’s Explorations of Australia, 1696-1697 – Willem C.H. Robert

The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society London – April 1925 – The Great Barrier Reef

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