Dutch Exploration and other things Dutch

The Wreck of the Batavia & Prosper – Simon Leys

A fine first hardback published 2005 by Black Inc, Melbourne. Small octavo, 110 pages, illustrated comprising two separate essays of close to equal length.

The author’s account of the unusual going’s on to do with the wreck of the Dutch East Indies Batavia and the horrid aftermath is good succinct account.

Despite the unusual format of the title …Prosper is a totally different narrative and not a wreck account … deeply personal the author Pierre Ryckmans (here under his pen-name Simon Leys) recalls a summer spent on a tuna fishing boat off Brittany … his introduction to “proper sailing”.

Batavia special and unusual combination … Prosper

$22.00

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The Discovery of Tasmania – Duyker(s) and Herman

Another Duyker and Duyker piece with the assistance of Edward Herman translating and interpreting relevant extracts from Tasman and Dufresne’s journals.

Published in Hobart in 1992 never had a dust jacket. In near fine condition.

A very worthy contribution and a must for early discovery historians. Illustrated, with maps and plates and with the text in Dutch and French at the rear. Substantial referencing to other records of interest.

Great content Dutch/French Tasmania

$50.00

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Curious Map of the Eastern Hemisphere – Calmet 1728 – Early Australia Outline

An original special and unusual copper engraved map by Antoine Calmet (1672-1757) published in 1728 for his work on the Creation of the World. Below the map of the Old World is a sphere representing the creation of the Universe with the Earth at its centre. Very good condition un-coloured as it should be with a strong plate impression. 33cms by 22cms in plate impression.

Whilst the map highlights Africa, Europa and Asia the strong depiction of those parts of Australia discovered and mapped by the Dutch is charming with the Gulf of Carpentaria connected to New Guinea as was thought then.

Calmet was a French Benedictine monk and scholar born in Lorraine. He became very learned and out of humility refused honours from the Pope. The map is believed to have been engraved by Strackman (1680-1730) who worked with distinguished cartographers De Fer and De L’ilsle

Price $290.00 framed in stylish charcoal frame in cream mat with black core … a combination that works well with early uncoloured maps … enquire if you wish this map unframed or an alternative.

Unusual early 18thC map with good Australian relevance

$290.00

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Scented Isles and Coral Gardens – Torres Straits, German New Guinea, and the Dutch East Indies – C.D. Mackellar – 1912

Published by John Murray, London in 1912. The greatest travel and adventure publisher of all time.

A very interesting a quite early book on the authors travels. Whilst published in 1912 it contains accounts, primarily from his detailed letter from 1885 onwards. Some of the illustrations are from his watercolours for which he apologises regarding quality. He need not as they are really quite good. There is some mild foxing which is usual for this book as it is printed on that spongy paper of the period.

Nice images and content on the Torres Straits islanders, of Kerapuna in New Guinea and the birds of paradise, the Solomon Islands and New Britain under German rule.

The last 70 pages of 190 are devoted to Java and Sumatra similarly written as if in the moment and with numerous relevant images.

A valuable New Guinea and broader book from the pre WWI era.

The author Campbell Duncan Mackellar (1859-1925) was born in Australia. Little is know of his early life. He wrote novels of which only one was published in Austalia … the rest in England and the USA. This, and one other was his only non-fiction works. In his later life in England he became quite a celebrity through [Unusually} his interest in Balkan politics. He amassed some wealth and was a sponsor to Shakleton’s Nimrod Expedition (1907-1909) and Mawson’s Australian Antarctic Expedition (1911-1914). As a result he got a mountain named after him by the former and a group of islands by the latter.

$90.00

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The Wreck of the Batavia & Prosper – Simon Leys

The Discovery of Tasmania – Duyker(s) and Herman

Curious Map of the Eastern Hemisphere – Calmet 1728 – Early Australia Outline

Scented Isles and Coral Gardens – Torres Straits, German New Guinea, and the Dutch East Indies – C.D. Mackellar – 1912

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