Travel & Voyages

The Search for the “Kobenhaven” and other true sea stories of the Depression Years – Minto and Stevens

Published by Graeme Andrews Productions, Epping in 1984. Number 530 of a 1,000 print run. Soft cover, octavo 52 pages, well illustrated. Cover showing some wear from use but really a very good copy. From the maritime library of Michael Connell and carries his bookplate.

The authors Thomas Minto and Eric Stevens. The main story is the search for the Kobenhaven, a magnificent five-masted Danish trading vessel which went missing on a voyage from the River Plate to Melbourne in 1928. The steam powered Junee was sent to find her, Minto was third mate. Alas the Kobenhaven was never found what we have here is a reminiscence of the attempts of the Junee in very difficulty conditions.

The rescue of the Milluna was successful and the last voyage of the Parma is nicely told by Eric Steven who crewed that voyage.

Superb photographic images throughout.

Nice maritime trilogy by Minto and Stevens

$20.00

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Easter Island Monuments – Cook’s Second Voyage – Benard Paris 1785

An original copper engraving from 1785 of the monuments at Easter Island. Engraved by Benard and published in Paris as part of the French version of Cook’s Second Voyage.

“Moumens dans l’isle de Paques” a deep and dramatic depiction. Classical overtones and yet in a modern sense even “Daliesque” … we really admire the structure.

Printed area 36cm by 21cm with near invisible central fold as issued. Strong thick paper and a strong dark ink image.

Would frame nicely in Voyager uncoloured map style in cream mat with black core and charcoal frame. Here priced unframed at $190.00. Just enquire if you wish the framing option.

Striking Image for the Easter island Curios

$90.00

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Mon Voyage Aux Terres Australes – Journal Personnel du Commandant Baudin illustre par Lesueur et Petit

A special book, in the French language, published by Imprimerie Nationale, Paris in the year 2000. Large octavo, 467 pages original illustrated softcover. Very high standard of colour illustration.

Illustrations include 2 sketch plans, 2 maps, 4 charts and 10 facsimiles of original manuscripts, plus 96 colour plates with 195 illustrations – including 5 insects, 5 animals, 96 fish and marine animals, many relating to Australia. Also some views and many coastal views and 10 magnificent portraits of aboriginals. Very good near fine condition.

The journal of Baudin commences in March 1800 at Le Harve. Baudin had been given command of an expedition to map the South West and South coast of Australia. He had two ships, Geographie and Naturaliste the latter captained by Hamelin. They had a total of nine naturalists on board. By May 1801 they has reached the West Coast of New Holland. Moving east they famously met Flinders at Encounter Bay. They sailed to Sydney and down to Van Diemen’s Land and reached the d’Entrecasteaux Channel and then Maria Island by November 1801. It is claimed that more than 2,500 new species were discovered on the voyage.

Incidentally, it is now claimed that naturalist Francois Peron later wrote a report for Napoleon on ways to invade and capture the British Colony at Sydney Cove.

Even if you have limited French this book is worthwhile for the magnificence of the illustrations.

Baudin his Journal in French as it should be …

$80.00

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Brown Men and Women or The South Sea Islands in 1895 and 1896 – Edward Reeves – First Edition 1898

Published by Swan Sonnenschein & Co, London in 1898. Large octavo, 294 pages with sixty illustrations and a large folding map (in excellent condition) . Bright gilt embossed image on front boards, original maroon cloth covered binding in very good condition.

Edward Reeves was a New Zealand missionary who spent many years on various islands in the South Pacific. He gives forthright observations on native culture and recounts his own experiences on Tonga, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tahiti, Society Islands etc.

The folding maps is of Tongatabu. The images are a bit peculiar at times, in particular the “cannibal feast in the making” … looks more like Hollywood to us. Regardless, we find the book honest and useful despite the unsatisfactory title

Reeves in the Pacific with his camera in the 1890’s

$80.00

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Isles of Illusion (Letters from the South Seas) – Edited by Bohun Lynch – First Edition 1925

First edition published by Small. Maynard and Co, Boston in 1923.

Octavo, 331 pages, browned because of nature of paper otherwise very clean internally. Gilt title to front board still bright and clean, spine somewhat sunned. A pretty good copy.

The author of the many emotional and illuminating letters was to remain anonymous and Lynch refers to him as Asterisk in the lengthy introduction. We learn there that the author, real name Robert James Fletcher (1877-1965), was an Oxford graduate and man of taste. The letters result from over seven years in the New Hebrides and it was tough for Fletcher.

J.G. Bonhun Lynch (1884-1928) has some success as a novelist. Based on the quality of the letters, English publisher Constable convinced Asterisk (Fletcher) to publish a novel which he did titled “Gone Native a Tale of the South Seas” … it was semi-autobiographical.

Fletcher wrote many letters before Gone Native

$50.00

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The Island Builders of the Pacific – Walter Ivens – First Edition 1930 – Prestigious Ownership Scarce Dust Jacket

Published by Seeley, London a first edition 1930 in very good condition with full dust jacket. Prestigious relevant ownership.

Title continues … “How and Why the People of Mala Construct their Artificial Islands, the Antiquity and Doubtful Origin of the Practice, with a Description of the Social Organization, Magic and Religion of their Inhabitants”

The author Walter G. Ivens, at the time, was a Research Fellow of the University of Melbourne and had already authored several respected anthropological works. Very good condition and very rare to find it in its dust jacket.

Thick octavo, 317 pages, 18 illustrations from photographs, three maps of which two are folding and one most interesting sketch map of Mala.

The book covers; North Mala; the Artificial Islands; Social Organisation; Marriage, Women and Children; Ghosts; Priests and Sacrifices; Sharks and Crocodiles; Porpoise and Turtle Hunting; War and Fighting; Burials, Death-feasts and Panpipes; Magic, Divination, Omens, Signs and Dreams; Ceremonies, Tabu, Restrictions and Curses; The North-East lagoon and its People; Gardens and House Building; The People of Morodo; Folk-lore and The Cultures of North Mala.

Ownership stamp of esteemed anthropologist Harold W Scheffler (1932-2015) at Yale and his name written and dated 1960 when he would have been completing his PhD at Chicago where he was a Fullbright scholar. During that period he conducted 18 months field work on the island of Choiseul in the Solomons so this book may have been with him. He joined the Yale faculty in 1963 and his principle research continued in the Solomon Islands and also Vanuatu and among the aboriginal people of Australia focusing on kinship and social organisation. He published many papers in this field. The book has many careful and tidy pencil annotations which could be removed but we have not as we believe it greatly adds to the interest of this copy.

Scarce interesting prestigious owner

$160.00

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The Search for the “Kobenhaven” and other true sea stories of the Depression Years – Minto and Stevens

Easter Island Monuments – Cook’s Second Voyage – Benard Paris 1785

Mon Voyage Aux Terres Australes – Journal Personnel du Commandant Baudin illustre par Lesueur et Petit

Brown Men and Women or The South Sea Islands in 1895 and 1896 – Edward Reeves – First Edition 1898

Isles of Illusion (Letters from the South Seas) – Edited by Bohun Lynch – First Edition 1925

The Island Builders of the Pacific – Walter Ivens – First Edition 1930 – Prestigious Ownership Scarce Dust Jacket

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