Africa

Original 400 plus Year of Map of Tercera [The island of Terceira in the Azores] – Petrus Bertius – 1616

An original copper engraved miniature map by the great Petrus Bertius [1565-1629]. Published in the 1616 edition of the Tabularun Geograpicarum – the map engravings were executed by Jodocus Hondius Jnr who was related to Bertius.

Beautifully detailed, nicely coloured and embellished map with square rigged ship and sea monster. Numerous place names, mountains, rivers and vineyards, scale and compass and cartouche based around local produce. Nice hatching in the ocean areas. As you can see fine condition.

Framed approx. 30 cm by 25 cm – Map engraved area approx. 15 cm by 12 cm.

Framed in Voyager miniature map style for $290.00 or the map itself for $150.00

Geoffrey King the miniature map authority regarded these maps to be the most beautiful miniature maps ever made.

$150.00

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From the Niger to the Nile – Lieutenant Boyd Alexander – First Edition – Two Volumes 1907

Published by Edward Arnold, London first and second impressions of the first edition of a two-volume set. Very nice condition in the original red cloth covered boards with gilt titling.

Large octavo, xvi, 358 pages and 420 pages with numerous illustrations and maps, three folding. A little fading to spines.

Heavy items which may require overseas postage supplement to our standard charge.

An uncommon set and fundamental exploration account particularly relating to the area around Lake Chad.

The expedition was originally designed to survey the northern parts of Nigeria and prove that Africa could be travelled west to east using the available natural waterways. Alexander was accompanied by his brother Claud, Captain G.B. Gosling, and a Portuguese explorer collector Jose Lopes. They set off in February 1904 from the mouth of the Niger travelling upriver to Lokoja. A survey was then completed of the Murchison Range. Claud died of typhoid. Alexander and Gosling continued on to explore Lake Chad, circling and charting the entire body. In June 1906 Gosling died of blackwater fever. Alexander pressed on with Lopes, and eventually reached the Nile later in 1906. Returning to England he received the highest award in exploration … The Founder’s Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society. He completed these volumes partly in honour of his brother.

The story does not finish there. Alexander returned to Africa with Lopes in 1909, visiting his brother’s grave and continuing to Ouadai, east of Lake Chad and then on to Nyeri, in modern day Kenya where he was killed in a dispute with locals. His body was recovered by French soldiers, taken back, and buried next to his brother.

Boyd Alexander across Africa via Lake Chad with quite some difficulty.

$360.00

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Globe Terrestre – Allain Manesson Mallet – Paris 1683

An unusual original copper engraving from 1683. A depiction of a hemisphere with the Atlantic at the centre so partly Old and New World. Below that the segmented opposite view with the distinct shape of the northern coastline of Australia and then Planisphere of the East and West hemispheres in the style of d’Arzael with the unusual blob shape in the position of Australia.

Mallet (1630-1706) was a French cartographer and engineer. He started his career as a soldier in the army of Louis XIV became a Sergeant Major and an Inspector of Fortifications. His maps have a beautiful decorative and unique style.

Price $280.00 framed in Voyager miniature map style ready to hang in your study.

Intriguing early representations of the World

$280.00

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(Sancta Helena) Saint Helena Island – Petrus Bertius – Engraved in Copper 1603

One of the most striking and coveted island maps from the early 17th Century – Saint Helena in the South Atlantic home for Napoleon after his second capture.

Engraved by Benjamin Wright for the great geographer Petrus Bertius and published by Cornelis Claesz in Amsterdam in 1603 for the “Tabularum Geographicarum Contractarum Libri”

Distinctively signed by the elusive Wright in his abbreviated fashion near the bottom center of the plate.

Map 12cm by 9cm to the printed borders. A Voyager favourite.

Price framed in Voyager Miniature map style in beaded gilt frame with gilt fillet. Unframed will be $180.00.

$280.00

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The Spirit Ridden Konde [Lake Nyasa Tanzania] – First Edition D.R. Mackenzie – 1925

Longer title – The Spirit Ridden Konde. A record of the interesting but steadily vanishing customs & ideas gathered during twenty four year residence amongst these shy inhabitants of the Lake Nyasa region, from witch doctors, diviners, hunters, fishers & every native source.

Published by Lippincott a first American edition 1925. A beautifully presented book with serious content regarding the Konde people of Tanzania.

Octavo, 318 pages with folding map and 21 illustrations from photographs. Strikingly vivid blue cloth covered binding with gilt image of native to front, titles to spine. A very good copy.

Mackenzie explores the complex relationship of the Konde people with the spirit world and how it affects their daily lives and their rituals and traditions. He traces their origins and how they migrated to the Lake Nyasa region. Good descriptions of initiation rites of both young men and women. A super book.

No better book about the Konde of Lake Nyasa

$220.00

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Voyage along the Eastern Coast of Africa to Mosambique, Johanna, and Quiloa; to St Helena; to Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, and Pernambuco in Brazil, in the Nisus Frigate – James Prior RN – 1819

A first edition of this full on voyage and travel account by the articulate James Prior. Published by Sir Richard Phillips & Co, London in 1819.

A lovely internal copy rebound in grey/green paper covered boards, as was typical of a primary binding of the true period, gilt on red leather title to spine. Octavo, 114 pages with special three fold map dated 1810 drawn by W M Cobb RN, also printed by Phillips. Another folding chart of the Harbour at Mozambique (note the different spelling) and a striking engraved view of the Town and Fort at Mozambique.

Well we have to be careful as this book is right in Voyager’s sweet spot. The narrative content is far fuller physically than the 114 pages suggest. First simply due to the format and the lines and words set per page, but also because Prior’s writing style is honed and full of interesting detail – no padding.

The long title gives you an idea of the coverage. Voyager’s favourite island, St Helena, is tackled well and one gets a great idea of the first impression on approach and the manner and detail of James Town and the various Plantation houses up “Ladder Hill” … “Ruperts Hill” etc.

Not in the title we also learn about the Comoro Islands … out from Mozambique and north west of Madagascar … this group of four ex volcanic islands probably the most beautiful place in the World. The Comoro islands was the primary reason behind the voyage as the King of Comoro had sought help against “predatory expeditions” of several thousand warriors from Madagascar. War was not the solution conferences were held – we can learn from that.

Good content on Rio and Brazil so don’t be confused by the lead in to the title …

Taking you back to the beginning and Prior has arrived at Cape Town where of all things he is off to the races … “the course is on Green Point, on the verge of the Bay: it was attended my multitudes, some in handsome vehicles … filled with females of every age, class and complexion. A dinner to the members concluded the meeting, followed of course by a ball … and the amusements of the week finished, on Saturday, with a private race, a cock-fight, the execution of several malefactors near the ground, and a dual between two gentlemen holding official situations, nearly fatal; so that we could not complain of want of variety”

We had to show you this even though it is not typical of the narrative – different times!

Interesting early 19thC Voyage from east Africa to Brazil

$390.00

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Original 400 plus Year of Map of Tercera [The island of Terceira in the Azores] – Petrus Bertius – 1616

From the Niger to the Nile – Lieutenant Boyd Alexander – First Edition – Two Volumes 1907

Globe Terrestre – Allain Manesson Mallet – Paris 1683

(Sancta Helena) Saint Helena Island – Petrus Bertius – Engraved in Copper 1603

The Spirit Ridden Konde [Lake Nyasa Tanzania] – First Edition D.R. Mackenzie – 1925

Voyage along the Eastern Coast of Africa to Mosambique, Johanna, and Quiloa; to St Helena; to Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, and Pernambuco in Brazil, in the Nisus Frigate – James Prior RN – 1819

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