Antarctic, Arctic, Polar

19thC Magic Lantern Slide – Aurora Borealis

A quite striking wooden framed magic lantern slide depicting the Aurora Borealis with ship and adventurers fighting polar bears who appear rather hungry.

Manufactured by the McIntosh Battery & Optical Company Chicago circa 1890. The company was formed in 1879 and in the 1890’s changed its name to the McIntosh Electrical Co to concentrate in radio devices.

The wooden slide is 28cm by 10cm with the circular hand coloured slide 8 cm in diameter. The condition of the colouring and slide generally is excellent.

Delightful Polar Curiosity – 1890

$120.00

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Lure of the Southern Seas – The Voyages of Dumont D’Urville 1826-1840

Large perfect bound soft cover (30cm x 24cm) a good size for showing off the many illustrations from artwork created at the time and photographs of displays from the voyage collection held in France.

Published by the Historic Housed Trust of NSW in association of a exhibition held at the Sydney Museum in 2003.

Well researched and produced making an important contribution to works on the two voyages undertaken by Dumont D’Urvillle in the first half of the 19th Century.

Following and introductory chapter “Southern Discomfort” and excellent map, we gain an understanding of the man and what drove him. His voyage towards the Polar Ice; the Anthropology and “Harvest of Curiosities” and the more defined Natural History Catalogue. Some notes on the artists without whom the wonder could not have been so well revealed. Data back up in the form of routes and statistics of the Voyage are followed by the great man’s correspondence and of all things “his will” … references, bibliography.

Dumont D’’Urville well presented historical account, some new information and special images.

$55.00

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Heroes of the Polar Seas – J. Kennedy Maclean – 1910

Title continues … A Record of Exploration in the Arctic and Antarctic Seas by J Kennedy Maclean. Published by Chambers Edinburgh, thick octavo, 404 pages. Magnificent pictorial boards, well illustrated with two maps of the top and the bottom. Some spotting and spine ends a bit pulled, otherwise a pretty good copy.

The pictorial boards may give the impression this was for a younger audience. The quality of the content and writing suggest the market was father and son.

Written chronologically with an introduction of “Gains and losses of Polar Enterprise” before the “Pioneers”. The search for the North-west passage and Franklin and much about his horrors. Nares and then the fatal “Jannette” an incredible story often lost in these accounts. The discovery of Franz Josef Land and the North-east Passage by Nordenskiold. Peary and the success of the North Pole after twenty years … and Cook.

In the South, Scotland’s share of the then exploration and Scott’s Discovery Expedition. Shackleton’s Farthest South (so close) and the great race for the Pole.

At the time of publication the race to the pole had just been won and the tragedy of Scott’s expedition known but not fully understood. Tributes had begun to flow.

A Voyager favourite … an obscure but relevant Polar item.

$140.00

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Douglas Mawson – Report from the British Antarctic Expedition – Transactions and Proceedings of The Royal Society of South Australia

Published by the Society, Adelaide 1916, Being Volume XL.

Thick octavo, 631 pages with 54 plates and 21 figures in the text, Mawson map and folding diagram. Fine condition, barely opened, clean as a whistle inside. Unusually still in its original mailing envelope albeit chipped here and there. A super copy.

Numerous papers, many on entomology, marine species, flora, mineralogy etc.

Douglas Mawson features twice. First, his report on the Aurora Australis … “Aural Observations at the Cape Royds Station, Antarctica”. Pages 151-213 with plates xxi and xxii. The observations were taken during the British Antarctic Expedition in 1908. Mawson states that they were intended for publication in 1911. The delay was due to Shackleton wishing to publish the Scientific Reports as a series. However, for lack of funds this could not happen, and the series ides was abandoned, allowing this work to be published here. Special thanks are given to Edgeworth David for his contribution to the work.

Second, “Mineral Notes” is based on Mawson’s analysis of minerals exhibited at the Society in 1910 and 1911. Publication, gain, had been delayed … this time because Mawson mislaid his notes before departing for his own Antarctic Expedition of 1911. Minerals described include … Octahedrite, Twinned Gypsum Crystals, Beryl, Loadstone, Monazite, Cordierite, Sillimanite, Spinel, Sphene, Davidite, named after the great man, and much here about the radioactive properties. An addendum page by W.T. Cooke on the constituency of Davidite with reference to the spectroscopic work of the great Sir William Crookes identifying Scandium as a component.

Another standout report is by Walter Howchin on “The Geology of Mount Remarkable” pages 545- 584 with large coloured Geological Sketch Map.

Nicely illustrated journal with interesting reports by Douglas Mawson in very good condition.

$140.00

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Edward Wilson of the Antarctic – Naturalist and Friend – George Seaver

Published by John Murray, London in 1963. Soft cover issue. Excellent condition. Octavo, 228 pages. Illustrated and with maps.

Edward Wilson (known as “Uncle Bill”) was one of the four men who reached the South Pole in January 1912 together with Captain Scott and later perished in their tent after failing to return to their base.

This is a magnificent book; we rarely have paperback, but this one is such good condition we couldn’t resist. Folding map courtesy Apsley Cherry- Garrard and his “Worst Journey”

Great book about a Great Man

$20.00

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King Island Elephant Seal (Le Phoque a trompe) – Vauthier -1820

A scarce hand coloured copper engraving of the Elephant Seal “Le Phoque a trompe” named by Peron.

The Baudin expedition saw many Southern Elephant Seals around the Islands of the Bass Strait including King Island. Unfortunately, unable to defend themselves they were killed for their oil and by 1827 they were all gone from that location.

Printed on sturdy paper, 25cm by 17 cm, good use of gum arabic to strengthen the colour and provide depth. Good plate mark … a super example.

Engraved by Barreau after Vauthier and published in Paris in 1820.

Price $90.00 unframed

Rare original hand coloured King Island Elephant Seal engraving

$90.00

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19thC Magic Lantern Slide – Aurora Borealis

Lure of the Southern Seas – The Voyages of Dumont D’Urville 1826-1840

Heroes of the Polar Seas – J. Kennedy Maclean – 1910

Douglas Mawson – Report from the British Antarctic Expedition – Transactions and Proceedings of The Royal Society of South Australia

Edward Wilson of the Antarctic – Naturalist and Friend – George Seaver

King Island Elephant Seal (Le Phoque a trompe) – Vauthier -1820

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