Asia

Dendrobium Farmerii Aureum Orchid – Published Warner 1882

Original hand finished lithograph printed from stone by John Nugent Finch for the illustrious Orchid Album by Warner and Moore and published by Benjamin Williams. This was from the first collection published in 1882. The work was not completed until 1887. Still regarded as the most complete and beautiful work on the spectacular orchid family.

This beautiful orchid hails Asia and in found in abundance in the Himalaya. In the far east it is known as the Farmers Orchid.

A good size at 30cm x 24cm completely clean. the colours bright and enhanced with gum arabic.

Price $90.00 unframed

Striking orchid image – decorative and would frame nicely to suit your style.

$90.00

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The Story of the Guides – Col G.J. Younghusband C.B. – First Edition 1908

First edition of this important record by George the older brother of Francis both adventurers and military men of quality [as where most of their manly relatives].

Published by McMillan and Co, London in 1908. Octavo, 207 pages, illustrated throughout. Original red cloth covered boards blind lines and embossed to front and spine in gilt. Some age although a very clean copy away from the ends.

Harry Lumsden formed the guides – his idea and training methods [we are talking military here not “boy scouts”]. They were involved in much frontier fighting … around Mooltan and the fight against Ganda Singh’s forces; then, the capture of the Fort of Gorindghar; the Great March on Delhi; the Afghan War 1878-80; Malkland in 1897.

Withing this history the Massacre of the Guides at Kabul [Seventy men against thousands] and The Relief of Chitral two very contrasting stories.

George Younghusband intimate with the history

$120.00

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Romantic Java – As it Was and Is – H.S. Banner FRGS – First Edition 1927

First edition of a super book dedicated to Java. The longer title assists.

“A description of the diversified peoples, the departed glories of and strange customs of a little known island, remarkable both for its arts, decorative and dramatic, and for its natural beauty and the richness of its resources.

Thick royal octavo, 282 pages. Printed on that tick spongy paper typical of Seeley of London, the publisher, so some foxing near the edges and page edges – not bad. Many period photographs relevant to the extensive travels. Bound in the crimson cloth covered boards with gilt decoration to front gilt title to spine. Has its rare dust jacket albeit chipped – done a very good job of preserving the boards which are super clean and crisp.

Travels take in Jocjakata, Surakarta, a view of Krakatau, Bhima, Bonan, Gambang Gangsa, Volcano Bromo in “full blast’, strange collection of “heads’ the Temple at Borobudhur etc etc

Well informed and written Banner was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society of London.

$160.00

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The Voyage of Jacob Le Maire and William Schouten 1615-1616: Mirror of Australian Navigation. Originally translated by Alexander Dalrymple – A Beautiful Book

A special production published by Hordern House, Sydney 1999. Folio (30.5 x 20.2cm), quarter bound in quarter alum-tawed goat skin and quality marbled paper. Printed on Raleigh Oxford cream paper .. a fine copy as if new.

One of 950 copies thus, 96 page facsimile of the original Dutch printing followed by 65 page facsimile of the original Dalrymple translation. Illustrated with 5 black and white and 7 colour illustrations and 3 colour maps on double pages. Frontispiece double hemisphere world map as published in Amsterdam in 1618..

The objective of the voyage was further the lucrative trade in nutmeg and pepper by forging a new route to the East Indies via South America and the Pacific, influenced by the account of the voyage of de Quiros, the Portuguese navigator. In doing so it was hoped that the Great South Land would be encountered.

Forward by Justus Veeneklaas and Introductory Essay by Edward Duyker.

Rare Le maire – super production … quality book.

$140.00

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A Strange Career – The Life and Adventures of J. G. Jebb [South America and Mexico] – 1895

John Gladwyn Jebb led as an adventurous life as could be possible. This book was compiled by his widow and carries the introduction of adventure writer H Rider Haggard.

Jebb’s adventures began as a military man in India. Soon he was conducting privately funded explorations into Central and Southern America. Involved in numerous business dealings… helped to start White Line … was in involved in armaments. He moved to the US and the Wild West … bear hunting, gold mining and a few conflicts with local bandits and native Americans. Off to Mexico to make his fortune gold mining (made it and lost it) and much of the later part of the books is about his times in Mexico.

Published by Blackwood, Edinburgh in 1895 octavo, 271 pages, frontispiece of the great man, illustrated by John Wallace. Pictorial boards nice but a little rubbed. Overall, still a particularly good copy of a rather hard to find book.

Inspiration for Rider Haggard – John Jebb Adventurer

$50.00

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The Dutch Seaborne Empire 1600-1800 – C.R. Boxer

Published by Hutchinson, London 1n 1965, a first edition. The author Charles Boxer was the Professor of Portuguese at Kings College, London at the time – he would likely have been the Dutch Professor also .. if they had had one.

Large octavo, 326 pages, illustrated throughout, very good dust jacket, a lightly embossed stamp on title,. A very good copy of a special work now hard to find.

Not your usual narrative, this book looks at the reasons behind the rise of the Dutch as a major seafaring nation from the mid 1600’s for over a century. Peace was signed after an eighty year war with Spain in 1648 and for the Dutch the seagoing expansion was near to phenomenal in terms of speed and ambition. Useful appendices include a chronology 1568-1795 which provides a framework …

The author Charles Boxer was an incredibly colourful character. Born into a military family (although his mothers family had been early sheep farmers in Tasmania). He enlisted and found himself in Japan in the 1930’s. Then a full blown spy in Hong Kong at the beginning of War II, imprisoned by the Japanese for three years. He married the most beautiful woman in Hong Kong , Ursula Tulloch, but left her for a life with the equally glamorous American writer Emily Hahn. Back in England his depth of knowledge was recognised in receiving the Lisbon sponsored Professorship which he made is own.

The Dutch … their power at sea and what was behind it …

$40.00

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Dendrobium Farmerii Aureum Orchid – Published Warner 1882

The Story of the Guides – Col G.J. Younghusband C.B. – First Edition 1908

Romantic Java – As it Was and Is – H.S. Banner FRGS – First Edition 1927

The Voyage of Jacob Le Maire and William Schouten 1615-1616: Mirror of Australian Navigation. Originally translated by Alexander Dalrymple – A Beautiful Book

A Strange Career – The Life and Adventures of J. G. Jebb [South America and Mexico] – 1895

The Dutch Seaborne Empire 1600-1800 – C.R. Boxer

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