Australian Coastal Exploration and Maritime

King Island and the Sealing Trade 1802 – Helen Micco

An important work regrading Tasmania’s King Island and the sealing trade at the very beginning of the 19th century.

Put together by Helen Micco and published by Roebuck as part of their historical series. A first printing of 1971. Small quarto, 51 pages after preliminaries, 7 full page plates not included in the pagination. A particularly good copy. Carries the nicely style bookplate ex libris Gisborne Park, carefully affixed only at the top so as not to actually intrude on the endpaper map.

Based around extracts from Francois Peron’s account of the Baudin voyage in Le Geographe and Le Naturaliste from 1800-1804 during which they visited King Island.

After a description of the original documentation an outline of the voyage we have a translation of Peron’s work … “King Island: The Hunter Islands: The northwest part of Van Diemen’s Land. From 18th November to 27th December” 1802. And .. “History of the Sea Elephant or Trunked Seal: English fisheries in Southern Lands … the advantages that the English derive from the Seals of the Southern Lands.

There follows a tribute to Peron and a series of Appendices including to and from Baudin and Governor King. Finishing with a useful note by Isobel Bennett of the Department of Zoology, Sydney University regarding the Australian wildlife mention in the voyage with reference to the illustration by Lesueur of which Voyager often has examples.

King Island a magnificent place and an important part of its history.

$40.00

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The Tasman Map of 1644 – Mitchell Library – 1948 – Tom Perry’s Copy

A staple bound booklet of 31 pages produced by the Mitchell Library in 1948 .. a historical note and description of the manuscript map held in the Mitchell.

Bound in hard boards, with personal library label to spine, over original textured cream soft wrappers, 31 pages, with 3 reproductions of or pertaining to the map one in colour. Australian cartographic expert Tom Perry’s personal copy … author of A Guide to Maps of Australia .. Landmarks in Map Making etc

Tom Perry’s has crossed out the Tasman on the title page and, correctly, put in place Bonaparte … the correct description of this map. His signature appears on the “fill in” card at the front.

Excellent notes and the striking “comparison map” drawn by Geoffrey Ingleton from details provided by J Emery. A brief description of Tasman’s ships and a good write up on the map itself with excellent further references and selected bibliography at the time.

Tasman’s Map in Summary

$45.00

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The Award of the Founder’s Medal to Richard O’Hara Burke. Scarce original Proceedings Vol VI No IV – Address at the Anniversary Meeting of the Royal Geographical Society, London 26th May 1882.

Octavo, 192 pages, original blue wrapper, a little nibbled at spine, otherwise a very good to better example in totally original condition.

Lord Ashburton, President makes the usual lengthy address. Begins with procedures, election issues and accounts.

Proper business commences with the President delivering the Founder’s Gold Medal (the Highest Distinction) to the Duke of Newcastle on behalf of the late Richard O’Hara Burke, in remembrance of the gallant explorer, who, with his companion Wills, perished having traversed the continent of Australia from south to north – and also a GOLD WATCH on behalf of Mr John King, the sole survivor of the expedition under Burke, as a recompense for his faithful and meritorious conduct.

The Duke of Newcastle then spoke about Burke and the expedition.

The Presidents lengthy address starting with obituaries set out the various achievements geographical since the last address. Starting with Admiralty Surveys at home and in Africa; Asia; Australia (Owen Stanley, Blackwood etc … much in the Coral Sea / Torres Strait); Newfoundland and West Indies. Ordinance Survey, Meteorology, Topographical Survey of Spain, Russian Expeditions and China.

Then a very decent summary of activity in Australia in a very busy period. Burke and Wills and the various expeditions that were set in motion to find them. As well as McDouall Stuart (a previous Gold Medal winner), Gregory in the north, Sir Thomas Mitchell, McKinley etc. What an era!

Rare Proceedings in original wrappers commemorating Richard O’Hara Burke.

$190.00

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The Discovery of Australia – G. Arnold Wood – First Edition 1922

First edition of Arnold Wood’s broad and well researched book about the European discovery of Australia. Published by Macmillan, London in 1922.

Despite the Cook frontispiece there is much about the pre-Cook era.

Thick octavo, 541 page well illustrated and with folding map at rear. “Presentation Copy” blind stamp on title which might explain the rather drab blue cloth covered binding, with gilt title to spine which does not appear as a published standard. Binding a trifle rubbed up join, internally clean, still a good to better copy.

Oxford educated Wood was offered and took up the Chair of History at Sydney University in 1891 and was still there at time of publishing this book.

The contents commence with Ancient and Medieval conceptions of the Land of the South; the Indian Ocean in the 13thC; the successors of Marco Pol; Portuguese and Spanish; was Australia known in the 16thC; the discovery of the Solomons; the voyage of 1595; Quiros; Torres; the Dutch and Tasman in 1642 and 1644; Dampier and the Roebuck; the Precursors to Cook; the Endeavour Voyage and the discovery of Eastern Australia; Successors to Cook …

One of our favourite “histories” with much on the early era accompanied by good illustrations many from rare early maps.

$50.00

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Rare Pacific Voyage Books from the Collection of David Parsons. Dampier to Cook.

Hordern House have done a number of similar works. This by far the best. Published in 2005.

English born David Parsons was executed at Corpus Christi, Oxford. He spent his adult life in the USA were applied his mathematical skills as a top actuary. The collection written up by HH was the first of two parts, the most important works e would say in chronological order up to Cook. Parsons, now gone, had decided to focus in on early Spanish/ Portuguese exploration. The proceeds from this magnificent collection would have provided a pretty healthy budget.

Octavo, unpaginated, circa 125 pages, magnificently illustrated. Contains all of the key works one would expect, often of super quality or special provenance. Very goo near fine condition.

Generally organised as follows … Dampier to Swift; The Anson Expedition (delicious); The South Pacific before Cook; The North Pacific before Cook; Cook. As always with HH an excellent description of content and relevance of each work with a helpful selection of images

Super reference a collection to envy for sure.

$65.00

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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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King Island and the Sealing Trade 1802 – Helen Micco

The Tasman Map of 1644 – Mitchell Library – 1948 – Tom Perry’s Copy

The Award of the Founder’s Medal to Richard O’Hara Burke. Scarce original Proceedings Vol VI No IV – Address at the Anniversary Meeting of the Royal Geographical Society, London 26th May 1882.

The Discovery of Australia – G. Arnold Wood – First Edition 1922

Rare Pacific Voyage Books from the Collection of David Parsons. Dampier to Cook.

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

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