Dutch Exploration and other things Dutch

The Voyage of the Batavia – Francois Pelsart – First Published in 1647, reissued with a translation from the original Dutch.

Probably our favourite Hordern House published book and possibly the most sought after.

Published, Potts Point, Hordern House for the Australian National Maritime Museum in 1994.

Octavo, xxvi, 162 pages with 4 illustrations plus a folding page of plates reproducing the 15 engravings of the original work.

Beautifully bound, quarter calf over marbled papered boards with contrasting leather title label. Some spotting to page edges otherwise very good. One of 750 copies produced.

The original account “Ongeluckige voyagie, van’t schip Batavia, nae de Oost-Indien” Jan Jansz, Amsterdam 1647. Comprises the edited extracts from the journal of Francois Pelsaert relating to the disastrous voyage in the Dutch merchant ship Batavia. The ship was wrecked off the west coast of Australia. The fifteen illustrations depict the wreck and the terrible scenes following the mutiny of the crew. The account represents the first representations of the Australian coastline.

The English translation is by Willem Siebenhaar which appeared in the “Western Mail” in 1897. An additional commentary by Martin Terry from the Australian National Maritime Museum.

The Batavia – what more could have gone wrong – a quality production of this important book.

$190.00

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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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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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Raymond Howgego’s Monumental reference on the Exploration of Australia and Beyond.

Four Massive volumes which we regard complete, as they contain all the factual works [Howgego also produced a book on fictional travel]. Published progressively by Hordern House.

Land and sea exploration from the earliest days to circa 1940. Over four thousand pages in all with surely every event and fact worthy of mention. In pristine condition, weighing over 11 kgs so postage will be circa $80.00 at cost.

Raymond Howgego was teacher of physics before he gave that up to become a full-time traveller and travel writer. Possibly put down more words than any other living person. Seemingly can handle almost all European languages and Arabic and probably a few others. He still has an interest in amateur radio and fixing electronic items … we withhold his call sign, but you can find it if you try.

As new comprehensive definitive history of Exploration.

$580.00

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Early Voyages to Terra Australia now called Australia: A Collection of documents, and extracts from early manuscript maps, illustrative of the history of discovery on the coasts of that vast island. From the beginning of the sixteenth century tp the tome of Captain Cook. – R.M Major FSA

Published by Burt Franklin, New York 1963. A faithful facsimile of the scarce desirable original by the Hakluyt Society of 1859. Good condition; would be very good but contains traces of being in the Parliament Library but let go as carries the signature of Manfred Cross. No Jacket as published.

This is a landmark book about the European discovery of Australia pre Cook.

Octavo, hardcover, no jacket as issued, blue cloth covered boards pseudo Hakluyt style. unusual form in that contains a 119 page introduction followed by 200 pages of text. Three super multi folding charts.

Contains …….

A Memorial addressed to the King of Spain, by Juan Lusi Arias, re the exploration, of the Southern Land, translated from the Spanish Original”;

Relation of Luis Vaez de Torres on the discoveries of Quiros. Dated Manila, July 12, 1607.

A translation by Alexander Dalrymple from a Spanish manuscript originally published in Burney’s ‘Discoveries in the South Sea’.

Extract from Book of Dispatches from Batavia, January the 15th 1644, ending November the 29th following, from Dalymple’s ‘Collections Concerning Papua’.

The Voyage and Shipwreck of Pelsart, in the ‘Batavia’, on the Coast of New Holland, translated from Trevenot’s ‘Recueil des Voyages Curieux’.

Voyage of Pool to the South Land. Translated from Valentyn’s ‘Beschryvinghe van Banda’.

Account of the Wreck of the ‘De Vergulde Draeck’ on the South Land, from manuscripts at the Hague.

Description of the West Coast of the South Land by Vokersen, of the ‘Waeckende Boey’, which sailed from Batavia in 1658, from manuscripts at The Hague.

The observations of Dampier on the coast of New Holland, in 1687-1688.

The voyage of Willem de Vlamingh to New Holland in 1696 from manuscripts at The Hague.

Voyage to the Unexplored South land, by order of the Dutch East India Company, in the years 1696 and 1697, by the ‘De Nyptang’, the De Geelvink’ and the ‘De Wesel’, from manuscripts at The Hague.

Observations of Dampier on the coast of New Holland, in 1699.The voyage of the ‘Vossenbosch’, the D’Wijer’, and the ‘Nova Hollandia’, dispatched by the government of India from manuscripts at The Hague.

The Houtman’s Abrolhos in 1727, translated by Captain P.A. Loupe of the Dutch Navy”.

$80.00

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IMAGO MVUNDI (MUNDI) – Vol 30 [Second Series Volume 4] – 1978 The Journal of The International Society for the History of Cartography

Published by Imago Mundi, c/o Lympe Castle, Kent [Harry Margary's magnificent residence] . Small folio, 132 pages plus advertisements. Illustrated with maps, charts and diagrams. original blue cloth with gilt titling and device. Very good condition.

An annual publication and the pinnacle of cartographic research. Superbly presented.

The Treasure in this publication includes a paper title “The map in Vermeer’s Art of Painting” by James Welu. 17^th C Dutch painting of indoors scenes show intricate and authentic maps of the period used a wall-hangings – decorative items. In addition, a quality paper by Louis de Vorsey on the ”Amerindian contributions to the mapping of North America with some great cartographic illustrations. The very early woodcut map know as the Rom Weg map circa 1500 gets a good airing.

Extensive book reviews provided an excellent bibliography for cartography enthusiasts.

Imago Mundi cannot be improved

$70.00

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The Voyage of the Batavia – Francois Pelsart – First Published in 1647, reissued with a translation from the original Dutch.

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

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

Raymond Howgego’s Monumental reference on the Exploration of Australia and Beyond.

Early Voyages to Terra Australia now called Australia: A Collection of documents, and extracts from early manuscript maps, illustrative of the history of discovery on the coasts of that vast island. From the beginning of the sixteenth century tp the tome of Captain Cook. – R.M Major FSA

IMAGO MVUNDI (MUNDI) – Vol 30 [Second Series Volume 4] – 1978 The Journal of The International Society for the History of Cartography

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