Exploration

Across Australia – Spencer and Gillen – First Edition 2 Volumes 1912 – Mabel Balcombe Brookes Copy

First edition set of Spencer and Gillen’s scientific expeditions in Central Australia. A superb record of anthropological field work and a magnificent and valuable record of the aboriginal groups encountered.

Two volumes bound in original red cloth covered boards, super gilt images to front and spine. Thick octavo, 254, 255-526 pages after preliminaries. Incredible number circa 360 images, mostly from original photographs showing aboriginal ceremonial activities; two folding maps rear vol 2, appendix, index etc, top edge gilt – a little age, vol 2 cover and page edges but still a grand set.

Carries the bookplate of the original owner the legendary Mabel Balcombe Brookes a truly powerful and woman who made such a tremendous contribution all her life; and the later bookplate of noted bibliophile R.S. Fox.

The map the rear shows the route take and country covered [extensive] from South Australia all the way up to the Gulf of Carpentaria. The first volume provides extensive descriptions, and some images of landscape, flora and fauna encountered. We learn about the Urabunna tribe and the snake ceremony. Camels are used as they press north into more difficult country. We encounter the Arunta and much of the work covers all aspects of their life all done respectfully … the ceremony of knocking out the tooth not for the faint hearted. Various Corrobborree and the beginning of a quarrel with another tribe … the various ceremonies that lead up to an encounter … the avenging party! Moving on north and encountering the Warramunga and their fire ceremony … and further north to the coastal tribes.

It’s all better than our description – too much to take in and condense.

It is also impossible to do the life of Mabel Balcombe Bruce justice in a few words so look her up. One thing of unusual interest is that her grandfather owned a property “the Briars” that Napoleon was first exiled to on St Helena. Mabel had her own fascination with St Helena and wrote a worthwhile book about it and all the Napoleon shenanigans.

Important work on Australian Aborigines – interesting dual provenance.

SO SORRY SOLD

$580.00

Updating cart…

Race to the South Pole – Roald Amundsen

Published in 2007 by White Star. This is Roald Amundsen’s account of the achievement of the South Pole … from the Murray translation of the first English.

Here modernised and updated with a few recent images as well as some from that day. Map albeit significantly reduced in scale from the original.

Thick octavo, 636 pages, pictorial boards no separate wrapper as issued. A solid production tightly bound.

A good version of this most important account and not one that will bust your pocket.

South Pole achieved by the Amundsen led team.

$30.00

Updating cart…

Lord Forrest – Centenary Booklet – 1847-1947

Better than a “booklet” this eventually comprehensive biographical work on explorer to be Premier of Western Australia John Forrest – Baron Forrest of Bunbury and Forret in Fife.

Stapled octavo size, 48 pages with reproductions from period photographs, sketched maps etc. A proper tribute to the man and his many achievements all of which have given a big push-along to the development of the western state.

John Forrest the man of his times

$25.00

Updating cart…

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.

$130.00

Updating cart…

Two Against the Ice [the “Alabama” Expedition, 1909-1912] Ejnar Mikkelsen

Scarce Travel Book Club publication by Rupert Hart-Davis published London, no date but 1950’s. Translated from Danish by Maurice Michael. Octavo, 224, map of North-East Greenland the location of the adventure. Dust jacket has age, edge tears, some age, generally pretty clean inside a good copy.

One of the great Arctic adventure accounts. The purpose of the expedition was to map out the northeast coastline of Greenland and to recover the bodies of Mylius-Erichsen and Hoeg-Hagen.

Mikkelsen and his engineer Iversen wintered on Shannon Island. Their ship, the Alabama, got trapped in the ice and the rest of the party returned home on a whaler. The pair succeeded after a series of hazardous sledge journeys in recovering the lost records of the missing party and disproving the existence of Peary Channel. On returning to base and finding the crew gone they erected a makeshift hut from salvaged timbers and spent two winters there before being rescued. It got a bit frayed between the two of them, but they made up in the end – this book is dedicated to Iversen.

Classic Arctic adventure in North-east Greenland

$60.00

Updating cart…

Abel Tasman Medal – 350th Anniversary of the Discovering of the West Coast of Tasmania 1642-1992 [Large Version]

An interesting medallion for historians and the cartographically inspired. Produced for the Trust Bank of Tasmania.

48 mm diameter, 42 gm, intricately engraved on one side with gum leaf design on reverse.

The intricate design has a map of the central west coast of Tasmania noting Zeehan, Queenstown and Strahan; a nice image of Tasman’s vessel and a compass rose. Narrative details of the sighting 24th November 1642 and the landing at Tasman Bay on the East side on the 3rd of December 1642.

Tasman – first European sighting commemorated

$70.00

Updating cart…

Across Australia – Spencer and Gillen – First Edition 2 Volumes 1912 – Mabel Balcombe Brookes Copy

Race to the South Pole – Roald Amundsen

Lord Forrest – Centenary Booklet – 1847-1947

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

Two Against the Ice [the “Alabama” Expedition, 1909-1912] Ejnar Mikkelsen

Abel Tasman Medal – 350th Anniversary of the Discovering of the West Coast of Tasmania 1642-1992 [Large Version]

Product Categories