Exploration

Manga Reva – The Forgotten Islands – Signed by Author Robert Eskeridge – First Edition 1931

A Voyager favourite and the book about Manga Reva the largest island within the Gambier Group.

The Polynesian Gambier group are tiny with a total population of around 1,400 people mostly on Manga Reva. The total area is about 30 square km. At one time the islands supported several thousand but over logging ruined the islands position in Polynesian trade routed and they fell into decline before stabilising in the late 19th century. It is an important link to anyone wanting to travel to the Pitcairn Islands and also, unfortunately, has been affected by French nuclear testing in the Pacific.

Published by Bobbs-Merrill in 1931, a first edition. Large octavo, 286 pages, original blue cloth covered binding. Good to better condition some evidence of a damp mark in against the spine, bar that very clean and readable.

Signed by the author Robert Lee Eskeridge (1891-1975) a very talented American artist, and the book contains many illustrations based on his superb paintings, as well as his photographs. It is not clear how long he spent on the island but it was quite some years based on the relationships he formed and the depth of his observations.

Unique book on Manga Reva – Signed by the author

$70.00

Updating cart…

Antarctica – The NZ Party of the Trans-Antarctic Expedition – Helm and Miller – First Edition 1964

Published by the NZ Government in 1964 a first edition. Large octavo, 435 pages with numerous illustrations from photographs, charts and maps. A very good copy.

It was not until 1958 that the Antarctic was successfully crossed from one side to the other led by British explorer Vivian Fuchs. Edmund Hillary led the NZ contingent and this book is a handsome record of that contribution.

An essential Polar account – all the way across …. by adventure royalty.

$40.00

Updating cart…

The Islands of the Pacific – from Old to New – James Alexander – First Edtion 1895

James Alexander was the son of Hawaiian missionary William P Alexander. Published by the American Tract Society, New York in 1895. A substantial work, octavo 503 pages and appendices. Illustrated throughout with nice pictorial covers in good condition.

After three chapters of general introduction there are discrete chapters on The Society Islands, Austral Islands; Peal Islands; Hawaiian Islands; The Marquesas; Harvey Islands; Samoa; Micronesia; Tonga; New Zealand; Fiji; Melanesia; Pitcairn and Norfolk. An interesting chapter in retrospect on the “Future of the Pacific Ocean”.

The appendices provide good information on the Ancient Polynesians, Languages, European Appropriations and a list of active Missionaries and where they were. The seventy illustrations include simple but useful maps, and images form early photographs albeit sometimes posed.

Alexander covers some ground … and some ocean … in this well structured and full of content book.

$70.00

Updating cart…

The Fate of Franklin – Roderic Owen

Title continues …The Life and Mysterious Death of the Most Heroic of the Arctic Explorers. May be the key summary work on this never finished story. The author a descendant of Sir John Franklin.

First edition thick octavo published by Hutchinson of Australia in 1978. 471 pages, illustrated throughout with a number of maps and charts including end paper maps. A very good copy.

Well constructed with a fair bit of early background including his term as Governor of Tasmania and the part played by Jane Franklin then and later to the very end. Set out in three sections … “The Man who Ate His Boots”; “the Whipping Boy and “ The Heart That Can Feel for Another”. Three journeys to find the North-West Passage … the final tragic attempt in the Erebus and Terror continues to mystify both fiction and non-fiction book writers and lovers.

Franklin and his voyages to the Arctic in super detail

$60.00

Updating cart…

The Journals and Life of Captain James Cook complete in Five Volumes with Addendum and Portfolio of Charts and Views – J [John] C Beaglehole [and Skelton] – The Hakluyt Edition

A full set of the prized Hakluyt set put together by the unrelenting John Beaglehole recognised surely as the world authority on James Cook.

Five thick royal octavo books and portfolio of charts and maps published progressively.. The Voyage volumes were technically published by the Cambridge University Press for the Hakluyt Society; the Life of Cook was published directly by the Hakluyt Society having been printed by A C Black. As a bonus, a small one, we have the addendum to Volume II “Cook and the Russians”, again a Beaglehole work, of only nine pages, in Hakluyt blue wrapper published in 1973.

Volume I – The Voyage of the Endeavor 1768-1771 – 1968 Edition – 696 pages.
Volume II – The Voyage of the Resolution and Adventure 1772-1775 – 1969 edition – 1,028 pages
Volume III in Two Parts – the Voyage of the Resolution and Discovery 1967 edition – Part One 718 pages and Part Two 719-1,647 pages … plus addendum on the Russians.
Volume IV – The Life of Captain James Cook – published in 1974 – 760 pages

A heavy set which would require a sizeable overseas postage supplement. Said that we do our best to minimise postage.

Each volume illustrated with reproduction of images, charts etc on thick wove paper, many folding.

All of the above edited etc. by John. Beaglehole. The portfolio of Charts and Views was edited by cartographic supremo R.A. Skelton, with content reproduced from the original manuscripts – all present in the original portfolio with Cook emblem to front.

All bound in original Hakluyt style, blue cloth covered boards each with their original dust jacket – showing a little age but now protected in removable Brodart.

Internally a little age, and a hint of eau de library. Otherwise, a worthy complete set … getting hard to find all in original dust jackets.

Original owner A [Tony] W Sweeney who headed up the Australian Military Malaria Research Unit … his letter of acknowledgement of receipt but awaiting one volume included. Maybe a interesting context.

Beaglehole the definitive reference on James Cook and his Voyages – Complete over 4,000 pages – should be enough!

$890.00

Updating cart…

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

Updating cart…

Manga Reva – The Forgotten Islands – Signed by Author Robert Eskeridge – First Edition 1931

Antarctica – The NZ Party of the Trans-Antarctic Expedition – Helm and Miller – First Edition 1964

The Islands of the Pacific – from Old to New – James Alexander – First Edtion 1895

The Fate of Franklin – Roderic Owen

The Journals and Life of Captain James Cook complete in Five Volumes with Addendum and Portfolio of Charts and Views – J [John] C Beaglehole [and Skelton] – The Hakluyt Edition

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

Product Categories