French Language translations or about the French

France Australe – Marchant

Leslie Marchant’s highly regarded book a very good first edition 1982.

A focus on French activity with a strong focus on Western Australia. Based on previously unused naval and other archival records in France.

The story of French exploration and their plans to colonise Australia. Commencing as early as the reign of Louis XII challenging the Spanish and Portuguese a period referred to as “the ancient regime” through the Napoleonic period and the Bourbon restoration.

The French, Western Australia and more

$60.00

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The Constitution of England or An Account of the English Government – J.L. De Lolme – 1777 (Once the Property of First Fleet Ship Owner – Sir William Curtis 1st Baronet of Cullands Grove).

Published by Kearsley, Fleet Street and Ridley, St James Street, London in 1777

Octavo, 404 pages, bound in full “’tree” calf with gilt decoration to the borders of front and back boards, gilt decoration to spine, black leather title label, maybe later. A beautiful example. Bookplate of first owner, Sir William Curtis Baronet to front paste-down. A few marks around the title otherwise a very good if not better copy.

An 18th Century classic first published in Holland in 1771. Highly praised by Bentham who compared it with the distinguished work of Blackstone. John Louis de Lolme was born at Geneva in 1740 and arrived in England in 1769 where he began studying its Government intrigued by the peculiarity of the system. After a year he began his book … it was complete within another year and published in French as we say in Holland. Seemingly, it was pirated by unknown parties and a poor translation appeared with booksellers in England. De Lolme had the book withdrawn (it cost him a princely sum) and published this translation assisted by Baron Maseres who had been in England for many years and had Chambers at the Temple Bar.

The work enjoyed a high reputation and appeared at a time that Constitutional matters were being vigorously debated. Written in an easy style the book flatters the national pride by representing England as the only country where Government was strong and free. Reviewers thought the work contained many shrewd observations on political affairs and contained genuine original thought.

The first owner Sir William Curtis (1752-1829) was an English businessman, banker and politician. Born in Wapping the son of a sea-biscuit manufacturer who supplied the Navy (money in that!). He became a Member of Parliament for the City of London in 1790 holding the seat for 28 years. For a period, he was also the Lord Mayor of London. He was made 1st Baronet of Cullands Grove in 1802. He later declined a Peerage.

Of very special interest is that, from his amassed wealth Sir William was owner of several vessels, one being the Lady Penrhyn which, on its first voyage, participated in the Arthur Phillip’s First Fleet and carried 101 female convicts to Botany Bay, New South Wales. The ship went on into the Pacific and named Curtis Island, a new discovery after its owner.

Fine 18th Century Constitutional Review – Once the Property of First Fleet Ship Owner – Sir William Curtis.

$240.00

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Illustrations De Zoologie (Complete with 60 Hand Coloured Stipple Engraved Plates) – Rene Primevere Lesson – Published progressively from 1831 to 1834 – Scotland’s Great Naturalist Sir William Jardine’s Copy

Illustrations de Zoologie, ou recueil de figures d’aninaux peintes d’apres nature.

Published by Arthus Bertrand progressively between 1831-1834.

Complete. Originally published in twenty parts with three plates each giving sixty hand coloured stipple engraved plates in total. Bound in half calf in the 20thC, nicely done, top edge gilded, with original dark brown wrappers from the first and the last of the twenty parts bound in at the ends. General spotting of the text, the plates pretty clean and bright and beautifully executed.

Rene Primevere Lesson was born at Rochefort and joined the French Naval Medical school at sixteen. He served in the Napoleonic Wars. In 1816 he became described as a Naval pharmacist. He served on the Duperrey scientific expedition on board La Coquille round the World and in particular to the Pacific from 1822-1825. During that voyage he, along with Dumont d’Urvillle, collected natural history specimens … many were first specimens to the western world … and Lesson was the first to observe and take interest in the birds of paradise of New Guinea. On returning to Paris he focused his life on natural history, and this is one of the first publications he produced. To be followed by a works on the Birds of Paradise and an extension of Buffon’s Natural History and works relating to the Duperry expedition.

Sir William Jardine (1800-1874), 7th Baronet of Applegarth FRS, FRSE, FLS, FSA and Voyager Hero was the Scottish equivalent of Sir Joseph Banks sponsoring all things natural history. Perhaps best known for his backing and editorial effort in creating The Naturalist’s Library which ran to 41 volumes containing numerous hand coloured plates. He worked closely with his brother in law, William Home Lizars a talented engraver and printer in Edinburgh. The pair were to inspire Audubon to create his magnificent work on American Birds. It is interesting to note that the date of the work offered here coincides with the publication of Volume 1 of the Naturalist’s Library – Hummingbirds Part I.

Rare Natural History Plate Book – Lesson 1831– Complete – Distinguished Naturalist Sir William Jardine’s Copy

$1,180.00

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In Quest of the Sun – The Journal of the “Firecrest” – Alain Gerbault- First Edition 1930

A first edition published 1930 by Hodder and Stoughton, London.

Thick octavo, 315 pages, folding map, 3 other maps and 15 illustrations from photographs. Without the scarce dust jacket, a couple of fox marks, generally bright… still a good copy of an interesting voyage.

The author left France in 1924 and sailed round the world across the Atlantic to New York and then experienced difficulties on the short trip to Bermuda. Off again through the Panama to the Galapagos Islands, Marquesas, Tahiti, Wallis (where he had an unfortunate encounter with a reef) through the Coral Sea and on home round the Cape of Good Hope arriving at Le Havre four year later.

Four Year around the World … French style.

$30.00

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Capsize! – A Story of Survival in the North Atlantic – Nicolas Angel

A first English edition published by Norton, New York and London in 1980. Published the prior year in French.

Octavo, 176 pages nicely illustrated from photographs with charts etc.

The trimaran RTL-Timex capsized in a storm sailing from Bermuda to New York. The crew, under skipper Alan Gilksman, made the raft and a frantic nine days of gales and high seas ensued. Several ships missed them before they were finally recovered … just in time for some crew members who almost perished.

Frightening North Atlantic Experience .. impossible to put down

$25.00

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Mon Expedition au Sud Polaire – Sir Ernest Shackleton – Translated from “South”‘ by Landel – First French Edition 1920

The French edition of “South” … The story of Shackleton’s Expedition (The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition 1914 – 1917).

A very good copy of the first edition published by Alfred Mame et Fils, Tours, France.

Folio, 384 pages with folding map and 77 illustrations mainly from expedition photographs. Beautifully bound with vivid stamped front cover. All edges richly gilt. Corners bit bumped and hinge a little cracked, still a lovely example. A substantial book 1.6kgs.

Shackleton believed that after Amundsen’s conquest of the South Pole in 1911 the “one great main object of Antarctic journeyings” was to make the first land crossing of the Antarctic continent. He sent the Aurora to the Ross Sea under Mackintosh and took the Endurance to the Weddell Sea. Before they could reach Vahsel Bay they became entrapped in ice and drifted with it throughout the winter of 1915. Eventually the ship gave way and was crushed and sank, Mon Expedition au Sud Polaire contains photographs of its gradual demise. Stranded on the ice they took to the lifeboats and made inhospitable Elephant Island. Shackleton and five men then made a 1,287km journey in the James Caird to reach South Georgia eventually mounting a rescue mission for the men left behind. The Ross Sea party also had difficulties and three men lost their lives.

Special French Edition of Shackleton’s South … what way to improve your language skills!

$240.00

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France Australe – Marchant

The Constitution of England or An Account of the English Government – J.L. De Lolme – 1777 (Once the Property of First Fleet Ship Owner – Sir William Curtis 1st Baronet of Cullands Grove).

Illustrations De Zoologie (Complete with 60 Hand Coloured Stipple Engraved Plates) – Rene Primevere Lesson – Published progressively from 1831 to 1834 – Scotland’s Great Naturalist Sir William Jardine’s Copy

In Quest of the Sun – The Journal of the “Firecrest” – Alain Gerbault- First Edition 1930

Capsize! – A Story of Survival in the North Atlantic – Nicolas Angel

Mon Expedition au Sud Polaire – Sir Ernest Shackleton – Translated from “South”‘ by Landel – First French Edition 1920

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