French Language translations or about the French

The Long Way – Bernard Moitessier – First English Edition 1974

First English edition published by Adlard Coles in 1974, after the French edition of 1971. Translated by William Radamor.

Octavo, 252 pages, illustrated from photographs, sketches of riggings etc, numerous charts of tracks. Super condition very good dust jacket.

Sought after account of the enigmatic Moitessier … has anyone sailed further ..we do not think so ..

Moitessier’s story all began as a participant in the single-handed round the world yacht race, the Golden Globe race, of 1968. Almost done and technically in the lead, whilst in the South Atlantic for a second time, instead of returning to Plymouth he sailed on along his original course returning to the Pacific. He then made his way to Tahiti .. Little was known as to his motivation until this book …

Bernard Moitessier – A special man and a special sailing adventure unlikely to be repeated.

$90.00

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Traite des Bandages et Appareils a l’Usage des Chirurgiens Armees – J.B.J. Thillaye – 1809

Jean Baptiste Jacques Thillaye was born at Rouen in 1752 he died at Paris in 1822. He became a leading French physician, surgeon in chief at the recently founded Hospital St Antoine and professor of anatomy at the College of Medicine.

This is a second edition of his rare work on bandaging, splints and other accoutrements helpful to surgeons particularly in the French army. Published by Crochard, Paris in 1809.

Original or contemporary binding of half leather over marbled paper covered boards. Gilt line compartments to spine with separate gilt title label. Octavo, xiv, 356 pages, 357-366 (Table of Plates), 367-379 (Table of Contents), errata, followed by nine folding copper engraved plates of some quality. Very good condition, super clean internally.

French medical rarity now two hundred years old

$180.00

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A View of the Clearings at the Foot of Mount Wellington – Hobart, Tasmania [Vue des Defrichemens. Au pied du mont Wellington (Ile Van Diemen) -1833

An original lithograph from a drawing by Louis Sainson (1801-1887) lithographed by Louis Leborne (1796-1863) and published as part of the great “Atlas Historique to Voyage de la Corvette l’Astrolabe under the Command of Dumont d’Urville”. Published in Paris by Tastu in 1833.

Lithographed on sturdy paper imprint size 33cm x 22cm. Embossed stamp of publisher below title. Good condition albeit with some light foxing in the wider margins away from the image. A scarce Hobart image. We cannot find any record of what the buildings represented, although from the extensive wall they could be the Cascades Female Factory

Price $340.00 unframed – rare

Finely engraved and detailed image up Mount Wellington .

$340.00

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19thC Cased Brass Surveyors Cross – French Maker

A very good example of a octagonal design surveyors cross in its original case.

A Victorian surveying cross, French in origin. The solid brass body bright, undamaged and not over polished. Comes in two threaded parts, the neck resting inside the head whilst in its box. Sighting threads intact.

The box is in good shape and measures 13cm by 9cm by 9cm. The whole weighs just short of a kilogram.

A nicely cased brass surveyors cross

$240.00

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Polar Hero – Jean-Baptiste Charcot Medal – 1930

Large commemorative medal to celebrate the life of Jean-Baptiste Auguste Etienne Charcot (1867-1936) issued in 1936 under the auspices of Expeditions Polaires Francaises. Charcot Frances greatest polar explorer led two successful expeditions to the Antarctic during the Heroic era. He was a doctor and son of neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot.

His first expedition from 1904-1907 in the Francais explored the west coast of Graham Land. This was followed by the 1908-1910 explorations in the Pourquoi-Pas? The subject of the edition offered here. Later he turned his attention to the North and made scientific explorations off Greenland and Svalbard again in the Porquois-Pas? He died when the ship was wrecked in a severe storm off the coast of Iceland in 1936.

This substantial bronze medal, 67mm in diameter and weighing 150 gm celebrates his life. It was designed by E.M. Lindauer, with a bust after Paul Richer. Richer, an anatomical artist, was a colleague of Charcot’s father and worked with him in illustrating certain medical texts. Richer’s sculptures are found in museums around the world including the Musee d’Orsay.

The medal carries a bust of J.B. Charcot on the front acknowledging Paul Richer and on reverse and image of the Pourquoi-Pas? Among icebergs with Expeditions Polaires Francaises above and the ships name below. Very good condition with very strong relief.

An example of this medal sold as lot 79 in the Scott Amundsen Centenary Sale at Bonhams, London in 2012 for A$2,500

Special Antarctic Collectable Celebrates the life of J.B. Charcot

$590.00

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Encountering Terra Australia – The Australian Voyages of Nicolas Baudin and Matthew Flinders – Fornasiero, Monteath and West-Sooby

A first edition hardback published by Wakefield Press, Adelaide in 2004.

A substantial book, small quarto, 411 pages heavily illustrated with some beautiful colour reproduction of the artwork from the voyages. A closed nick to the dustjacket and a gift inscription back of half title, otherwise a fine copy.

Written by three of Australia’s finest historians. Peter Monteath being a descendant of Philip Gidley King.

The Preface deals with the “Encounter” of Baudin and Flinders and the “Lure of the South”.

Part I deals with the “Journey Out” and Charting the Western Coast of Australia … Baudin from Cape Leeuwin to the Boneparte Archipelago. The South-West from Leeuwin to Nuyts Archipelago. The Prospecting of Van Diemen’s Land and the French in Tasmania. Then the race to chart the extended South Coast. The detail of the meeting at Encounter Bay. Flinders and Baudin from Encounter Bay to Port Jackson. Baudin on King Island and the exploration of Kangaroo Island etc.

Part II with the authors views on the “Reputations” arising and the “Artistic and Scientific Records” and the inevitable “Clash of Cultures” ..

A good bibliography at the end although this book contains enough for many on this interesting subject.

A Thorough and Beautifully Illustrated Production on Baudin and Flinders Down Under.

$55.00

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The Long Way – Bernard Moitessier – First English Edition 1974

Traite des Bandages et Appareils a l’Usage des Chirurgiens Armees – J.B.J. Thillaye – 1809

A View of the Clearings at the Foot of Mount Wellington – Hobart, Tasmania [Vue des Defrichemens. Au pied du mont Wellington (Ile Van Diemen) -1833

19thC Cased Brass Surveyors Cross – French Maker

Polar Hero – Jean-Baptiste Charcot Medal – 1930

Encountering Terra Australia – The Australian Voyages of Nicolas Baudin and Matthew Flinders – Fornasiero, Monteath and West-Sooby

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