Maps

Important Voyage Account – The Voyage of the Duff to the South Sea Islands – Captain James Wilson – First edition 1799.

Full title … A Missionary Voyage to the Southern Pacific Ocean Performed in the Years 1796, 1797, 1798, in the Ship Duff, Commanded by Captain James Wilson. Compiled from Journals of the Officers and the Missionaries; and Illustrated with Maps, Charts and Views drawn by Mr William Wilson, and engraved by the most eminent Artists. With a Preliminary Discourse on the Geography and History of the South Sea Islands; and an Appendix, including details never before published, of the Natural and Civil State of Otaheite.

Printed by Gosnell for Publisher T. Chapman, Fleet Street, London 1799. Large quarto with wide margins. 420 pages after preliminaries and before substantial and distinguished subscribers list. With seven folded engraved maps and six beautifully engraved plates. Rebound at some time in half crimson morocco over matching red cloth covered boards, headband, top edge freshly gilt. A very good solid and internally clean copy.

An early voyage to the Pacific, undertaken for the purpose of establishing a mission in Tahiti. A settlement of was formed with twenty five members. Though the King befriended them, they met with continual difficulties due to continuous civil wars and were finally forced to flee to Australia. Though some returning some time much later in 1815. The work contains many valuable details regarding Tahiti, the Fiji Islands, Tonga, the Marquesas, etc. The discovery of a new group of islands, named the Duff Group among the Santa Cruz Islands. The narrative is full and readable with considerable valuable observation – not at all in the often dry “missionary” style. Stands, in our view, as a key read in the early Pacific Voyages genre.

The large folding “Chart of the Duff’s Track in the Pacific Ocean” was the first map to use the name Australia than New Holland.

Other important maps comprise – Feejee Islands; Marquesas Islands; Duff’s Group; Gambier Islands; Island of Otaheite and Island of Tongataboo.

Views comprise … Harbour of Rio Janeiro; Missionary Settlement at Matavai; View of Tallo Harbour; Great Morai of Oberca; Morai and Ark of the Eatooa at Attahooroo and Fiatookas of Futtasaihe.

One of classic late 18thC voyage accounts of significant exploration interest – a very good copy.

$980.00

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The Island of Elba – Petrus Bertius -1603

An original copper engraved miniature map. One of the most striking and coveted island maps from the early 17th Century. Engraved by Pieter van den Keere for the great geographer Petrus Bertius and published by Cornelis Claesz in Amsterdam in 1603 for the “Tabularum Geographicarum Contractarum Libri”

Elba the island upon which Napoleon was first incarcerated and later escaped to fight again.

Lovely details of the main centres and fortifications; mountains and rivers carefully placed. Sea monsters can be seen .. all finished with an elaborate face embellished cartouche

Framed in gilt within gilt fillet as shown.

Charming sought after 400 years old

$280.00

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Explorations in Garhwal around Karmet [Important Mountaineering Report] – Journal of the Royal Geographical Society – January 1932.

The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, January 1932, containing a report by legendary mountaineer Frank Smythe relating to the climbing of Kamet, then the highest peak climbed in the World. During the expedition they discovered and named the “Valley of Flowers” now a National Park in Sikkim. Smythe wrote well and his report is a good example of “in the moment narrative” .. you can almost feel the chills. Super images from original photographs accompany this article.

Other articles of substance include, in the Rockies, the confirmation of the Purcell as the source of the Kootenay River and, a traverse through Norwegian Lapland by Charles Elton.

Usual original blue wrappers, good photographs as mentioned and maps for reference. A crease across early pages from storage [priced accordingly], else clean and bright, a worthy copy of a scarce mountaineering report.

Frank Smythe later overshadowed by Everest but up there with the best Mountaineer explorers.

$70.00

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The Discovery of the Torres Strait; Arctic Glacier Cap; Crete and the Gulf Stream – Journal of the Royal Geographical Society – August 1941.

The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, November 1914, containing an important paper by “A.R.H.” regarding, from a western perspective, the discovery of the Torres Strait.

In 1928 Sotheby had sold a collection of Spanish manuscripts one being .. a “Relacion sumaria of the discovery begun by Pero Fernandez de Quiros and completed for him by Captain Don Deiego de Prado with the help of Captain Luis Baes de Torres … a document in Prado’s handwriting .. and a document that turned out to change the then held view.

Also, we have an excellent nicely illustrated paper on the Arctic Glaciers .. the West Ice of North East Land … including the Franklin Glacier.

A travel account relating to Crete takes us back to warmer weather.

Usual blue wrappers period adverts etc, illustrated with maps and images from original photographs.

The Prado manuscript changed it all re the discovery of the Torres Strait

$70.00

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In Old Days and These and Other Stories – Tasmania – By The Captain

Extremely scarce and only edition published in 1930 printed at the Monotone Art Printers, Hobart, effectively self published by the anonymous “Captain”.

Octavo, soft covers 159 pages, illustrated throughout, the highlight being an unusual large folding map at the front of the Derwent Estuary. A number of “old style” advertisements for various Hobart businesses scattered throughout.

The “Captain” starts by suggestion the book contains numerous ancient and modern historical facts of Tasmania in general and Hobart in particular.

The detail in this book is quite astonishing. It wanders through the City streets referring to building after building .. the history of who owned it from its first existence, what use it was put to and the successes and failures that ensued. Amusing and fateful anecdotes along the way. Pubs feature strongly and, we are entertained with the new ways of making good beer that have been adopted in Hobart. Key individuals feature and we hear of the great family difficulties suffered by Voyager hero James Kelly, whaling entrepreneur and Derwent Pilot.

Few copies exits in libraries and none we can see for sale.

Special book on Hobart for anyone interested in the fine details.

$90.00

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400 Year Old Map of Portugal – Portugallia – Cartrographer Jodocus Hondius Jnr for Geographer Petrus Bertius – 1616

A striking copper engraved miniature map of Portugal engraved by Jodocus Hondius Junior to illustrate a geography book by Petrus Bertius published in Amsterdam in 1616. Bertius was only responsible for the Latin text what was titled “Tabularum Geographicarum Contractarum”.

The maps in this work were miniature renditions of the maps contained in the famous folio atlas by Gerard Mercator and Jodocus Hondius Senior.

The maps are considered by authority Geoffrey King as the most beautiful set of miniature maps ever. Scarce.

On the death of Jodocus Hondius Junior in 1629 the miniature map plates came into the possession of William J Blaeu who used them in his own version in 1635.

Printed area 12.5cm by 9.0cm, with fine wash colouring. An attractive engraving with good detail. The map is aligned with North to the right [Not unsual for the period for maps to be presented this way]. With swash lettering, cartouche and distance scale.

We have included an additional image of the map aligned North to the top for those confused by the “horizontal” presentation. Also, we have provided an image of the title page of Tabularum Geographicarum … taken from Geoffrey King’s reference. We have a copy of King’s book for sale for those interested in collecting and/or understanding the history behind the creation of beautiful small scale maps.

Price $160.00 unframed … $280.00 framed in Voyager miniature map style.

High quality map of Portugal from 1616

$140.00

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Important Voyage Account – The Voyage of the Duff to the South Sea Islands – Captain James Wilson – First edition 1799.

The Island of Elba – Petrus Bertius -1603

Explorations in Garhwal around Karmet [Important Mountaineering Report] – Journal of the Royal Geographical Society – January 1932.

The Discovery of the Torres Strait; Arctic Glacier Cap; Crete and the Gulf Stream – Journal of the Royal Geographical Society – August 1941.

In Old Days and These and Other Stories – Tasmania – By The Captain

400 Year Old Map of Portugal – Portugallia – Cartrographer Jodocus Hondius Jnr for Geographer Petrus Bertius – 1616

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