Maritime

Trimaran to Tahiti – D.E. Barry-Evans

Doug Barry-Evans preferred to be called DE. A WWII naval aircraft pilot born in the UK but spent most of his life in New Zealand.

A First edition 1978, published by Richards o Auckland, NZ. Small quarto, 216 pages plus appendices. Really well illustrated and with really good technical information regarding the boat in the back section. A very good copy

From New Zealand to Tahiti an 1,800 mile there and back voyage with lots of excitement and adventure along the way.

A special sailing adventure with good detail on the islands visited

$30.00

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The Log from the Sea of Cortez [With a tribute – “About Ed Ricketts] – John Steinbeck.

A sought after yet controversial book of non fiction by John Steinbeck. The Sea of Cortez is the Gulf of California.

First published in the US in 1951 after a work of 1941. This is the first UK edition published by Heinemann, London in 1958. Octavo, 59 page tribute “About Ed Ricketts”, 4 page Introduction, 272 page Log followed by a Glossary and Index. With end paper maps and two full page illustrations from photographs. A very good near fine copy.

The log details a six-week boat expedition to collect marine specimens with his close friend and marine scientist Ed Ricketts. The work ha been previously published with Ed Ricketts species catalogue … it was unsuccessful in that form. Ricketts die in an accident in 1948 and Steinbeck decided to re-publish the narrative with a special tribute to Ricketts.

Ed Ricketts was a special person and Steinbeck’s tribute cements the view that he was he basis of a number of Steinbeck’s more likeable characters, particularly “Doc” from Cannery Row.

The voyage is an interesting adventure and was successful from a scientific point of view … fifty or so new species were recorded among the many hundreds of specimens collected. One, a sea anemone, was named Phialoba steinbecki.

We mentioned controversy in our opening paragraph. Whilst Steinbeck’s hand is clear in the narrative, the discovery of Ricketts personal diaries of the events indicated that the work should have been given joint authorship.

John Steinbeck in the Californian Gulf with best friend Ed “the Doc” Ricketts

SO SORRY SOLD

$130.00

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Victorian Telescope – 36 inch two draw – mahogany cased – c1880

This beautiful two draw telescope is English by origin and made in the Victorian era c1880.

It is in superb condition. Fully extended it is near 36 inches – closed about 16 inches. The 1.5 inch objective is clear and has good light gathering qualities – no chips. The mahogany casing is intact which is rare as they generally split with age. The eyepiece has a pull down dust cover as is usual for the period.

The brass objective has a dust cover fitted into a substantial extendable lens shade which slides well … all in very good condition. An instrument of this quality must have come from a leading London maker and the style suggests Dollond.

Good optics and fine mahogany banding making a handsome early telescope

Best one we have had for a long time!

$590.00

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Sail and Deliver! – Ronald Preedy

With a forward by Sir Alec Rose. Ronald Preedy had the best job … delivering yachts … and there really is only one way to do it.

A fine first edition published by Partridge Press, London in 1989. Octavo, 249 pages, illustrated and with charts of various routes taken.

Voyages undertaken include … Falmouth to Corunna, Spain; Florida to Norfolk, Virginia; Lymington to Gibralter; Vilamoura to Falmouth; Les Sables d’Olonne to Vilamoura and quite a few more.

Written very much in a story telling manner … a relaxing sailing read

Preedy was there when a skipper was needed

$25.00

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Letters From High Latitudes – Earl of Dufferin Governor General of India – From the Library of The Novar of Raith, Ronald Munro Ferguson, to be 6th Governor General of Australia and, who had married the daughter of Lord Dufferin, Lady Helen Hermoine in the year that Ferguson signed the inside of this book 1889.

Being some account of a Voyage in 1856 in the Schooner Yacht “Foam” to Iceland, Jan Meyen, and Spitzbergen.

Eighth edition published by John Murray in 1887, London, having been published a number of times since the first of 1857. New editions continued on well into the 20th Century.

Octavo, 248 pages, with frontispiece of the “First Glimpse of Jan Mayen”, and numerous illustrations throughout. Original blude cloth covered boards with gilt device to front, gilt titles to spine. Original jet black endpapers with Ronald Munro Ferguson, Novar of Raith’s bookplate on the front paste down. Also, signed and dated by Ferguson on a blank page before the half title July 27″ 89, the year he married Duffrein’s daughter … a wedding gift from the father-in-law?

Written as if a series of lengthy letters. Some unusual introductory content … poem “To The Figure=Head of the “Foam””; list of Dramatis Personae … Protesilaus stumbles on the threshold; the Icelander – a modern Sir Patrick Spens; Loch Goil – the Saga of Clan Campbell; through the Sounds – Stornaway; Out into the North Atlantic and gales and sea sickness – first sight of Iceland, landing at Thule; Reykjavik and buying horses … the lava plateau, mystical mountains, crossing the Arctic Circle; On to Jan Mayen and the volcanic Mount Berrenberg; Sailing for Bear Island and Cherie Island, the Freer Sea, landing at Spitzbergen, English Bay and Lady Edith’s Glacier …

Despite the popularity of the expedition and the book of events this was the only published work of the rather busy Frederick Hamilton-Temple -Blackwood, the First Marquess of Dufferin and Ava of Northern Ireland. Dufferin (1826-1902) was variously .. 3rd Governor of Canada, Viceroy and Governor General of India, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster etc he also held senior positions in the Middle East. Born into wealth he was educated at Oxford. Late in life he became involved in a major financial scandal resulting in the loss of most of his own fortune. He was exonerated of any blame , seemingly.

Ronald Munro Ferguson (1860-1934) was born at Kirkcaldy, Scotland. He attended Sandhurst an after a military career was elected to the House of Commons in 1884. In 1914 he was appointed Governor-General of Australia, forming a close bond with Prime Minister Billy Hughes during the difficult years of WWI. He held office until 1920, the six year term then being a record. Returned to Scotland to become 1st Viscount Novar and Secretary for Scotland. After politics he held Board and Management position in a number of Insurance and banking companies and, was knighted in 1926.

Price $180.00

Dufferin in the “Foam” in the cold North … unusual descriptive writing. Exceptional provenance

$180.00

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To The Great Southern Sea – William Robinson

A sailing classic by the then established ocean sailor William Albert Robinson.

A really super copy of the first edition of what was Robinson’s second account of his sailing adventures. Published in 1957 by Peter Davies, London. Octavo, 223 pages nicely illustrated from photographs by the author and with great end paper maps.

By this time Robinson was living in Tahiti .. couldn’t we all! the lively account describes his 15,000 mile voyage in the Brigantine “Varua” via Rapa venturing deep south below the ice-berg limit before heading due east to Guafo off the Patagonian coast. From there more or less hugging the coast all the way up to the Panama before a loop and off to the Galapagos and the Trade Winds home, touching the Gambier Islands.

Scarce desirable southern Pacific sailing ..

SO SORRY SOLD

$40.00

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Trimaran to Tahiti – D.E. Barry-Evans

The Log from the Sea of Cortez [With a tribute – “About Ed Ricketts] – John Steinbeck.

Victorian Telescope – 36 inch two draw – mahogany cased – c1880

Sail and Deliver! – Ronald Preedy

To The Great Southern Sea – William Robinson

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