Maritime

The Wreck of the Batavia & Prosper – Simon Leys

A fine first hardback published 2005 by Black Inc, Melbourne. Small octavo, 110 pages, illustrated comprising two separate essays of close to equal length.

The author’s account of the unusual going’s on to do with the wreck of the Dutch East Indies Batavia and the horrid aftermath is good succinct account.

Despite the unusual format of the title …Prosper is a totally different narrative and not a wreck account … deeply personal the author Pierre Ryckmans (here under his pen-name Simon Leys) recalls a summer spent on a tuna fishing boat off Brittany … his introduction to “proper sailing”.

Batavia special and unusual combination … Prosper

$22.00

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Capture of the Mahonesa – Original Hand Coloured Aquatint – Whitcombe 1816

An original hand coloured aquatint by Sutherland after a painting by Thomas Whitcombe (1763-1824) a leading British maritime artist. Published at 48 The Strand, London, 1st November 1816 for Jenkins’s “The Naval Achievements of Great Britain”; surely the greatest ever naval illustrated work.

Printed on thick Whatman paper measuring 30 cm by 21.5 cm with wide borders. Some ghosting from a previous mount as can be seen from the image. Reflected in the price … a desirable collectable naval item.

The action took place on 13th October 1796 off the coast of Spain near Cartgeria. The 22 gun frigate HMS Tepsichore, under Captain Richard Bowen had been shadowing the Spanish fleet. On his return to Lisbon he encountered the Mahonesa under Captain Ayalde. The Spanish offered “battle” and Bowen accepted and won the Mahonesa with little loss on his side. He took his prize to Lisbon but unfortunately had caused so much damage to the ship that it was considered worthless as a prize. This was the first encounter of the Anglo-Spanish War which was to last a further eight years.

Price $190.00 unframed … ask for framing options if you wish.

Thomas Whitcombe exhibited at the Royal Academy (56 times), the British Institution and the Royal Society of British Artists. Many of his paintings of naval engagements are in the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich

$190.00

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Trade Winds and Turtles – Dan Mulville – First Edition 1960

Published by Putnam, London in 1960 a first edition. Octavo, 248 pages with frontispiece of the boat and two charts. Very good near fine condition.

Dan Mulville bought an old French fishing boat “L’ Adventurier” in the Canary Isles. With a new friend he made for the West Indies and had one great adventure … involving bar fights, smuggling and shark fishing. A different sort of sailing book

Irish born Dan Mulville left school and joined an insurance company. It didn’t last long … and that was his last proper job. He was in the RAF during the war. Afterwards he delivered yachts for rich Greeks, cars for London motor firms and boasted a fine wine cellar. We like the cut of his jib!

Sailing and the wild life in the West Indies.

$25.00

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The Misty Islands – Miles Smeeton – First Ed 1969

Published by the Nautical Publishing Company (Captain’s Row, Lymington) in association with Harrap, London.

Octavo, 214 pages nicely illustrated and with endpaper maps. Very good near fine condition.

The Smeeton’s experienced sailors spent a year in Japan after a prior voyage before they set sail for Southern Ireland via … the Aleutians, Alaska, British Columbia … the down the west coast and through Panama to the West Indies. Heading north to colder foggier climate past Labrador and across to round Iceland before heading near south to the Hebrides and the final leg. Much about the sailing and the stopping’s off along the way. A special record.

Unusual voyage and a liking for colder water

$30.00

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Captain Cook – Alistair MacLean – First Edition 1972

Published by Collins, London in 1972 a first edition. Octavo, 192 pages, nicely illustrated with endpaper maps. A fine copy in a fine dust jacket …

A best selling fiction author MacLean writes a riveting narrative for this factual book on Cook. Beautifully illustrated throughout and a well rounded approach to the whole of Cook’s exploits.

Cook all Over … by MacLean

$40.00

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The Epic Voyage of the Seven Little Sisters – A 6,700 Mile Voyage Alone Across the Pacific – William Willis – 1955

Published by Hutchinson, London a first UK edition 1955. Octavo, 243 pages, nicely illustrated with photographic images, charts and sketches. A very good copy in a very good dust jacket.

Further and faster than the Kon-Tiki … William Willis achieved the impossible in 1954 sailing his incredible raft for Callao, Peru to Pago Pago in British Samoa.

Strap those logs tightly next time you raft!

$25.00

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The Wreck of the Batavia & Prosper – Simon Leys

Capture of the Mahonesa – Original Hand Coloured Aquatint – Whitcombe 1816

Trade Winds and Turtles – Dan Mulville – First Edition 1960

The Misty Islands – Miles Smeeton – First Ed 1969

Captain Cook – Alistair MacLean – First Edition 1972

The Epic Voyage of the Seven Little Sisters – A 6,700 Mile Voyage Alone Across the Pacific – William Willis – 1955

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