Mountaineering

Travels Amongst the Great Andes of the Equator [Ecuador] – Edward Whymper -1892

Travels and exploration in Ecuador – a classic.

Published by John Murray, London. A second printing, same year as the first, of a special book by the great mountaineer, Edward Whymper.

Large thick octavo, 456 pages. Nicely illustrated and with three maps, one folding and very large (85cm x 59cm) folding map in rear pocket. Original cloth covered binding with embellished gilt rule and lettering on front and spine, blind embossed in similar fashion on rear. Showing a little age, as usual, some scattered foxing near ends, otherwise a lovely clean copy. A heavy book which will require an Overseas postage supplement.

The classic South American Mountaineering book, Whymper climbing Cotopaxi and Chimborazo among others. Broader writing includes the natural history and geology of the Andes.

Essential reading for climbers and South American devotee.

Edward Whymper – nothing held him back

$140.00

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A Taste of the Hills – Miles Smeeton – First Edition 1961

A first edition published by Rupert Hart-Davis, London in 1961. Octavo, illustrated with maps, and illustrations from photographs. A very good copy.

Miles (1906-1988) and Beryl Smeeton (1905-1979) were adventurers as if from a different era. Well known for their sailing adventures and twice near disaster going East around the Horn .. they made it successfully from the west.

Miles had a distinguished military background … Yorkshire born … full of grit.

Miles was posted to India before WWII and he writes about his time there. And, with Beryl, his overland adventure from Basra back to England. Finishing with an attempt in the Himalayas on 25,460 feet Tirich Mir with Tenzing … Beryl became the highest climbed female at the time.

Miles Smeeton with Beryl on land and just as adventurous as the sea..

$20.00

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Red Peak – Ascent of Pik Kommunizma

An unusual mountaineering event form start to finish written by the expedition second Malcolm Slesser seemingly without the authority of leader Sir John Hunt.

First American Edition, published by Coward McCann, New York in 1964. Octavo, 256 pages well illustrated from expedition photographs, charts , diagrams etc. A little ageing but still a very good copy.

The first British / Soviet joint expedition to climb in the Soviet Asia Pamir Mountains. And a venture not without drama. No native porters were taken. Things got tense between the groups, two Englishmen died during the ascent of a particularly rugged stage. Hunt and several others gave up and went home. Slesser elected to stay … the frankness with which he describes the flare-ups as they struggled to reach the 25,000 foot peak adds to the drama of this unique climb

Slesser writes frankly about the first British / Soviet joint mountaineering expedition.

$25.00

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The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society (Scientific Expeditions to Everest) – October 1925

The Journal of the RGS in the familiar blue wrapper, 289-368 pages, folding coloured map plus period adverts. Complete and in excellent condition.

Lengthy report by Fellow of the Society N.E. Odell … observations on the Rocks and Glaciers of Mount Everest. Excellent photographs accompany this article along with the folding map by the author of the Geology of Everest from the expeditions of 1921 and 1924. All undertaken in an interesting period given the history of subsequent attempts on the summit of Everest.

Other reports of interest include The Movements of Indian Glaciers, which complements the above … and Lord Curzon’s Posthumous Work in India … and racial migration in the Balkans during 1912-1924 …

Everest explored – scientific expeditions

$90.00

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Hindu-Koh – Wanderings and Wild Sport on and Beyond the Himalayas – Major General Donald Macintyre.– 1891

Published by Blackwood, Edinburgh and London in 1891. Updated enhanced edition of 1891.

Large octavo, 362 pages with numerous illustrations. Striking blue cloth cover with the large gilt illustration of the mountain goat to the front. Very good condition. The frontispiece is a piece of work displaying the “bag” in all its magnificence. The tissue guard to the frontispiece is a masterpiece describing each element of the “bag” … we have put a piece of white paper behind to for the scan so that you can see the detail more clearly.

Macintyre travelled from Srinagar to Leh and on to Chang Chenmo and Lingzi=tang in 1871. This journey covers parts of Cashmere, Sind, Ladakh, Tibet and parts of China. Extensively in the Himalaya foothills. The account represents many years of travel and hunting in the region.

The account contains vivid descriptions of the people and their customs. And the wildlife … including elephant, tiger, bear, leopard, musk-deer, ibex, mansheer, yak and many more. A primary and early source.

Donald Macintyre (1831-1903) was a Major in the British Indian Army … 2nd Gurkha Rifles. He was awarded the Victoria Cross in the Lushai Campaign for successfully storming enemy battlements while under intense fire. His medal resides in the Gurkha Museum.

Rare and valuable account of the broader Himalayas.

$270.00

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Unclimbed New Zealand – John Pascoe

Published by George Allen, London in 1950 originally published in 1939. Tall octavo, 245 pages with illustrations from period photographs. Showing some age whilst still a pretty copy ain a near full dust jacket.

A popular NZ climbing book well written by Pascoe. The Arthur’s Pass Mountains; Waimakariri and Wilberforce Valleys; Rakaia Easters, Louper Valley etc

Climbing not unclimbing New Zealand.

$30.00

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Travels Amongst the Great Andes of the Equator [Ecuador] – Edward Whymper -1892

A Taste of the Hills – Miles Smeeton – First Edition 1961

Red Peak – Ascent of Pik Kommunizma

The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society (Scientific Expeditions to Everest) – October 1925

Hindu-Koh – Wanderings and Wild Sport on and Beyond the Himalayas – Major General Donald Macintyre.– 1891

Unclimbed New Zealand – John Pascoe

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