Non-fiction

Revolt in The Desert -T.E. Lawrence – 1927 Pre dates general issue of The Seven Pillars of Wisdom

Published in London by Jonathan Cape a fifth impression of the first edition published in May 1927, first impression March that year. Bound in original sienna-brown cloth with gilt lettering. Royal 8vo, pp. 446. Good condition without dust jacket. Pages very clean good likewise map at rear, front hinge tender, otherwise a solid book. Heavy so not suitable for Overseas mailing at this price.

Revolt in the Desert is an abridgement of The Seven Pillars of Wisdom. It was the only version available to the general public until the 1935 edition of The Seven Pillars was issued for general circulation. The book was an instant success. This is fifth printing of the first trade edition after the limited edition published in May 1927 (the first four impressions all being issued in March 1927). The whole illustrated by 16 plates and a good folding map.

Out of interest – the costs for production of the 1926 private edition of The Seven Pillars of Wisdom had ballooned to such an extent that Lawrence was contemplating selling either his library or some of his property to clear the debt. Eventually he settled on this abridgement, undertaken in 1926 by Lawrence with the help of fellow servicemen, an earlier attempt by Edward Garnett having been set aside. The profits from this publication made the fortunes of the Cape publishing house.

Lawrence of Arabia – Revolt in The Desert

$60.00

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Tek Sing Shipwreck Treasure [Reeds, Peony and Bamboo] – Wrecked in 1822 Gaspar Straits

Qing Dynasty decorated bowl recovered by Mike Hatcher from the Tek Sing shipwreck. A special example.

Unusual more extensive decoration with a central spray of reeds emanating from rockwork, peony flowers to the left and a very nice bamboo image to the right. Three small floral designs under rim and two character marks to centre. Blue circle around foot and likely under rim. Larger example bowl for Tek Sing, 15 cm in diameter 3.0 cm high, with a good foot. Retains the Nagel auction and catalogue stickers underneath for provenance.

A Tek Sing special – Nice strong and uncommon decoration.
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The Tek Sing Shipwreck – Background

The Tek Sing (Chinese for “Bright Star”’) was a large Chinese Junk which sank in 1822 in the South China Sea at the Belvidere Shoals. She was 50 meters long, 10 metres wide and weighed a thousand tons. Manned by a crew of 200. The great loss of life has led to the Tek Sing being referred to as the “Titanic of the East”.

Sailing from the port of Amoy (now Xiamen), the Tek Sing was bound for Jakarta, with a cargo of porcelain goods and 1,600 Chinese immigrants. After a month of sailing, Captain Lo Tauko took a shortcut through the Gaspar Straits and ran aground on a reef and sank in 100 feet of water.

The next morning and English East Indiaman captained by James Pearl sailing from Indonesia to Borneo passed through the Gaspar Straits. He found debris from the sunken Chinese vessel and survivors. They managed to rescue 190 people

In 1999, marine salvor Mike Hatcher discovered the wreck. His crew raised what has been described as the largest cache of Chinese porcelain ever recovered. It was auctioned by Nagle in Stuttgart, Germany the following year

$220.00

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Tek Sing Shipwreck Treasure [Peony and Magnolia] – 1822

Qing Dynasty decorated bowl recovered by Mike Hatcher from the Tek Sing shipwreck. A lovely example.

Beautifully and quite fully decorated with peony flowers and magnolias and, maybe what is a rock-wall at centre. Three Lingzhi fungus sprays under rim, blue glaze circles under rim and around foot. Strong colouring. A small nicely curved bowl 10.5 cm in diameter 2.5 cm high. Retains the Nagel auction and catalogue stickers underneath for provenance.

Super example of a Tek Sing shipwreck bowl
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The Tek Sing Shipwreck – Background

The Tek Sing (Chinese for “Bright Star”’) was a large Chinese Junk which sank in 1822 in the South China Sea at the Belvidere Shoals. She was 50 meters long, 10 metres wide and weighed a thousand tons. Manned by a crew of 200. The great loss of life has led to the Tek Sing being referred to as the “Titanic of the East”.

Sailing from the port of Amoy (now Xiamen), the Tek Sing was bound for Jakarta, with a cargo of porcelain goods and 1,600 Chinese immigrants. After a month of sailing, Captain Lo Tauko took a shortcut through the Gaspar Straits and ran aground on a reef and sank in 100 feet of water.

The next morning and English East Indiaman captained by James Pearl sailing from Indonesia to Borneo passed through the Gaspar Straits. He found debris from the sunken Chinese vessel and survivors. They managed to rescue 190 people.

In 1999, marine salvor Mike Hatcher discovered the wreck. His crew raised what has been described as the largest cache of Chinese porcelain ever recovered. It was auctioned by Nagle in Stuttgart, Germany the following year

$150.00

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Titans of the Barrier Reef [Further Adventures of a Shark Fisherman] – Norman Caldwell – First Edition 1938

A nice first edition of the follow up book to Fangs of the Sea by shark hunter extraordinaire Norman Caldwell

Published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney in 1938. Thick octavo, 248 pages, illustrated throughout with images from original photographs of the “’catch” and the odd snake etc, end paper maps. Missing the dust jacket but rare as is in emerald original green cloth covered binding, very slightly cocked, very clean inside a very good copy.

Still hunting along the east coast of Australia, mainly in Queensland on the Barrier Reef from the Whitsundays up to Caldwell. An unusual in the moment narrative like its predecessor, sometime drifting into a story telling style in the manner of Idriess. Fascinating “sharky” encounters and the odd 500plus pound Grouper, as in “Fangs”. Photographic images are classic … Caldwell had a rather strange passion of photographing his wife with the caught beauties, posing in a sometimes unusual fashion.

Caldwell the Shark Hunter more than just Fangs

$140.00

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Fangs of the Sea – Norman Caldwell – First Edition 1936

An extremely rare first edition of Shark Hunter Norman Caldwell’s classic book.

Written in conjunction with Norman Ellison. Published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney in 1936.

Thick octavo, 282 pages, illustrated throughout with images from original photographs, diagrams of shark catching techniques, end paper maps. Missing the original dust jacket but rare as is in original green cloth covered binding, very slightly cocked, very clean inside a pretty good copy. Best obviously available currently.

Caldwell could see money in catching sharks – his hunting ground was in Queensland between Repulse Bay and Gloucester Island taking in the Whitsundays.

Obviously if you don’t have the appetite for shark hunting this is not the book for you. Caldwell also went after and caught “big Fish” other than sharks and Rays and massive Grouper Fish were within his aim.

The book has taken on almost legendary status and sought after by those with a bit of Hemingway and Lee Marvin in them.

Caldwell’s Fangs one for the game fisherman

$270.00

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Tek Sing Shipwreck Treasure – 1822

Qing Dynasty decorated bowl recovered by Mike Hatcher from the Tek Sing shipwreck. A very good completely undamaged example.

Beautifully and quite intensely decorated with peony flowers to the centre and rim, the latter in decorative band. Stylised flowers under rim and a blue line circling the foot. Strong colouring.

One of the larger bowls 15.5 cm in diameter 3.5 cm high. Retains the original Nagel auction sticker and catalogue reference underneath, which provides clear provenance.

Price $240.00
Bright well decorated shipwreck bowl
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The Tek Sing Shipwreck – Background

The Tek Sing (Chinese for “Bright Star”’) was a large Chinese Junk which sank in 1822 in the South China Sea at the Belvidere Shoals. She was 50 meters long, 10 metres wide and weighed a thousand tons. Manned by a crew of 200. The great loss of life has led to the Tek Sing being referred to as the “Titanic of the East”.

Sailing from the port of Amoy (now Xiamen), the Tek Sing was bound for Jakarta, with a cargo of porcelain goods and 1,600 Chinese immigrants. After a month of sailing, Captain Lo Tauko took a shortcut through the Gaspar Straits and ran aground on a reef and sank in 100 feet of water.

The next morning and English East Indiaman captained by James Pearl sailing from Indonesia to Borneo passed through the Gaspar Straits. He found debris from the sunken Chinese vessel and survivors. They managed to rescue 190 people.

In 1999, marine salvor Mike Hatcher discovered the wreck. His crew raised what has been described as the largest cache of Chinese porcelain ever recovered. It was auctioned by Nagle in Stuttgart, Germany the following year

$240.00

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Revolt in The Desert -T.E. Lawrence – 1927 Pre dates general issue of The Seven Pillars of Wisdom

Tek Sing Shipwreck Treasure [Reeds, Peony and Bamboo] – Wrecked in 1822 Gaspar Straits

Tek Sing Shipwreck Treasure [Peony and Magnolia] – 1822

Titans of the Barrier Reef [Further Adventures of a Shark Fisherman] – Norman Caldwell – First Edition 1938

Fangs of the Sea – Norman Caldwell – First Edition 1936

Tek Sing Shipwreck Treasure – 1822

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