Prestige Items

Mon Expedition au Sud Polaire – Sir Ernest Shackleton – Translated from “South”‘ by Landel – First French Edition 1920

The French edition of “South” … The story of Shackleton’s Expedition (The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition 1914 – 1917).

A very good copy of the first edition published by Alfred Mame et Fils, Tours, France.

Folio, 384 pages with folding map and 77 illustrations mainly from expedition photographs. Beautifully bound with vivid stamped front cover. All edges richly gilt. Corners bit bumped and hinge a little cracked, still a lovely example. A substantial book 1.6kgs.

Shackleton believed that after Amundsen’s conquest of the South Pole in 1911 the “one great main object of Antarctic journeyings” was to make the first land crossing of the Antarctic continent. He sent the Aurora to the Ross Sea under Mackintosh and took the Endurance to the Weddell Sea. Before they could reach Vahsel Bay they became entrapped in ice and drifted with it throughout the winter of 1915. Eventually the ship gave way and was crushed and sank, Mon Expedition au Sud Polaire contains photographs of its gradual demise. Stranded on the ice they took to the lifeboats and made inhospitable Elephant Island. Shackleton and five men then made a 1,287km journey in the James Caird to reach South Georgia eventually mounting a rescue mission for the men left behind. The Ross Sea party also had difficulties and three men lost their lives.

Special French Edition of Shackleton’s South … what way to improve your language skills!

$240.00

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Polar Medal – Erwin Springweiler – 1941

A Polar commemorative golden bronze medal sculpted by Erwin Springweiler and issued by the American Society of Medalists in 1941.

73 mm in diameter weighing 160 gms a fine bright unpolished example. The Arctic side has a proud Polar Bear on a floe with Snow Geese flying in the background and the names Greely, Bartlett, Peary and Byrd celebrated. The Antarctic four proud Penguins with the names Palmer, Wilkes, Byrd and Ellsworth celebrated. Along the rim the Society and Sculptors full name is engraved

Erin Frederick Springweiler (1896-1968) was born in Pforzheim, Germany and trained at the Munich Academy. During the 1830’s he worked with American sculptor Paul Manship at Havana, Cuba. He specialised in animal sculptures and his anteater can be seen at the Washington D.C. Zoological Gardens.

The Society of Medalists was formed in the USA in 1930 to encourage the medallic work of superior sculptors. It ceased in 1995. Springweiler was selected to produce the 1941 issue, the only medal in the series to have a Polar theme.

Springweiler wrote about his approach … “In creating this medal, I was thinking of another world, a silent and cruel one, the regions around the poles of our globe, the endless ice-wastes, the land of midnight sun”

Polar Celebratory Medal by Springweiler

$260.00

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The Life and Work of Sydney Long – Joanna Mendelssohn

A first edition published by McGraw Hill, Sydney as part of the Copperfield Art Series, 1979.

Folio, 284 pages in complete dust jacket all in very good if not better condition. With numerous illustrations of the great man’s work including 38 in full colour including folding colour frontispiece.

Sydney Long (1871-1955) was born in Goulburn, New South Wales.

One of Australia’s greatest artists partly inspired by the Heidelberg School. By 1897 he had developed his own style, with possibly his most admired painting being completed that year … The Spirit of the Plains. Painted in a soft colour palette a naked Grecian wood nymph leading a procession of dancing Brolgas … simply wonderful. His paintings in this style, often with low key eroticism, were the foundation of a new art style Australian Paganism and influenced the likes of Norman Lindsay.

Long sold his early works at good prices which financed time spent in London just before WWI where he turned to etching and engraving and held positions of distinction in several Societies.

Sydney Long the definitive work

$140.00

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Tasman’s Journal – Fine Facsimile – Strictly Limited

Abel Janszoon Tasman’s Journal of His Discovery of Van Diemen’s Land and New Zealand in 1642, with Documents Relating to His Exploration of Australia in 1644, Amsterdam 1898.

Reprinted in facsimile, Los Angeles, 1965. A large folio of Tasman’s illustrated journal with an English translation and five folding maps in an end pocket. Complete and in fine condition. Edition limited to 225 copies and as a result scarce and collectable. This copy as fine a condition as you will find.

Tasman’s Journal a rare and fine facsimile – The Discovery of Van Diemen’s Land

Not this is a very large and heavy volume and may require a postagae supplement on billing dependent on location … we will be helpful

$890.00

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The Rise, Progress and Present State of Van Dieman’s (sic) Land – Henry Parker – First Edition 1833 – Scarce

Scarce early first edition of this important book on Tasmania. Full title … the Rise, Progress, and Present State of Van Dieman’s (sic) Land; with Advice to Emigrants, also a Chapter on Convicts, shewing the Efficacy of Transportation as a secondary Punishment.

By Henry Walter Parker who has written at the top of the title “With the Compiler’s Complements”.

Published by J. Cross, Holborn and Simpkins and Marshall, London 1833.

Small octavo, 244 pages plus Appendices xiv and advertisements J. Cross Colonial Publications. Original blue cloth covered binding with original simple paper title label to spine, label rubbed and aged, but the whole authentic. Previous owners bookplate to front free end paper. A very good copy

Excellent folding coloured map (26cm by 22cm) of Tasmania at front with inset plans of Hobart Town and Launceston. Map rare and valuable and in very good condition.

Chapters commence with Discovery … Tasman, Furneaux, Cook, D’Entrecasteaux … Flinders’ discoveries… settlement Risdon Cove, port Dalrymple. Internal Policy; Aborigines ..conflicts, Robinson, Great Island; Convicts; Society; Climate, Diseases and Seasons; Divisions … the Settlements and Geography .. the Van Dieman’s Land Company; Agriculture; Natural History … the Native Hyena (Thylacine extinct), Emu (also Extinct) , Platipus (sic) etc; Geology; Cachemere-Angora Goat and Mr Riley’s speculation!; Trade and Revenue; Emigration .. with much advice including about the “defrauding of emigrants” and instances of “success” and “failure”.

Tasmania – all you need to know in – 1833

$390.00

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Explorations in Australia – John Forrest – First Edition 1875 (Important Exploratory Journals with Maps)

A rare first edition of John Forrest’s account published by Sampson Low, London 1875.

Full title … Explorations in Australia: I Explorations in Search of Dr Leichhardt and Party. II From Perth to Adelaide, around the Great Australian Bight. III From Champion Bay, Across the Desert to the Telegraph and to Adelaide.

Octavo, with eight plates and four folding maps. Complete (often plates or maps missing). Original gilt decorated, green cloth covered boards. A good complete copy.

Carries the bookplate of distinguished bibliophile Tristan Noel Marchand Buesst (1894-1982) who was party to the creation and first President of the Friends of the Latrobe Library and who was instrumental in and contributed substantial personal funds into the Library’s collection to make them the focus of a serious scholarly endeavour. Incidentally, the unusual surname is an old English name from the 15th century meaning casket maker.

An important account of the explorations of John Forrest (1847-1918).

His first expedition as a Government Surveyor was in 1869 when he was twenty one. Setting out from Perth looking for any trace of Leichhardt he was told of a party of white men being slain some years earlier. This turned out to be Austin’s party not Leichhardt. Forrest reached Mt Weld, east of Lake Barlee before returning to Perth.

His next expedition, accompanied by his brother Andrew, was around the Bight searching for arable land … and enormous achievement made in only five months, one which took Eyre more than twice as long.

The greatest challenge was accomplished in 1874 crossing from Perth to the Telegraph line running from Darwin to Adelaide.

He published this book the following year and, in the year after that (1876), was awarded the Patron’s Medal by the Royal Geographical Society in London.

Forrest later became Premier of Western Australia and a Minister in the First Federal Government.

“a work of great importance which must be added to every collection of exploration literature” – Wantrup.

Forrest … Fundamental explorations in the Interior of Australia.

$940.00

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Mon Expedition au Sud Polaire – Sir Ernest Shackleton – Translated from “South”‘ by Landel – First French Edition 1920

Polar Medal – Erwin Springweiler – 1941

The Life and Work of Sydney Long – Joanna Mendelssohn

Tasman’s Journal – Fine Facsimile – Strictly Limited

The Rise, Progress and Present State of Van Dieman’s (sic) Land – Henry Parker – First Edition 1833 – Scarce

Explorations in Australia – John Forrest – First Edition 1875 (Important Exploratory Journals with Maps)

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