Travel & Voyages

Queensland Geographical Journal – Diamond Jubilee Issue 1885-1945. Also has important Papua New Guinea content.

The journal as published by the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia (Queensland). Octavo, soft wrappers, 113 pages after preliminaries. A very good copy bar the obvious marks to the covers … pretty clean and bright inside.

After various historic introductions articles re “Queensland Pastures – Their Development and Improvement; Across Papua’s Mighty Delta by A.L. Ethell; Irrigation (Queensland); The Interior of Eastern Papua by Captain Vernon.

Nicely illustrated and with a fold out sketch map from Bootless Bay (near Port Moresby) to Buna showing a vertical cross section of the Kokoda track … the article stimulated by the incredible conflict that had just come to an end in the region.

A special issue of the RGSA (Qld) Journal with particular interest to New Guinea collectors and readers.

$50.00

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Atlantic Adventure – John Groser – First Edition

This is the book about the highly controversial third London Observer Singlehanded Transatlantic Rec in 1968.

A first edition published by Ward & Lock, London. Octavo, 160 pages, nicely illustrated and with two good appendices at rear – Scale Drawings of Yachts in the 1968 Race and … List of entries with helmsman, designer, builder, type, rig, size and “result”. A fine copy.

Running down the “results” column maybe you get an understanding of the drama in the book with … Steering trouble, disqualifies, taken ill, rudder trouble, unable to navigate, sank!, leak in hull, mast came loose, mast broke, sank, sank … sank.

The North Atlantic not to be underestimated.

$25.00

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Fine Carte de Visite – Sir George Henry Richards – Hydrographer to the Navy and Surveyor of British Columbia, Canada – Distinguished photographer Ernest Edwards. Circa 1865.

George Henry Richards (1820-1896) was born in Cornwall and joined the Navy in 1832. He served in Australia, New Zealand, South America and the during the First Opium War in China. He was second in command on Belcher’s ship Assistance in the search for Sir John Franklin. In 1856 he was given the command of the survey vessel Plumper and sent to the north-west Pacific to assist in the boundary negotiation with the Americans. His survey efforts were magnificent and the regional map is covered in placenames originated by Richards. He returned to England in 1864 and was made Hydrographer to the Navy. Our carte de visite was likely made soon afterwards as the photographer completed a project regarding Prominent Men of Eminence … which included also Darwin and Lyell.

The photographer Ernest Edwards (1837-1903) was, as shown on this example, working out of 30 Baker Street, London in the 1860’s. In 1869 he invented is own collotype process which he called heliotype. This example is a two tone use of collotype (you can really only tell the difference for sure under a microscope).

Size 4.1 inches by 2.5 inches in the old system (standard for a CDV)… beautiful condition.

Important photographic image of the leading Naval Surveyor and Mapmaker of British Columbia, George Henry Richards by accomplished Victorian photographer Ernest Edwards.

$80.00

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George Bass – Discovery of the Bass Strait – Silver Commemorative Medal – 1968

George Bass, Surgeon an Explorer carried out two voyages to confirm the Bass Strait and the separation of Tasmania (then Van Diemen’s Land) from mainland Australia – known affectionately in Tasmania as “The Other Island”.

In 1797 he set off in an open whaleboat with a crew of six. They sailed to Cape Howe at the farthest point of South-east Australia and, from there sailed west along the Gippsland coast to Western Point, at the entrance to Port Phillip. Observations of the rapid tide and long south-western swell supported his view that a large Strait lay in front of him.

In 1798 he set out again, with Matthew Flinders in the sloop Norfolk and circumnavigated Van Diemen’s Land. They visited the Derwent River which had previously been named by Captain John Hayes. On return to Sydney, Flinders promoted the naming of the Strait after Bass … the then Governor, John Hunter agreed.

Bass’s later life was adventurous and … likely …tragic, making the date of his death on the medal questionable.

The medal was struck in 1968. It was produced by K.G. Luke & Sons, Melbourne for the Numismatic Association of Victoria. 160 example were produced in bronze and a similar number in silver. This one is identified as number B4.

50mm in diameter with a high relief bust of Bass facing right, carrying his spyglass. On the reverse a delightful image of the whaleboat, the sloop Norfolk an the chart and route of the vessels, appropriately date.

Unusual medal celebrates the achievements of George Bass – the prestigious silver example.

$280.00

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Tasman’s Journal – 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. Being photo-lithographic facsimiles pf the original manuscript in the Colonial Archives at the Hague with an English translation and facsimiles of original maps to which are added life and labours of Abel Janszoon Tasman by J.E. Heeres LL.D Professor at the Dutch Colonial Institute Delft by Dr W Van Bemmelen assistant-director of the Royal Meteorological Institute Utrecht

Reprinted in facsimile, Los Angeles, 1965 by N. A. Kovach. Edited by Frederik Muller.

Large folio (44cm by 29cm) of Tasman’s illustrated journal with an English translation and five folding maps in an end pocket. Complete and in fine condition.

Because the book is so large and we prefer to use an A3 scanner we are having difficulty getting good images. Here are some, … more to come when the technical department get around to it …

Commences after preliminaries with a 195-page facsimile of the original journal, including all illustrations. Followed by a 57-page English translation. Then “His Life and Labours” 162 pages which covers .. The Dutch Chartered East India Company; Tasman’s birthplace, early life, marriage, departure for India; Appointed skipper (1634) in Amboyna; voyage of discovery east of Japan (1639); Dutch in Formosa, Tasman’s return to Batavia (1640); voyage to Palembang (1642); Sources of knowledge re Tasman’s voyages to the South=land (1642-1644) [Including this Journal]; Tasman’s mission to Djambi (1646), Siam (1647) and the Philippines (1648). Finally, observations on the compass on Tasman’s Voyage [this Journal] a further 21 pages.

The folding maps in super condition are … 1. Map drawn after the map made under Tasman’s direction of his 1642/44 voyages with corrections found in contemporary documents and shown in English. 2. Expedition to Derma 1634. 3. Expedition to Japan 1639. 4 Expedition to the Philippines. 5. Isogonic chart of the Indian and Pacific Oceans for 1640 from Tasman by Van Bemmelen.

Edition limited to 225 copies, of which 200 where available to the public … as a result scarce and collectable.

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

UNDER CONSIDERATION

$790.00

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Captain James Kelly of Hobart Town – K.M. Bowden

Published by the Melbourne University Press in 1964, a first edition in very good if not fine condition condition.

Octavo, 126 pages, nicely illustrated, perfect dust jacket.

James Kelly was born in Parramatta in 1791 the son of a convict Irishwoman. He took to the seas as soon as able – was the first man to sail round Van Diemen’s Land in a small boat, survived shipwreck at Macquarie Island and had battles with the natives in New Zealand and back in Tasmania.

Kelly rose to be Master of a successful whaling and sealing fleet … and then to legend.

James Kelly was Hobart

$50.00

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Queensland Geographical Journal – Diamond Jubilee Issue 1885-1945. Also has important Papua New Guinea content.

Atlantic Adventure – John Groser – First Edition

Fine Carte de Visite – Sir George Henry Richards – Hydrographer to the Navy and Surveyor of British Columbia, Canada – Distinguished photographer Ernest Edwards. Circa 1865.

George Bass – Discovery of the Bass Strait – Silver Commemorative Medal – 1968

Tasman’s Journal – Abel Janszoon Tasman’s Journal of His Discovery of Van Diemen’s Land and New Zealand in 1642, …

Captain James Kelly of Hobart Town – K.M. Bowden

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