Antarctic, Arctic, Polar

Ungava: A Tale of Esquimax-Land – Robert M. Ballantyne

One of the most prolific writers of adventure for the young Scottish born Robert Michael Ballantyne (1825-1894) went to Canada at the age of 16. There he worked for six years for the Hudson Bay Company. In his autobiography he said that writing long letters to his mother on the goings on of the fur traders was the stimulus behind his first books.

His first was “The Hudson Bay Company” and then “The Young Fur Traders” … this book was his fourth. He went on to pen over 100 books to the delight of his adventure seeking followers.

An early 20th century edition published by Nelson, London. Octavo, 509 pages, blue cloth covered boards with sailing ship design and design to spine, coloured frontispiece. A very good copy indeed.

A party of explorers head into Eskimo territory to establish a fur trading post at Ungava Bay. Situated in the Nunavik region of Quebec.

Ballantyne in one of those “live there did that” adventures.

$60.00

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Russian Arctic Islands – Mallet – 1719

An unusual hand coloured original copper engraved miniature map – Isle des Etat ou Staten Island (Ostrov Mestnyy) and Isle Maurice (Dolgy Island). From Beschreibung des Ganzen Welt Kreises … the German translation of Mallet’s great work on the Universe published by Johann Adam Jung in Frankfurt 1719.

Ostrov Msetnyy is in the Kara Sea south of Novaya Zemlya – Dolgy is to the west in the Barents Sea. The topography of the islands is contrasting Ostrov rather rugged and hilly whilst Dolgy is flat and pitted with lagoons. Sailing vessels very discretely engraved into the plate.

Paper size 20cm by 17cm; map area 15cm by 10cm. Good condition on wove paper. Unusually wide leading margin consistent with this printing.

Allain Manesson Mallet (1630-1706) was a French cartographer and engineer. He started his career as a soldier in the army of Louis XIV and became a Sergeant Major and an Inspector of Fortifications a role which afforded him the resources required to produce this treasure.

Early unique map of little known Arctic islands

$80.00

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Antarctic Collectable – The Uttermost South – The Undying Story of Captain Scott – The sad conclusion of the Scott’s expedition to the South Pole – As published in the New York, Everybody’s Magazine – October 1913.

A complete issue (Vol XXIX No 4) of the lengthy Everybody’s Magazine a popular literary magazine of the period.

The tragic story of the Scott expedition unfolds over 24 pages, with numerous images from photographs taken by Scott and other members of his expedition and the later party attempting to find the adventurers. A super summary and iconic images … surely no other image can portray disappointment than the Scott party at the pole with the Amundsen tent.

25cm by 16cm with some 150 pages all up plus loads of pages of period advertisements, a joy in themselves. Another article on airships may interest, period stories etc. Generally good condition, albeit cover edges frayed.

Unusual Antarctic Ephemera with content.

$80.00

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The Voyage of The Vega Round Asia and Europe – 1883 A.E. Nordenskiold – translated by Alexander Leslie

Published by MacMillan and Co, London in 1883. A first of type. Octavo, 413 pages plus Abstract and Index. Heavily illustrated with 186 wood-cuts, two portraits and two colour lithographed maps.

The very readable account of Adolf Erik Nordenskiold. The introductory note provides a more than adequate summary … “ The present edition of Baron Nordenskiold’s narrative includes the whole of the Voyage of the Vega along the North-East Passage, and the year’s life among the Chukches, with the details collected as to the manners and customs of that interesting people; Nordenskiold’s sketch of hos own journey up the Tenisei, and the voyage of the Lena up the river of that name; the chapters on the hydrography and resources of Siberia; the interesting account of animal life in and around Novaya Zemlya; and a brief sketch of the visit to Japan and the voyage home.

Certainly, we feel Nordenskiold’s achievement of the North-east Passage is hidden in history likely because of the drama associated with the North-East Passage … Franklin etc. It deserves to be elevated as also his narrative which is detailed and far reaching. See our medal commemorating his achievement.

Adolf Nordenskiold – first through the North-West Passage

$180.00

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Voyage Through the Antarctic – Richard Adams and Ronald Lockley

A first edition published by Allen Lane, London in 1982.

Richard Adams, author of Watership Down struck up a friendship with Ronald Lockley author of The Private Life of the Rabbit whilst researching for Watership. This friendship led to making a full Antarctic voyage on the Linblad Explorer from Tierra del Fuego to Stewart Island of South Island New Zealand.

As would be expected an observant and well written narrative with a super selection of photograph’s taken on the voyage by Peter Hirst-Smith … well he did take three thousand from which to make the selection.

Small quarto, 160 pages, numerous illustrations from photographs, nice chart etc …a very good copy.

Adams and Lockley in the Antarctic and not a rabbit in sight.

$40.00

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In Search of Franklin – The Journal of Rochfort Maguire 1852-1854 … Two Years at Point Barrow, Alaska, aboard HMS Plover in the Search of Sir John Franklin – Edited by John Bockstoce

Sir John Franklin’s expedition left England in 1845 in search of the northwest passage. Three years later HMS Plover was the first to mount what would be many expeditions in search of the lost crew of the Erebus and Terror.

A Hakluyt Society publication in two octavo volumes published in 1988. 584 pages in total heavily illustrated and in fine as if new condition. There is a super large scale folding map on the Western Esquimaux by Simpson which we have difficulty scanning nicely because of its size.

Of further interest is that this expedition approached from the west whereas analysis of the search for Franklin has tended to focus on eastern approaches. The heart of this book is based on the journals of Captain Rochfort Maguire and it represents the earliest account of sustained contact with the Eskimos of northern Alaska. A detailed introduction regarding the history, strategy and logistics of the search and the conclusion supplemented by other accounts of Dr John Simpson who participated in a five boat expedition from Point Barrow.

Search for Franklin – First from the West

$60.00

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Ungava: A Tale of Esquimax-Land – Robert M. Ballantyne

Russian Arctic Islands – Mallet – 1719

Antarctic Collectable – The Uttermost South – The Undying Story of Captain Scott – The sad conclusion of the Scott’s expedition to the South Pole – As published in the New York, Everybody’s Magazine – October 1913.

The Voyage of The Vega Round Asia and Europe – 1883 A.E. Nordenskiold – translated by Alexander Leslie

Voyage Through the Antarctic – Richard Adams and Ronald Lockley

In Search of Franklin – The Journal of Rochfort Maguire 1852-1854 … Two Years at Point Barrow, Alaska, aboard HMS Plover in the Search of Sir John Franklin – Edited by John Bockstoce

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