Non-fiction

Climbs in the Canadian Rockies – Frank Smythe – First edition 1950

Published by Hodder and Stoughton, London a first edition 1950. Octavo, 259 pages with many illustrations and all in very good condition.

Frank Smythe one of the 20th Century’s greatest high altitude climbers. His last great project, the Canadian Rockies. Beautifully written and wonderfully illustrated.

One last great season of climbing for Smythe

$30.00

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The Lonely Victory (Everest without Oxygen) – Peter Habeler – US First Edition

Published by Simon and Shuster in 1979 same year as the first UK edition and one year after the German. Octavo, 224 pages well illustrated and in very good condition.

The US equivalent of “Everest Impossible Victory”. Hillary got there first but it was Habeler and Messner who first made it to the highest place on earth unassisted with oxygen tanks, in 1978. Unusual interesting account starting with the preparations and the finances. Habeler only took three pairs of long socks!

…. don’t hold your breath too long!

$25.00

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Everest Impossible Victory – Peter Habeler – UK First

Published by Arlington, London in 1979, one year after the first German edition. Octavo, 223 pages. Some signs of ageing, generally a very good copy in a complete and clean dust jacket.

Hillary got there first but it was Habeler and Messner who first made it to the highest place on earth unassisted with oxygen tanks, in 1978. Unusual interesting account starting with the preparations and the finances. Habeler only took three pairs of long socks!

All the way to the top on your own air!

$25.00

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Camps and Cruises of an Ornithologist – Frank Chapman – First edition 1908

A first edition, large octavo, 432 pages heavily illustrated as from black and white photographs. Published by Appleton, New York in 1908 a first edition. Good condition with the striking flamingo cover albeit with some pock marks to the fore and bottom edge. Internally nice, clean and tight.

Ornithology and travel have gone hand in hand since bird watching was invented and in this book travel around the greater North America has equal status with some rare feathery friends.

Frank Chapman was curator of ornithology at the American Museum of Natural History and a Fellow of everything relevant. After checking out Jays, Meadowlarks and Nighthawks near to home the party visit Gardiner’s and Cobb’s Islands on the Atlantic Coast. Then to Florida and Pelican Island … the Great Blue Heron, Water Turkey, Egret and the Cuthbert Rookery. A nice trip to the Bahama and the striking Flamingo, Egg Birds and the Booby and Man-o-War bird. Off to the west and the prairie birdlife, California and the Sierras before reaching north to Western Canada and the White Pelican’s. An unusual finale in England and stroking the Eider Duck.

Birds and getting around them done in style early 20thC.

$120.00

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Spore Coal – Tasmania – Microscope Slide

A very good prepared slide of spore coal (Pelionite) labelled as from Tasmania. Late 19th or early 20th century in preparation we do not know by who but we recognise their handwriting!

The most likely location for spore coal is around Barn Bluff and walkers on the Overland track may encounter outcrops. Joseph Will operated a mine in the area in the 1890’s. Seemingly, the coal type is loaded with oil a fact that was hotly debated in the technical press around the 1920’s.

Rare slide preparation subject – Tasmanian

$50.00

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The Dragon and the Lotus – Crosbie Garstin

Published by Heinemann in London, a first crown edition 1930. Thick octavo, 343 pages with sketches by the author of some standard and the handy endpapers for the geographically limited.

An informative and entertaining travel account which starts at the Ritz in Piccadilly amongst Cabinet Ministers, Army Officers and American musical Comedy Stars!

It does get more serious, and Garstin takes us nicely on his journey starting in earnest in the Pacific at Oahu then on to Japan, southward to Hong Kong, Macao then in to Tonking and the “House of Marvels”. Then to Yunnan-fu and Hue and the “Funeral of a King” and the “Marble Mountains”. To Saigon and north to Angkor and the “Vat” west to Bangkok and the river to Ayuthia for a bit of leisure and on home.

Travelling in Asia in a different era …….

$50.00

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Climbs in the Canadian Rockies – Frank Smythe – First edition 1950

The Lonely Victory (Everest without Oxygen) – Peter Habeler – US First Edition

Everest Impossible Victory – Peter Habeler – UK First

Camps and Cruises of an Ornithologist – Frank Chapman – First edition 1908

Spore Coal – Tasmania – Microscope Slide

The Dragon and the Lotus – Crosbie Garstin

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