Naval - Military - Pre-20th Century | Archive | Voyager Rare Books Maps & Prints

Historic Sail – The Glory of the Sailing Ship from the 13th to the 19th Century – Wheatley

A massive production principally by Joseph Wheatley as this is a most visual work … text by Stephen Howarth.

Squarish folio, 33cm by 32cm, 206 pages, published by specialist Greenhill Books, London in 2000.

With 91 colour plates of historic vessels with accompanying text page. A quality production and a very good copy. Probably too big for an overseas purchase (and our scanner) .. please enquire though.

Presented in chronological order with the Danish 13thC Cog and then the Cinque Ports Cog and Venetian Merchantman. Along the way we have Carricks and Caravels before the 16thC Galleys and the Flemish Warships. Some specifics … the Revenge and the San Martin and the Golden Lion. The Armada vessels and the Dutch and the mighty Sovereign of the Seas. Gun ships and the first yachts … HMB Endeavour an to finish a Scottish Tea Clipper.

At the time of publication Joseph Wheatley was part of the crew on the replica Endeavour … half your luck … one of the images is that magnificent converted collier.

A special book for grown up Boys who like the Sea.

$50.00

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Mercator’s World – Anson’s Voyage

Volume 3 No 6 of Mercator’s World published in 1998.

Our favourite features is “Victory at Sea – How George Anson Became Leader of the British Navy”. Having said that, we do not like the title as he became the “Father” of the Royal Navy for many reasons, albeit including the incredible circumnavigation and stealing of the Spanish gold, the story of this feature.

An eight page article nicely illustrated, mostly from images and maps out of the official account. The charming engraving “England’s glory. Wagons heading into the Tower of London with the Spanish treasure” is a very rare engraving the originator unknown.

Provides fresh insight into the voyage particularly as you would expect concerning the charts and the route taken and the mistakes made and bad luck encountered. It is a lesson in the difficulties had before the problem of the longitude was solved by Harrison’s chronometer.

Other articles include quite a bit on underwater surveying … Davy Jones Locker etc and Portlan reflection a good one on early sea charts.

Mercator’s ideas and views on the Anson Voyage.

$25.00

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Original Watercolour – Lt Janvarin Grassie R.N. – New South Wales – 1876

A delightful Australian School watercolour … a Woman Bathing by a Lake 32cm by 21cm. External frame dimensions. 50cm by 39cm. Lovely palette and a charming naivety.

Matted and framed by upmarket London Picture Framers, Restorers and Guilder with their label on the back. Slight hints of age but still in very good condition.

The artist date and location nicely noted lower left and right on the mat. Decorative lines drawn to mat with lovely choice of fill colouring.

After reasonable research we have not come up with anything on the artist nor any obvious record in the Royal Navy.

Nice Australian watercolour from the 1870’s – Artist named but little known about him.

$390.00

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Log of the Centurion – The Anson Voyage – The Log of Saumarez – Leo Heaps

The great Anson circumnavigation of the mid-18th century to basically steal as much Spanish gold – as possible (successful in that regard). This book based on the papers of Captain Saumarez and an essential part of the incredible story that makes up this historic adventure.

Based on the original papers of Captain Philip Saumarez on Board HMS Centurion, Lord Anson’s flagship during his circumnavigation 1740-44.

The four Saumarez logs have not been previously published or referenced. They had been lost for year until found in the 1960’s in a cardboard box along with letter and other documents at the Saumerez manor in the Channel Islands.

Published by Macmillan, New York a first edition 1974.Large octavo, 264 pages, world map end papers showing the track of the fleet, numerous illustrations from original works, some in colour. A very good copy.

While Great Britain was at war with Spain in 1740, Commodore George Anson led a Squadron of eight ships on a mission to harass the Spaniards on the west coast of South America and cut off their supplies of wealth from the Pacific.

“Returning to England in 1744 by way of China and thus completing a circumnavigation, the voyage was notable for the capture of the gold laden Acapulco Galleon but also for the loss of all ships except Anson’s Centurion and horrific losses to disease with only 300 of the original 900 surviving.

Anson’s voyage is remembered as a classic tale of endurance and leadership in the face of fearful disasters, but to Englishmen of 1744 it was the treasure of the galleon, triumphantly paraded through the streets of London, which restored national pride after an unsuccessful war against the Spaniards.”

Saumerez another perspective on Anson

$40.00

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The Life of Captain James Cook – J.C. Beaglehole

Published by Adam & Charles Black, London 1974 a first of this issue having been previously published by the Hakluyt Society.

Large “royal” octavo, 760 pages with 4 sketch maps, 1 foldout map, 4 coloured plates and 67 black and white illustrations. Slight sunning of dust jacket spine and hint of foxing as often the case. A very good copy. A heavy book that will require an Overseas postage supplement.

Many would agree the best authority on James Cook. John Beaglehole wrote the definitive analysis of James Cook’s three monumental voyages published by the Hakluyt Society. Likewise, this book, on the man himself, is a superb digestible (albeit 700+ pages) account and a must for Cook admirers with a thirst for knowledge.

Best “Cook Book” by far …

$90.00

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Journal of a Voyage to the South-Seas [One of the Anson’s Voyage Cornerstone Books} – Pascoe Thomas

This is a great example of the Israel Facsimile Voyages published in Amsterdam in 1971. The original account from which this faithful copy was made was published by Birt, Newbery et al London in 1745.

Octavo, Following a Preface and a very lengthy list of subscribers, 347 pages plus various very useful appendices. Fine condition.

Pascoe Thomas described himself a “teacher of the Mathematicks on board the Centurion”.

The Title Page contain a nice precis of the volume … “A True and Impartial Journal of a Voyage to the South-Seas, and Round the Globe, in His Majesty’s Ship the Centurion, Under the Command of Commodore George Anson. WHERINH … All the material Incidents during the said Voyage, from its Commencement in 1770 to the Conclusion in 1744, are fully and faithfully related, having been committed to Paper at the Time they happen’d. Together with some historical Accounts of Chili, Peru, Mexico, and the Empire of China; exact Descriptions of such Places of Note as were touch’d at; and Variety of occasional Remarks. To which is added … A large and general Table of Longitudes and Latitudes, ascertain’d from accurate Observations, or (where these are wanting) from the best printed Books and Manuscripts taken from the Spaniards in this Expedition: Also the Variations of the Compass throughout the Voyage, and the Soundings and depths of water along the different Coasts: And lastly, several curious Observations on a Comet seen in the South-Seas on the Coast of Mexico.

So there we have it … except we also have an appendix which tabulates the massive amounts of gold Anson accumulated from his exploits. This is the only account of the voyage to contain that detail.

Pascoe Thomas .. completes the Anson story

$80.00

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Naval – Military – Pre-20th Century

Historic Sail – The Glory of the Sailing Ship from the 13th to the 19th Century – Wheatley

Mercator’s World – Anson’s Voyage

Original Watercolour – Lt Janvarin Grassie R.N. – New South Wales – 1876

Log of the Centurion – The Anson Voyage – The Log of Saumarez – Leo Heaps

The Life of Captain James Cook – J.C. Beaglehole

Journal of a Voyage to the South-Seas [One of the Anson’s Voyage Cornerstone Books} – Pascoe Thomas

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