Antarctic, Arctic, Polar

Polar Exploration Cards – First Series – John Player – Issued in 1915

A complete set of the 25 cards published by John Player in 1915. Very good condition.

Includes – Lieut. Sir E.H. Shackleton C.V.O.; The Northern Party at the South Magnetic Pole; The Aurora Borealis; The Aurora Australis; The British Antarctic Expedition 1910; Dr Fridjof Nansen; The “Nimrod” Picking up the Northern Party; A Remarkable Fumarole in the Old Crater of Mount Erebus etc

First series Complete and getting scarce – over 110 years old.

$120.00

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With the “Aurora” in the Antarctic 1911-1914 – John King Davis – First Edition

The rare first edition of this primary Heroic era account. Published by Melrose, London no date but 1919.

Preface by Douglas Mawson. There is little that appears in “Home of the Blizzard” that appears here and vice versa. As such it is an excellent companion to the Blizzard and harder to find in any condition.

John King Davis skippered seven Antarctic voyages between 1907 and 1930.

Large octavo, xxi, 183 pages, 8 maps (1 folding), plan, 83 illustrations on 42 plates … more illustrations in text. Original blue cloth binding, titles to spine faded as usual, ship device and titles to front are as bright as we have seen, a little age a pale foxing, frontispiece reattached, a good copy of a very scarce item. Refer Taurus 101, Rosove 87, Spence 354.

John King Davis was Captain of the Aurora during Mawson’s 1911-1914 Expedition. The expedition encountered many challenges along with the dangerous weather and uncharted nature of the Antarctic coastline there were problems with the ship including failing pups and engine difficulties. Much of the success and relative safety of the expedition was put down to Davis’s “masterly seamanship, firm decision of mind, and courageous daring in handling the expedition ship Aurora” The Aurora made several critical voyages, establishing and the later relieving the wintering bases at Macquarie Island and the Antarctic mainland at Commonwealth Bay and the Shackleton Ice Shelf. Davis was left with the decision … whether to wait for blizzards and harsh seas to abate to collect Mawson’s party, or to relive the second base party led by Frank Wild … he chose the latter.

John King Davis and his first-hand account on the Aurora.

$890.00

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The Life of Sir Ernest Shackleton – Hugh Robert Mill – First Edition 1923

A first edition of the prestige edition of the biography of Shackleton by his long-time colleague and admirer Hugh Robert Mill.

Published by Heinemann, London in 1923. Large octavo, 312 pages, 19 illustrations from photographs and four maps in the text. Original blue cloth covered binding with gilt titling to front and spine and gilt shield. Previous owners name at front end papers. A very good copy of the first edition..

Mill states in his Preface that he had the assistance of lady Shackleton and the great man’s daughters Miss Shackleton, Miss A.V. Shackleton and Miss Eleanor Shackleton (the protocol of the 1920’s). He also acknowledges that the book is weighted towards the exploratory and whilst referencing Shackleton’s business exploit and war effort they are written with limited personal experience of the facts. Regardless of the qualification we find most interesting the chapters on Shackleton’s early life as sea starting as a “Boy” on the Iquique going around the Horn. The rest is “history” …

Shackleton by a man who knew him well.

$220.00

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Shackleton’s Last Voyage -The Story of the Quest – Frank Wild – First Edition 1923

First US Edition published by Stokes, New York in 1923 – Scarce. Carries the imprint of Cassell, London Publisher, on spine.

Thick large octavo, xvi, and 372 pages, illustrated throughout from relevant photographs, maps etc. Decorated sky blue boards making a very attractive presentation. Scattered pale foxing aside a very good collectable copy.

Written by Commander Frank Wild C.B.E. from the Official Journal and Private Diary kept by Dr A.H. Macklin.

Shackleton driven to be in the Antarctic went back a fourth and for him final time in 1921.

The vessel the ill suited “Quest” a converted Norwegian sealer. The objectives were rather imprecise but included a circumnavigation of the Antarctic continent. Early in the voyage (at Rio) Shackleton had a suspected heart attack. He pushed on refusing proper treatment. On the 4^th January 1922 at South Georgia in the early hours of the morning he suffered a fatal attack.

The events are recorded here by his right-hand man Frank Wild (he had been on very Shackleton expedition). Wild believed that the “Boss” would have desired them to go on with the mission – which they did, and this is the record of the whole of the voyage and effort. In accordance with the widows wishes Shackleton was buried on South Georgia – later Frank Wild’s ashes were interred alongside Shackleton’s grave.

Shackleton and Wild no braver combination.

$890.00

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The Worst Journey in the World 1910-1912 – Aspley Cherry-Garrard

A very good copy of the Polar classic here republished by the Folio Society, in 2012.

Quarto, 591 pages, illustrated throughout and with end paper maps. Protected by its original slipcase. Decorative boards etc. Weighty at 1.6kg so extra postage may be required.

Possibly the greatest heroic account of all time.

AC-G was only 24 when he participated in the Scott Terra Nova Expedition (1910-1913). He was knocked back twice by Scott until Edward Wilson persuaded Scott to take him as assistant zoologist. AC-G, Birdie Bowers and Wilson set off to Cape Crozier to get a fertilised Emperor Penguin’s egg. It was tough … on the way out they could only pull one of their two sleds at a time which meant they had to double back to fetch them individually (hence walking three times as far!). They arrived in a Blizzard and lost their tent before later recovering it. The journey back was maybe worse. AC-G shattered his teeth from shivering uncontrollably. George Bernard Shaw suggested the title for the book. AC-G knew T.E. Lawrence (of Arabia) and suggested that both their writings were an essential form of therapy.

One of the better Folio Society renditions

$160.00

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Frank Hurley Biography – From Snowdrift to Shellfire – David Millar

First edition published by David Ell Press, Sydney in 1984. Limited to quite a few 2,500 copies. Quarto, 160 pages, full of images from Hurley photographs as one would expect, maps etc. A very good if not fine copy.

A truly readable and enjoyable biography, deserves more praise than it gets.

Captain James Francis (Frank) Hurley (1885-1962) was a brave man. His Antarctic exploits are legendary – the photograph of “meteorologists braving the blizzard” representing the harsh reality of Antarctic life. His achievements during the bleakest days of the “South” expedition. Later, the BANZARE expeditions.

World War I and Flanders and Palestine where the photographic record is a reminder of the sacrifice and successes of war to maintain freedom for others.

Our favourite though goes to his images in Papua New Guinea – an exploit conceived in the coldest darkest days of polar life – how extreme.

Hurley best all round biography with striking images.

$40.00

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Polar Exploration Cards – First Series – John Player – Issued in 1915

With the “Aurora” in the Antarctic 1911-1914 – John King Davis – First Edition

The Life of Sir Ernest Shackleton – Hugh Robert Mill – First Edition 1923

Shackleton’s Last Voyage -The Story of the Quest – Frank Wild – First Edition 1923

The Worst Journey in the World 1910-1912 – Aspley Cherry-Garrard

Frank Hurley Biography – From Snowdrift to Shellfire – David Millar

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