Antarctic, Arctic, Polar

King Island Elephant Seal (Le Phoque a trompe) – Vauthier -1820

A scarce hand coloured copper engraving of the Elephant Seal “Le Phoque a trompe” named by Peron.

The Baudin expedition saw many Southern Elephant Seals around the Islands of the Bass Strait including King Island. Unfortunately, unable to defend themselves they were killed for their oil and by 1827 they were all gone from that location.

Printed on sturdy paper, 25cm by 17 cm, good use of gum arabic to strengthen the colour and provide depth. Good plate mark … a super example.

Engraved by Barreau after Vauthier and published in Paris in 1820.

Price $90.00 unframed

Rare original hand coloured King Island Elephant Seal engraving

$90.00

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The Discovery of the Clarie Coast Antarctic – Dumont d’Urville – 26th January 1840

An original beautifully executed lithograph by Louis Le Breton (1818-1866) published as part of the great “Atlas Pittoresque” to accompany “Voyage au Pole Sud et dans l’Oceanie sur les corvettes l’Astrolabe et la Zelee … sous commandement de M.J. Dumont d’Urville”.

After discovering and naming Adelie Land (After d’Urville’s wife) on the 22nd of January 1840 and making various explorations the Astrolabe and Zelee continued west in search of further land. A violent gale separated the two ships and Dumont d’Urville feared that he might have lost the Zelee. However, the sea calmed and the Zelee appeared and the vessels were re-united. Shortly afterwards the Astrolabe encountered the US Exploring Expedition under Captain Wilkes. Dumont d’Urville had heard of Wilkes’ intentions at Hobart and made all haste to make his the first discoveries … and he did so. The encounter with Wilkes was very strange and through a misunderstanding Wilkes thought his approach to the French vessel was rebuffed .. not so the French simply manoeuvred to avoid any chance of a physical encounter in these difficult waters. A couple of days later the French discovered further extensive coastline which d’Urville named Cote de Clarie or the Clarie Coast after the wife of Charles Jaquinot Captain of his support vessel Zelee. This was on 26th January 1840 and the event is recognised in this delightful lithograph. The US Wilkes expedition also found the Claire Coast, but not until February had arrived. The Americans sailed further on confirming a thousand plus mile stretch of land … likely because of this the region is known in Australia as Wilkes Land … not so in France!

Lithographed by P Blanchard on sturdy paper – 37 x 22cm to the edge of the image with very wide margin. Overall in excellent condition.

Price $340.00 unframed – rare

Antarctic discovery of the Clarie Coast 26th January 1840 Voyage of Dumont d’Urville.

$340.00

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Antarctic Treasure – The Songs of the “Morning”

Published by the Bread and Cheese Club Melbourne in 1943 – quarto, original grey ribbed wrappers, frontispiece of the Morning in McMurdo Sound. Previous ownership inscription on title otherwise a very good copy.

The Songs of the “Morning” were composed in the Antarctic on the SY Morning the relief ship to Captain Scott’s expedition of 1901-1904. The music was written by Gerald Doorly – Third Officer and the lyrics by John Morrison – Chief Engineer.

The vessel was originally a Norwegian whaling ship and was refitted for the Antarctic and sailed to Lyttelton, New Zealand before making two trips to the South in support of Scott.

The Bread and Cheese Club was a Melbourne based art and literary society founded in 1938 with the purpose of fostering “Mateship, Art and Letters”. This all male establishment published only 40 books. Following the death of its founder J.K. Moir it fell into decline and was disbanded in 1988.

No music has been composed further South – And Bring Back the “Bread and Cheese”

$90.00

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1910-1916 Antarctic Photographs of Herbert Ponting and Frank Hurley

A first edition of this smart book of Ponting and Hurley photographs.

Published by MacMillan, Melbourne in 1969. Landscape 119 pages. The first twenty-five pages with and forward by Sir Vivian Fuchs and an introduction by Jennie Boddington, the selector of the images and then Curator of Photography at the National Gallery, Victoria. Very good condition.

It is universally agreed that it is impossible, even with modern camera to surpass the quality and emotion of the Ponting and Hurley images. Not for nothing is it called the Heroic Era. The story of Hurley’s anguish in leaving behind so many images on the ill-fated Endurance Expedition only goes to enhance what we have.

Ponting and Hurley – No Introduction Required!

$50.00

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The Seamans Secrets (1633) – John Davis – Fine Facsimile from John Carter Brown University – 1992

Published by Scholars’ Facsimiles & Reprints, New York 1992. Reproduced from a n original in The John Carter Brown Library at Brown University. Hard to come by.

Longer title … “The Seamans secrets. Divided into two parts, wherein is taught the three kindes of sayling, horizontall, paradoxall, and sayling upon a great circle. Also an horizontall tyde-table for the easie finding of the ebbing and flowing of the tydes, with a regiment newly calculated for the finding of the declination of the sunne, and many other most necessary rules and instruments, not heretofore set forth by any. Newly corrected and amended, and the fifth time imprinted.”

Octavo, very good condition with no jacket as published. Facsimile reprint with a very good historical introduction by A.N. Ryan. Illustrated, one folding at rear, and with tables and charts. Original unpaginated but runs to circa 110 pages … here after 26 page introduction and further reading list, references etc.

John Davis (1550? – 1605) published the first edition of this book in 1595. He made three voyages in search of the North West Passage. He was associated with Sir Humphrey and Adrian Gilbert promoters of English colonisation in North America. Through the Gilbert’s he knew Walter Raleigh and the famous mathematician and cosmographer Dr John Dee.

Nice reproduction of important early maritime navigation book.

$50.00

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Spotted Seal (Phoque de Choris) – Lesson – Paris 1838

Original hand coloured engraving drawn by Antoine Charles Vauthier and engraved by Smith. Good strong clean example.

Produced for Rene Primevere Lesson (1794-1849) for his extension of the great natural history work originally produced by Count Buffon. They were published in Paris in 1838. Interesting that Lesson himself originally classified this species.

The spotted seal inhabits the Arctic regions, at one time thought to be endangered but now seen in large numbers from Alaska right through Northern Siberia.

Very good condition, clean with bright colours and a sophisticated stipple technique. Strong thick paper.. 24cm by 17cm unframed … external dimensions when framed would be 36cm by 28cm a nice size for the study or hallway.

Lesson participated as doctor and naturalist in the Duperry voyage round the world on board La Coquille (1822-1825).

Price $90.00 unframed or $220.00 framed in Voyager Natural History style … enquire if you wish …

The spotted seal now quite often seen!

$90.00

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King Island Elephant Seal (Le Phoque a trompe) – Vauthier -1820

The Discovery of the Clarie Coast Antarctic – Dumont d’Urville – 26th January 1840

Antarctic Treasure – The Songs of the “Morning”

1910-1916 Antarctic Photographs of Herbert Ponting and Frank Hurley

The Seamans Secrets (1633) – John Davis – Fine Facsimile from John Carter Brown University – 1992

Spotted Seal (Phoque de Choris) – Lesson – Paris 1838

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