Asia

The Expedition to Borneo of H.M.S. Dido for the Suppression of Piracy with Extracts from the Journal of James Brooke, Esq of Sarawak – Captain Henry Keppel – Two Volumes -1847

A third edition set of this Borneo classic published by Chapman and Hall, London in 1847 the year after the first. Preferred for the additional details particularly the new chapter on recent intelligence by Walter Kelly.

It is the second half of the title that explains the importance of these volumes. Brooke had suggested the first part as the principal title maybe to underplay his hand.

James Brooke (1803-1868) was an extraordinary individual born into a colonial family and generally describe as soldier and adventurer. He was given the Raj of Sarawak in Borneo, by the Sultan of Brunei, as a reward for quelling an uprising and driving pirates from the region. He ruled with an iron fist from 1842-1868. There is much more to his story than can be written here … he knew Alfred Russell Wallace and influenced his decision to conduct extensive natural history researches in the region culminating in the evolutionary evidence giving rise to the naming of the “Wallace Line”.

James Brooke is behind the character in Joseph Conrad’s “Lord Jim” and the “White Rajah” of Nicholas Monsarrat. Charles Kingsley dedicated “Westward Ho” to the man and Errol Flynn planned to star as Brooke in a film written by himself although it was never made.

The author of this work, Captain Henry Keppel had sailed the Dido to Borneo in 1843. His crew became heavily involved in resisting attacks by Lanoon pirates.

Two royal octavo, volumes, 429 and 315 pages after preliminaries. Bound in morocco with separate title and volume labels gilt on black leather, raised bands etc. Nicely illustrated with 11 tinted lithographic plates, 6 folding maps and a chart. A little pale foxing otherwise very good copies of this interesting account. Carries the bookplate of Walter Jeffrey, early writer of maritime novels and historical accounts.

The Dido in and Around Borneo and the Journals of Adventure and first Sultan of Sarawak – James Brooke

$590.00

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Voices for Kurdistan – Fire, Snow & Honey – Gina Lennox.

Published by Halstead Press, Sydney in 2001. Thick squat quarto, 677 pages, some illustrations and good endpaper maps. The odd pencil annotation from an educated reader – we have left them as we believe it adds to the book. Very good condition.

The Kurds come from a proud ancient culture and have been exploited and persecuted over and over again. This work, edited by Gin Lennox contains over 600 contributions from Kurds of all ages and backgrounds. It is a unique and inherently comprehensive work that will educate any that wish to understand more about the Kurdish people their land and culture.

Gina Lennox interest and love for the people and region stems from 1980 motorbike trip she made from London to India. Her life more or less devoted to the people of the Middle east since then

Kurdistan laid bare through Gina Lennox

$35.00

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The Search for Mallory & Irvine – Peter Firstbrook.

A very good copy of this BBC sponsored climb to find any evidence of the disappearance of Mallory and Irvine in their “so close” attempt to conquer Everest in 1924. Some believe they did.

A first edition of the record of climb undertaken in 1999 and published later that year. Octavo, 224 pages, many photographs both from 1924 and 1999, good maps etc. Very good condition.

Few adventure readers do not know of the Mallory mystery and a pity that his buddy Irvine does not quite get the same billing. Less know about this book and we hope it does not spoil the drama to tell you that they did find Mallory and albeit a bit grotesque there are images of his frozen body and the belongings on him at the time of death – no climber of the day left without Swan Vestas matches.

This is a special book in that it puts certain things to bed once and for all … it’s also a great record of the events at each end of a 75 year timeline. We love it.

Mallory resolved and a super Everest account.

$30.00

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Tibetan Journey – George Patterson

A 1956 edition by the Readers Book Club in super condition.

Octavo, 260 pages, maps, illustrations from original photographs.

When the Chinese took over Tibet, Patterson had been there as a missionary and had to make a dash back to India – hence the Tibetan Journey. It makes for a great read given the urgency and circumstances.

A more than necessary Journey through mysterious Tibet

$25.00

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The Dutch Seaborne Empire 1600-1800 – C.R. Boxer

Published by Hutchinson, London 1n 1965, a first edition. The author Charles Boxer was the Professor of Portuguese at Kings College, London at the time – he would likely have been the Dutch Professor also .. if they had had one.

Large octavo, 326 pages, illustrated throughout, very good dust jacket, a lightly embossed stamp on title,. A very good copy of a special work now hard to find.

Not your usual narrative, this book looks at the reasons behind the rise of the Dutch as a major seafaring nation from the mid 1600’s for over a century. Peace was signed after an eighty year war with Spain in 1648 and for the Dutch the seagoing expansion was near to phenomenal in terms of speed and ambition. Useful appendices include a chronology 1568-1795 which provides a framework …

The author Charles Boxer was an incredibly colourful character. Born into a military family (although his mothers family had been early sheep farmers in Tasmania). He enlisted and found himself in Japan in the 1930’s. Then a full blown spy in Hong Kong at the beginning of War II, imprisoned by the Japanese for three years. He married the most beautiful woman in Hong Kong , Ursula Tulloch, but left her for a life with the equally glamorous American writer Emily Hahn. Back in England his depth of knowledge was recognised in receiving the Lisbon sponsored Professorship which he made is own.

The Dutch … their power at sea and what was behind it …

$40.00

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Solo to Sydney [From London in a Single Engine Aircraft] – Francis Chichester.

This edition published by Conway Maritime Press, Greenwich in 1982. Octavo, 208 pages, loads of illustrations, map, table of flight times / distance per sector. Very good condition, excuse the gift inscription front ends.

This book was originally published in 1930 immediately after Chichester had flown solo from London to Sydney in a single engine aircraft.

A thoroughly readable account and twenty-three sectors leads to a lot of adventure and colour along the way.

Francis Chichester in the air before the sea …

$30.00

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The Expedition to Borneo of H.M.S. Dido for the Suppression of Piracy with Extracts from the Journal of James Brooke, Esq of Sarawak – Captain Henry Keppel – Two Volumes -1847

Voices for Kurdistan – Fire, Snow & Honey – Gina Lennox.

The Search for Mallory & Irvine – Peter Firstbrook.

Tibetan Journey – George Patterson

The Dutch Seaborne Empire 1600-1800 – C.R. Boxer

Solo to Sydney [From London in a Single Engine Aircraft] – Francis Chichester.

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