Asia

The Malay Archipelago -The Land of the Orang-Utan and the Bird of Paradise, with Studies of Man and Nature – Alfred Russel Wallace

Wallace’s great book dedicated to Charles Darwin. Beautifully written. An early fourth edition published by Macmillan in 1872. Nevertheless scarce and sought after.

Octavo, 653 pages. Re-cased at some time with the spine and front laid down; with the desired Orang-utan gilt device retained on front and similarly bird of paradise retained on front. Some marks near front but generally in good condition. Priced to condition for a scarce desirable item.

Wallace collected over 125,000 specimens identifying thousands of new species during this expedition. This book represents the backbone of his discoveries (The Wallace line) that supports the “Origin of Species”. Well illustrated with maps and engravings

Wallace – Monumental work – vies with “Origin”

$270.00

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The Third Eye – the Autobiography of a Tibetan Lama – Lobsang Rampa.

First published in 1956, this copy from the next year, by Secker & Warburg, London.

Octavo, 256 pages, some illustrations including “Symbolism of Tibetan Chortens”. Nice dust jacket art with a photograph of the author on the rear.

At the age of seven Rampa was decreed by two famous Tibetan astrologers to be specially gifted. He left his family for the Lamasery of Chakpuri on the outskirts of Lhasa. He became an adviser to the Dalai Lama because of his exceptional powers. The “Third Eye” is a reference to a procedure that heightens one’s abilities in clairvoyance. In the volcanic caves under the Potala he submitted to the mystical experience … the “living death”. And there is more … one for the believers.

The autobiography of a special gifted Lama.

$30.00

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Pedraluarez Cabral (Pedro Alluarez De Gouvea) – His Progenitors His Life and His Voyages to America and India – James McClymont – 1912.

A strange one appears to be effectively self published but through the great Bernard Quaritch, London. Limited to only 150 copies.

A most interesting account of the Portuguese Explorer who is attributed with the Discovery of Brazil. Born into a noble family circa 1467. In his discovery years he was likely the first person on the planet to step foot on four continents all in one voyage of 1500 when he did a significant exploration of the north east coast of South America and stuck the flag in the ground for Portugal. He then followed Vasco da Gama to the east and India in search of those valuable spices.

Large squarish octavo, 72 pages. Original calf backed red cloth covered boards, gilt titling along spine. A very good copy of a scarce item.

Pedro Cabral an oft overlooked Explorer

$120.00

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The Travel Books [the Far East and Spain] – Somerset Maugham

A triple serving of Maugham … On a Chinese screen; The Gentleman in the Parlour and Don Fernando.

Thick octavo, 148, 170 and 146 pages of Maugham on the move. Published by Heinemann, London in 1955. A sign of age on the dust jacket edges, otherwise a very good copy especially given its age.

“The Gentleman in the Parlour” records a journey from Rangoon to Haipong … real Somerset Maugham territory and (as he says) is an exercise in style.

“On a Chinese Screen” is a reflection on his travels in China during 1920.

“Don Fernando”, almost self explanatory, is a Maugham Spanish classic. Whilst included under this “Travel” umbrella it is a historical account set in the times of Velasquez and El Greco … and obviously Don Fernando.

Somerset Maugham perhaps at his best in the East with a helping of Spain thrown in …

$30.00

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Acta Iranica – the King and Kingship in Achaemenid Art – Margaret Cool Root.

A scarce hardback edition from the superb series on Iranian studies Acta Iranica published by the International Committee of Scholars of the Indo-Iranian Studies at the University of Liege. Peer reviewed and published by E.J. Brill in Leiden, Netherlands.

This edition Volume IX of the third series published in 1979. “Essays on the Creation of an Iconography of Empire” by the esteemed Margaret Cool Root.

Large octavo, 357 pages followed by LXXII pages of plates from original photographs, illustration within the text one triple folding architectural plate.

The author completed her Doctorate at Bryn Mawr College, Philadelphia in 1976. This book is an expanded version of the work included in her Thesis. She is now Professor of her discipline at Michigan University.

Achaemenid Art is the Art of the Kings, the official art of the Achaemenid Dynasty, arising from a clan of Persian people of that name who would ruled the Near East from 550 BC to 331 BC [the arrival of Alexander the Great]. An architectural, sculptural and artistic delight is contained in this large body of work.

A scarce element on the history of an interesting period dominated by the Persian Achaemenid.

$60.00

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Explorations in Garhwal around Karmet [Important Mountaineering Report] – Journal of the Royal Geographical Society – January 1932.

The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, January 1932, containing a report by legendary mountaineer Frank Smythe relating to the climbing of Kamet, then the highest peak climbed in the World. During the expedition they discovered and named the “Valley of Flowers” now a National Park in Sikkim. Smythe wrote well and his report is a good example of “in the moment narrative” .. you can almost feel the chills. Super images from original photographs accompany this article.

Other articles of substance include, in the Rockies, the confirmation of the Purcell as the source of the Kootenay River and, a traverse through Norwegian Lapland by Charles Elton.

Usual original blue wrappers, good photographs as mentioned and maps for reference. A crease across early pages from storage [priced accordingly], else clean and bright, a worthy copy of a scarce mountaineering report.

Frank Smythe later overshadowed by Everest but up there with the best Mountaineer explorers.

$70.00

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The Malay Archipelago -The Land of the Orang-Utan and the Bird of Paradise, with Studies of Man and Nature – Alfred Russel Wallace

The Third Eye – the Autobiography of a Tibetan Lama – Lobsang Rampa.

Pedraluarez Cabral (Pedro Alluarez De Gouvea) – His Progenitors His Life and His Voyages to America and India – James McClymont – 1912.

The Travel Books [the Far East and Spain] – Somerset Maugham

Acta Iranica – the King and Kingship in Achaemenid Art – Margaret Cool Root.

Explorations in Garhwal around Karmet [Important Mountaineering Report] – Journal of the Royal Geographical Society – January 1932.

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