Asia

Shipwreck and Discovery of the Pelew Islands – First Edition 1788

An Account of the Pelew Islands situated in the Western Part of the Pacific Ocean, composed from the Journals and Communications of Captain Henry Wilson, and some of his Officers who, in August 1783, were there Shipwrecked in the Antelope … George Keate – 1788

Published by G Nicol, Booksellers to His Majesty the King, Pall Mall, LonDon in 1788. Quarto, xxvii, 378 pages. Bound in half leather over marbled papered boards, spine in compartments with gilt titles, author, date [1788] and fouled anchors to compartments. Binding a little rubbed to edges but still strong and impressive, internally a little age and occasional foxing and the odd stain, overall a good to better copy complete and worthy in any collection.

Frontispiece and sixteen magnificent engravings 8 of which are folding. Frontispiece of Wilson and an important folding map of the islands and their relationship with The Philippines, also a three-fold plan or view of the islands.

Composed from the journals and communications of Captain Wilson and his Officers who in 1783 were shipwrecked in the Antelope a packet belonging to the Honourable East India Company. They hit a reef near one of the Palau (Pelew) Island, a previously unexplored group. The entire crew managed to get ashore safely, where they were well treated by the natives and eventually managed to build a small vessel from the wreck in which they reached Macao. They took Prince Lee Boo, one of King Adda Thulle’s sons, with them to England, where he made a very good impression. Unhappily despite of precautions he died of smallpox. Keate was the author of numerous books of poetry, history, and letter, and counted Captain Wilson as well as Voltaire amongst his friends.

First Edition 1788 – An important Account with an interesting, readable narrative and impressive plates and maps.

$790.00

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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

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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Oriental and Western Siberia – Atkinson

Published by Asian Educational, Delhi Madras in the year 2000. A faithful facsimile of the original published by Bradley, Philadelphia in 1859.

Longer title demonstrated territory covered … Oriental and Western Siberia: A Narrative of Seven Years’ Explorations and adventures in Siberia, Mongolia, The Kirghis Steppes, Chinese Tartary, and Part of Central Asia.

The author Thomas Witlam Atkinson certainly put the steps in (pun intended) and amasses a sizeable narrative in his lengthy period in Asia – super commitment and nice writing.

Octavo,483 pages, illustrated as in the original. Blue heavily embossed decorative hard covers. A little age but still very good. Good folded map in pocket at rear, too big to scan and showing the route(s) taken on the adventures.

Ceylon and its Natural History, more than a “sketch” by Tennent

$60.00

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Narzinge and Ceylon Petrus Bertius – Published 1610

An original copper engraved miniature map of Southern India and Sri Lanka (Ceylon). One of the earliest maps of the region.

This map was originally drawn by Barent Langenes and published by him at Middleburg and as part of Petrus Bertius’ Caert-Thresoor in 1598.

Bertius continued to include this map in his most successful “Tabularum Geographicarum Contractarum Libri” published by Cornelis Claesz in Amsterdam. This example comes from the 1603 edition of “Tabularum”.

It is rather scarce. Here uncoloured, as it should be 85mm by 122mm. Very good condition, any darkening of the paper exaggerated by the scan.

Petrus Bertius (1565-1629) was born the son of a Flemish minister a Baveren, Flanders. He became a religious refugee and moved and settled in Amsterdam. In 1577. After finishing his studies he was appointed Professor of Mathematics at the University of Leiden. He became a prolific writer on mathematics, history and theology. He also gained renown as a geographer and publisher of magnificent atlases. Later in life, in 1618 he became cosmographer and historiographer to Louis XIII of France. He died in Paris in 1629

Price as unframed

$160.00

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Tibetan Marches – Andre Migot

Translated from the French by Peter Fleming.

Published by the Readers Union in conjunction with Rupert Hart-Davis , London in 1956. Published first by RHD the year before.

Octavo, 302 pages, with illustration from original photographs and end paper maps of the route of Andre Migot in his travels between Kunming to Tangar between December 1946 to September 1947.

A super travel account soon after the end of WWII and just before the Chinese influence altered traditional Buddhist Tibet. Migot loved the Tibetans with a passion despite being robbed during his journey by bandits.

Frenchman Migot a super travel writer in Tibet and all through it at an important time.

$30.00

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Systemes Geographiques de Ptoloemee, de Strabon et d’Eratosthene – Malte Brun c1826

Original engraved map from Malte Brun’s Atlas of the Ancient Greek geographers Ptolemy, Strabo and Eratosthenes. The then known World.

32cm by 24cm partially coloured in outline. A good example on strong wove paper, the odd mark around the bottom border, generally clean and bright.

Conrad Malte Brun (1755-1826) a major Danish born cartographer who worked out of France during his professional life. This example was drawn by Bovinel Giraldon and engrave by Jean Baptiste Marie Chamouin, individuals who worked for Malte Brun early in the 19th Century. After his death his son went on publishing the maps for a number of years making the precise year in which the map was made difficult to determine.

The Ptolemy map takes pride of place, being regarded as more accurate and informative. We particularly like the naming of Sri Lanka as Taprobana a matter that has been disputed in some cartographic quarters.

The island of Thule appears on the Eratosthenes map … an unsolved mystery. Some think it was Ireland or the Shetlands or an island off Norway. Unfortunately the Nazi’s spoilt the mystery somewhat by claiming it was the birthplace of their superior race.

Price $90.00 unframed ….

The World as it was thought to be by the Greek scholars.

$90.00

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Shipwreck and Discovery of the Pelew Islands – First Edition 1788

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

Oriental and Western Siberia – Atkinson

Narzinge and Ceylon Petrus Bertius – Published 1610

Tibetan Marches – Andre Migot

Systemes Geographiques de Ptoloemee, de Strabon et d’Eratosthene – Malte Brun c1826

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