Royal Geographical Society Journals

The Great Age of the Microscope – Professor Gerard L’E Turner

One of if not the book on the development of the microscope. Issued as a celebration of the then 150-year-old Royal Microscopical Society and based on its irreplaceable and undisputably best collection in the world.

Published by specialist Adam Hilger, Bristol and New York in 1989. Quarto, 379 pages, nicely illustrated with several hundred images from photographs of the items described.

The author, Gerard L’E Turner was Professor of the History of Scientific Instruments at Imperial College, London – what job! He was a Research Fellow at the Science Museum and one time President of the esteemed Royal Microscopical Society.

The Society was formed in 1839 and every instrument they purchased, from the very first that year, is still held by the Society. This book covers over 450 prime examples starting from those made in the early 1700’s.

After preliminary explanations on instrument development and the formation of the Society we have … Compound early 17thC; Culpeper style; Cuff style; Gould type; Powell and Lealand; Ross; Smith and Beck; Swift; non British; Projection; Reflecting and then a plethora of associated instruments.

No better Modern book on Old Microscopes

$140.00

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Queensland Branch of the Royal Geographical Society – Proceedings 1887 – Interesting Papuan Expedition, Queensland Mountains etc

Vol II part 2 of the 1886-8 Proceedings and Transactions of the Society. Extremely scarce.

Octavo. Printed paper wrappers as issued pages 76-126 after preliminaries, notices etc. Interesting to see Tenison-Woods in attendance at the Meeting. Printed by Watson, Ferguson $ Co of Queens Street, Brisbane. Still surviving Watson Ferguson commenced in 1871 and are Queensland oldest printing business.

A few edge chips and a reference label top front left otherwise very good condition

The journal contains some interesting reports including C.T. Bedford surveying trip from Boulia to the South Australian Border, the Mountains of Queensland by N. Bartley (author of Opals and Agates and his Reminiscences).

The highlight though is the Journal of Mr George Hunter on an Expedition from Kappa Kappa to the Heads of the Kemp Welch River, British New Guinea with a good folding map illustration the journey. Anyone who has been to this part of Papua will remember the beautiful beaches around the Kappa Kappa area.

Early Queensland Geographical Society Publication – Interesting Explorations and Observations on the People of Papua and the Kappa Kappa / Rigo Region

$90.00

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The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society (Scientific Expeditions to Everest) – October 1925

The Journal of the RGS in the familiar blue wrapper, 289-368 pages, folding coloured map plus period adverts. Complete and in excellent condition.

Lengthy report by Fellow of the Society N.E. Odell … observations on the Rocks and Glaciers of Mount Everest. Excellent photographs accompany this article along with the folding map by the author of the Geology of Everest from the expeditions of 1921 and 1924. All undertaken in an interesting period given the history of subsequent attempts on the summit of Everest.

Other reports of interest include The Movements of Indian Glaciers, which complements the above … and Lord Curzon’s Posthumous Work in India … and racial migration in the Balkans during 1912-1924 …

Everest explored – scientific expeditions

$90.00

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The Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society (Hannibal’s Route over the Alps and African Exploration ) – October 1886.

A complete issue in original blue wrappers pages 609 – 680, a complete monthly issue with two large folding maps at rear.

Includes an important article reading the route Hannibal took over the Alps, always a matter subject to academic argument.

Also includes important African exploration … the Congo by Colonel Francis de Winton; Exploration of the Tributaries of the Congo between Leopoldville and Stanley Falls George Grenfell and the Last German Expedition of 1884-1886.

Armed with the newest geographical information from contemporary expeditions into the Alps, Freshfield presents theories and brings clarity for historians and geographers into historic events which have plagued mankind since the time of Polybius and Livy. A most captivating report examining the perplexing controversy of Hannibal’s passage over the Alps, and the victories he achieved in the name of Carthage. Accompanied by an exceptional fold-out colour map, this mountaineering report is one of the earliest reports that takes into account the mysteries of the Alps, and its treacherous passes, with regards to Hannibal’s daring.

Hannibal, (247 B.C. – 182 B.C.), was a Carthaginian General, an implacable and formidable enemy of Rome. Although knowledge of him is based primarily on the reports of his enemies, Hannibal appears to have been both just and merciful. He is renowned for his tactical genius. With a relatively small army of select troops, Hannibal set out to invade Italy by the little-known overland route. He fought his way over the Pyrenees and reached the Rhône River before the Romans could block his crossing, moved up the valley to avoid their army, and crossed the Alps. This crossing of the Alps, with elephants and a full baggage train, is one of the remarkable feats of military history. Which pass he used is unknown; some scholars believe it was the Mont Genèvre or the Little St. Bernard.

$90.00

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The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society London – April 1925 – The Great Barrier Reef

Complete edition April 1925 in original blue wrappers. Pages 281-376 after adverts, preliminaries etc with folding map at rear.

The Great Barrier Reef by Colonel Sir Gerald Lenox-Conyngham and F.A. Potts the latter talking about “Life of the Reef”. Irish born Conyngham (1866-1956) was a surveyor and geodesist of some note. He was trained at the Royal Military Academy Woolwich and at Chatham. His study partly emphasises how little was known about the Great Barrier Reef at the time and his remarks and the report of Potts resulted in some lengthy discussion afterwards with interesting references back to Bramble, Stokes, Owen Stanley etc again emphasising the importance of the knowledge gained during those early 19thC voyages.

Further of interest is a lengthy report on Nepal by Brig-General C.G. Bruce and Major Northey with a nice map and excellent photographs.

And, a good study of the North-West extensions of the Jubaland Plain and the drainage of the Upper Nile by John Parkinson

Great Barrier Reef – 1925 Perspective

$90.00

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The Royal Geographical Society Journal – May 1932 – Polar, Mountaineering and Franklin

A complete copy of the Journal in original blue wrappers.

Lead articles include the British Arctic Air Expedition under Hubert Watkins (author of some interesting works on Northern Queensland); The expedition in the Tien-Shan by Schomberg and further evidence of John Franklin’s retreat by William Gibson. Good photographic images as often and two nice maps of the of Greenland up to the 68th parallel and localised map of the Base Fjord. Nice condition all round.

Climbing in the Tien-Shan and Arctic Air Expedition keep exploration alive in 1932

$90.00

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The Great Age of the Microscope – Professor Gerard L’E Turner

Queensland Branch of the Royal Geographical Society – Proceedings 1887 – Interesting Papuan Expedition, Queensland Mountains etc

The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society (Scientific Expeditions to Everest) – October 1925

The Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society (Hannibal’s Route over the Alps and African Exploration ) – October 1886.

The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society London – April 1925 – The Great Barrier Reef

The Royal Geographical Society Journal – May 1932 – Polar, Mountaineering and Franklin

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