Travel & Voyages

The Voyage of the Batavia – Francois Pelsart – First Published in 1647, reissued with a translation from the original Dutch.

Probably our favourite Hordern House published book and possibly the most sought after.

Published, Potts Point, Hordern House for the Australian National Maritime Museum in 1994.

Octavo, xxvi, 162 pages with 4 illustrations plus a folding page of plates reproducing the 15 engravings of the original work.

Beautifully bound, quarter calf over marbled papered boards with contrasting leather title label. A tiny bit of age still a very worthy copy of this hard to find edition. One of 750 copies produced.

The original account “Ongeluckige voyagie, van’t schip Batavia, nae de Oost-Indien” Jan Jansz, Amsterdam 1647. Comprises the edited extracts from the journal of Francois Pelsaert relating to the disastrous voyage in the Dutch merchant ship Batavia. The ship was wrecked off the west coast of Australia. The fifteen illustrations depict the wreck and the terrible scenes following the mutiny of the crew. The account represents the first representations of the Australian coastline.

The English translation is by Willem Siebenhaar which appeared in the “Western Mail” in 1897. An additional commentary by Martin Terry from the Australian National Maritime Museum.

The Batavia – what more could have gone wrong – a quality production of this important book.

$340.00

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The Voyage of Jacob Le Maire and William Schouten 1615-1616: Mirror of Australian Navigation. Originally translated by Alexander Dalrymple – A Beautiful Book

A special production published by Hordern House, Sydney 1999. Folio (30.5 x 20.2cm), quarter bound in quarter alum-tawed goat skin and quality marbled paper. Printed on Raleigh Oxford cream paper .. a fine copy as if new.

One of 950 copies thus, 96 page facsimile of the original Dutch printing followed by 65 page facsimile of the original Dalrymple translation. Illustrated with 5 black and white and 7 colour illustrations and 3 colour maps on double pages. Frontispiece double hemisphere world map as published in Amsterdam in 1618..

The objective of the voyage was further the lucrative trade in nutmeg and pepper by forging a new route to the East Indies via South America and the Pacific, influenced by the account of the voyage of de Quiros, the Portuguese navigator. In doing so it was hoped that the Great South Land would be encountered.

Forward by Justus Veeneklaas and Introductory Essay by Edward Duyker.

Rare Le maire – super production … quality book.

$140.00

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An Account of the Discoveries Made in the South Pacific Ocean – Alexander Dalrymple

A quality production, Number 3 in the Australian Maritime Series published by Hordern House, Sydney.

A Limited edition of 950 copies hand bound in midnight blue Scottish calf with marbled papered boards. Designed by Margo Snape.

Octavo, 103 pages plus portrait frontispiece, six folding plates and folding map at rear. All in very good condition.

First published in 1767 one of the rarest accounts. First time reissued faithfully reproduced.

The original account used as a reference on the Endeavour and mentioned by Banks and Cook.

Dalrymple lead Cook to Australia

$100.00

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Back O’ Cairns – Ion Idriess – First Edition 1958

Published by Angus and Robertson a first edition 1956.

Octavo, 310 pages end paper maps, other maps and illustrations from period photographs.Previous ownership name cut from corner of front free end paper otherwise a very good copy.

Ion Idriess at his best beyond and around Cairns in the Queensland Far North with amazing early photographs. Much about the pioneers, the land and the gold.

Idriess in the Far North a First Edition super copy.

$60.00

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A Strange Career – The Life and Adventures of J. G. Jebb [South America and Mexico] – 1895

John Gladwyn Jebb led as an adventurous life as could be possible. This book was compiled by his widow and carries the introduction of adventure writer H Rider Haggard.

Jebb’s adventures began as a military man in India. Soon he was conducting privately funded explorations into Central and Southern America. Involved in numerous business dealings… helped to start White Line … was in involved in armaments. He moved to the US and the Wild West … bear hunting, gold mining and a few conflicts with local bandits and native Americans. Off to Mexico to make his fortune gold mining (made it and lost it) and much of the later part of the books is about his times in Mexico.

Published by Blackwood, Edinburgh in 1895 octavo, 271 pages, frontispiece of the great man, illustrated by John Wallace. Pictorial boards nice but a little rubbed. Overall, still a particularly good copy of a rather hard to find book.

Inspiration for Rider Haggard – John Jebb Adventurer

$50.00

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Wind Aloft Wind Alow – [Single-handed crossings of the Atlantic under sail and then under power.] – Marin-Marie

Translated from the French, this edition 1947 by Peter Davies, London. Octavo, 322 pages. Book and jacket have received a scrunch in the top right, internally very clean. Jacket now in Brodart, a good copy. Nicely illustrated, some from the authors accomplished paintings

Marin-Marie was the appointed “Painter to the French Ministry of Marine”. This is his super account of the Atlantic crossings first by sail in the Winnibelle and the under power in the Arielle. Sail occupying two thirds of the book. At the time he was the first to go it alone all the way across under power.

A book full of the marine … quite technical in places re automatic steering, engines etc

Marin-Marie twice across sail and power…. super read

$25.00

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The Voyage of the Batavia – Francois Pelsart – First Published in 1647, reissued with a translation from the original Dutch.

The Voyage of Jacob Le Maire and William Schouten 1615-1616: Mirror of Australian Navigation. Originally translated by Alexander Dalrymple – A Beautiful Book

An Account of the Discoveries Made in the South Pacific Ocean – Alexander Dalrymple

Back O’ Cairns – Ion Idriess – First Edition 1958

A Strange Career – The Life and Adventures of J. G. Jebb [South America and Mexico] – 1895

Wind Aloft Wind Alow – [Single-handed crossings of the Atlantic under sail and then under power.] – Marin-Marie

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