Non-fiction

The Sarah Island Conspiracies – R. I. Davey

A super Tasmanian book by Richard Innes Davey. This is the hardback edition, most available are the earlier soft cover.

Published by The Round Earth Company, Tasmania. This the Second Revised Edition 2007.

Small quarto, 210 pages nicely illustrated and in fine condition with a fine dust jacket.

Sarah Island behind the Gates of Hell in Macquarie Harbour on the west coast of Tasmania was home to the harshest penal establishment imaginable.

This well crafted book is based on the account of twelve Voyages made by a one G.K. (his name is not known) the Sarah Island between 1822-1833. G. K. was a clerk a minor bureaucrat and supposedly as shadowy figure. He observes the men banished to this desolate place and is gradually drawn into their world.

True life, mystery and intrigue at Sarah’s Island

A word about the author … Richard Innes Davey (1938-2013) what a character … he spent seven years as a Dominican monk before exploding a laboratory in Adelaide, met his wife Kathleen while recuperating. Much travel overseas and strange and artistic goings on followed. back in Australia (Perth) he expanded his artistic bent … sculpting, theatre directing and playwright, outback storytelling, remote communities etc. Moving to Tasmania with his own Round Earth Company he became the man of knowledge regarding Sarah Island. If you have been to Strahan you will be aware of his play “The Ship that Never Was”, our longest running play (Australia’s Mousetrap).

$40.00

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Down Channel – McMullen

This is a 1931 third edition of the classic Victorian sailing account by Richard Turrell McMullen. First published in 1869.

Recognised as one of the first true leisure sailing books and not your polished deck type. Described as a virile record of incidents and operations of sailing in small craft in all weathers and under all condition. With a special introduction by Dixon Kemp and a biographical foreword by Arthur Ransome.

Published by George Allen, Octavo, 418 pages well illustrated, including four fold out charts and fold out plans of the vessel Procyon. Rare to find it in its dust jacket albeit with a couple of marks to front … done a good job protecting the book which is in very good condition.

McMullen sailed a number of vessels during his time and the book takes us chronologically through Leo; Sirius; Orion and the experimental Procyon. Super writing entertaining and informative.

McMullen an early treasure of a pleasure sailor

$50.00

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Antique Maps of Europe, the Americas, West Indies, Australasia, the Orient – Douglas Gohm

A first printing published by Octopus Books, London and Sydney in 1972. Large quarto, 128 pages, profusely illustrated. A fine copy, in a fine dust jacket.

A very good book as an introduction to rare map collecting. A nice summary of the great cartographers and then a comprehensive array of some of the most attractive or intriguing.

Spot some of Voyagers favourites in here – such as the mysterious island of Juan Fernandez (page 95) also known as Robinson Crusoe’s Island. And the Tallis map of South Australia makes the front of the dust jacket.

Good map book nice images … educational content.

$50.00

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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

$130.00

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Early Thematic Mapping in the History of Cartography – Robinson (Perry’s Copy)

A first edition published by the University of Chicago Press in 1982.

Small quarto, 266 pages nicely illustrated as you would expect with the subject. Very good if not fine condition.

Published map expert Perry’s copy with his name neatly written on the end papers.

The author Arthur H Robinson was the Professor of cartography at the University of Wisconsin- Madison. He published several works on the broader subject.

Following a good “Guide to Notes, references and Illustrations” we have chapters on the Appearance of the First Thematic Maps; the New world and a New outlook; Single Maps and Thematic atlases; the Physical World; Maps of people and Their activities; the Social environment etc.

What makes this book special is the understanding of the development and scope of thematic cartography before the digital age … maybe we have lost something despite the obvious ease ..

Thematic maps … they inform and make you think

$45.00

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Tropical Africa – Henry Drummond – First Ed 1888

Published by Hodder and Stoughton London 1888, a first edition.

Octavo, 228 pages, bound in the original red cloth with coated black end papers. Gilt lettering to spine and an gilt insect stamped on the front board. Illustrated with 4 excellent coloured folding maps, all in fine condition, as well as several wood engravings. Covers a trifle aged internally very clean a very good copy

Scottish born Henry Drummond (1851-1897) was educated at Edinburgh University. He became a lecturer in Natural Science at the Free Church College. In 1880 he Became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, his proposers included Lord Kelvin and Archibald Geikie. In 1883 he was invited by the African Lakes Company to conduct an expedition and study in Central Africa. From that effort this book was published in 1888.

Contents include chapters on the River Zambesi and Shire; Lakes Shirwa and Nyassa; the country and people of Central Africa; travelling on the Nyassa-Tanganyika Plateau; a study of Africa insects, geology and some political commentary. A most useful and interesting digest.

The four excellent maps include the Author’s route; a Slave Trade map (sadly there was a lot of it); a Geological sketch map and a Political Map showing European claims compared with Agreements … surprisingly different.

$80.00

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The Sarah Island Conspiracies – R. I. Davey

Down Channel – McMullen

Antique Maps of Europe, the Americas, West Indies, Australasia, the Orient – Douglas Gohm

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

Early Thematic Mapping in the History of Cartography – Robinson (Perry’s Copy)

Tropical Africa – Henry Drummond – First Ed 1888

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