Non-fiction

The Northern Hero – being a faithful Narrative of the Life, Adventures, and deceptions, of James George Semple, Commonly called Major Semple. Scarce Ferguson 18 – Published 1786.

Extremely scarce, despite being introduced as a “New Edition” with the circumstances of Each Fraud, and the Names of the Parties injured.

The lengthy title continues major Semple .. alias Major Harrold, Major Maxwell, Major Grant, Major Cunningham, Major Winter etc. With and account of his Devices at lord Salisbury’s, Sir Thomas Dundass’s, and Mr Pitt’s. Also the various Inventions by which he obtained Goods of Tradesmen. The Whole supported by indisputable Authority, with the Names of the Persons who were the Objects of his Depredations. Likewise … and Account of his Trial Before Mt Justice Gould and the Recorder at the Old Bailey on Saturday September 2 for defrauding Mr John Lycett, Coach-maker, in Whitechapel, of a Post-chaise, value fifty Guineas, of which he was Convicted.

Published by G. Kearsley, Fleet Street and sold by Bookseller, 1786. Octavo 90 pages after half title, frontispiece with engraving by Barlow of Semple in the dock, full title, book advertisements 2 pages, dedication from Compiler 1 page, blank 1 page, list of content 5 pages and Errata 1 page.

Bound in later quarter mottled polished leather with lavish marbled paper covered boards. Carries previous distinguished ownership bookplates of Nanyce Kent Perry and before that Dr George Mackaness. This being Ferguson No 18 and a manuscript note on the front pastedown “Ferguson Bibliography cites only the copy in Ferguson Collections.

Some evidence of professional repair to the margin on the frontispiece and some aging occasionally in the text but really a very good copy of a desirable early Ferguson book that cannot be found elsewhere.

Least to say the Major Semple was a bit of a rogue and a classy one at that. His final comeuppance rested on the fact the it was found that he intended to steal the coach … his defence was that it was a debt that he couldn’t pay … he lost and was sentenced to be taken to Botany Bay. He slipped ship at Rio!

Priceless Semple … off to Botany Bay in 1786 … or maybe not!

$390.00

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Mon Voyage Aux Terres Australes – Journal Personnel du Commandant Baudin illustre par Lesueur et Petit

A special book, in the French language, published by Imprimerie Nationale, Paris in the year 2000. Large octavo, 467 pages original illustrated softcover. Very high standard of colour illustration.

Illustrations include 2 sketch plans, 2 maps, 4 charts and 10 facsimiles of original manuscripts, plus 96 colour plates with 195 illustrations – including 5 insects, 5 animals, 96 fish and marine animals, many relating to Australia. Also some views and many coastal views and 10 magnificent portraits of aboriginals. Very good near fine condition.

The journal of Baudin commences in March 1800 at Le Harve. Baudin had been given command of an expedition to map the South West and South coast of Australia. He had two ships, Geographie and Naturaliste the latter captained by Hamelin. They had a total of nine naturalists on board. By May 1801 they has reached the West Coast of New Holland. Moving east they famously met Flinders at Encounter Bay. They sailed to Sydney and down to Van Diemen’s Land and reached the d’Entrecasteaux Channel and then Maria Island by November 1801. It is claimed that more than 2,500 new species were discovered on the voyage.

Incidentally, it is now claimed that naturalist Francois Peron later wrote a report for Napoleon on ways to invade and capture the British Colony at Sydney Cove.

Even if you have limited French this book is worthwhile for the magnificence of the illustrations.

Baudin his Journal in French as it should be …

$80.00

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Studies in Murder – Edmund Pearson

An unusual Modern Library edition given the factual content. A nice 1950′s copy with slightly chipped dust jacket. Top edge stained blue to match jacket as required.

True crime by American criminologist Pearson famous for his analysis of the Lizzie Borden Murders and the Hauptmann Case. We have catalogued it also under fiction because of his easy story telling style

Edmund Lester Pearson (1880-1937) was a highly regarded write of real crime … he was also a librarian to Congress which is why he had time to research and write no doubt!

Person Understood the motive …

$40.00

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Brown Men and Women or The South Sea Islands in 1895 and 1896 – Edward Reeves – First Edition 1898

Published by Swan Sonnenschein & Co, London in 1898. Large octavo, 294 pages with sixty illustrations and a large folding map (in excellent condition) . Bright gilt embossed image on front boards, original maroon cloth covered binding in very good condition.

Edward Reeves was a New Zealand missionary who spent many years on various islands in the South Pacific. He gives forthright observations on native culture and recounts his own experiences on Tonga, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tahiti, Society Islands etc.

The folding maps is of Tongatabu. The images are a bit peculiar at times, in particular the “cannibal feast in the making” … looks more like Hollywood to us. Regardless, we find the book honest and useful despite the unsatisfactory title

Reeves in the Pacific with his camera in the 1890’s

$80.00

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Isles of Illusion (Letters from the South Seas) – Edited by Bohun Lynch – First Edition 1925

First edition published by Small. Maynard and Co, Boston in 1923.

Octavo, 331 pages, browned because of nature of paper otherwise very clean internally. Gilt title to front board still bright and clean, spine somewhat sunned. A pretty good copy.

The author of the many emotional and illuminating letters was to remain anonymous and Lynch refers to him as Asterisk in the lengthy introduction. We learn there that the author, real name Robert James Fletcher (1877-1965), was an Oxford graduate and man of taste. The letters result from over seven years in the New Hebrides and it was tough for Fletcher.

J.G. Bonhun Lynch (1884-1928) has some success as a novelist. Based on the quality of the letters, English publisher Constable convinced Asterisk (Fletcher) to publish a novel which he did titled “Gone Native a Tale of the South Seas” … it was semi-autobiographical.

Fletcher wrote many letters before Gone Native

$50.00

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The Island Builders of the Pacific – Walter Ivens – First Edition 1930 – Prestigious Ownership Scarce Dust Jacket

Published by Seeley, London a first edition 1930 in very good condition with full dust jacket. Prestigious relevant ownership.

Title continues … “How and Why the People of Mala Construct their Artificial Islands, the Antiquity and Doubtful Origin of the Practice, with a Description of the Social Organization, Magic and Religion of their Inhabitants”

The author Walter G. Ivens, at the time, was a Research Fellow of the University of Melbourne and had already authored several respected anthropological works. Very good condition and very rare to find it in its dust jacket.

Thick octavo, 317 pages, 18 illustrations from photographs, three maps of which two are folding and one most interesting sketch map of Mala.

The book covers; North Mala; the Artificial Islands; Social Organisation; Marriage, Women and Children; Ghosts; Priests and Sacrifices; Sharks and Crocodiles; Porpoise and Turtle Hunting; War and Fighting; Burials, Death-feasts and Panpipes; Magic, Divination, Omens, Signs and Dreams; Ceremonies, Tabu, Restrictions and Curses; The North-East lagoon and its People; Gardens and House Building; The People of Morodo; Folk-lore and The Cultures of North Mala.

Ownership stamp of esteemed anthropologist Harold W Scheffler (1932-2015) at Yale and his name written and dated 1960 when he would have been completing his PhD at Chicago where he was a Fullbright scholar. During that period he conducted 18 months field work on the island of Choiseul in the Solomons so this book may have been with him. He joined the Yale faculty in 1963 and his principle research continued in the Solomon Islands and also Vanuatu and among the aboriginal people of Australia focusing on kinship and social organisation. He published many papers in this field. The book has many careful and tidy pencil annotations which could be removed but we have not as we believe it greatly adds to the interest of this copy.

Scarce interesting prestigious owner

$160.00

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The Northern Hero – being a faithful Narrative of the Life, Adventures, and deceptions, of James George Semple, Commonly called Major Semple. Scarce Ferguson 18 – Published 1786.

Mon Voyage Aux Terres Australes – Journal Personnel du Commandant Baudin illustre par Lesueur et Petit

Studies in Murder – Edmund Pearson

Brown Men and Women or The South Sea Islands in 1895 and 1896 – Edward Reeves – First Edition 1898

Isles of Illusion (Letters from the South Seas) – Edited by Bohun Lynch – First Edition 1925

The Island Builders of the Pacific – Walter Ivens – First Edition 1930 – Prestigious Ownership Scarce Dust Jacket

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