Travel & Voyages

Polar Gleams – An Account of a Voyage on the Yacht “Blencathra” [An Arctic Voyage] – Helen Peel – First Edition 1894

The author Helen Peel was the granddaughter of Sir Robert Peel, twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

With a Preface by Arctic voyager The Marquess of Dufferin and Ava and contributions by Joseph Wiggins and Frederick G. Jackson.

A first edition published in the same year in the UK and the USA. This is the American first by McClurg, Chicago, 1894.

Large Octavo, 211 pages, cloth covered boards with bright silver gilt titling to front and spine, with walrus head design on spine. Burgundy end paper, portrait frontispiece with signature facsimile. 15 other illustrations and two maps – the Sea Route to Siberia and the Great Siberian Railway. Re-cased expertly by Roger Perry, original spine laid down, very clean inside a nice copy of a very rare item.

The acknowledged adventurer the Marquess of Dufferin was the godfather of the adventurous Helen Peel. He admired her vigour and abilities in putting together this account of the Arctic voyage of the Blencathra that he provided his esteemed and thoughtful Preface.

From Britain through the northern Norwegian waters, the Barents and Kara Seas, up the Yenisei River to Gol’chikha and back to Archangel in the farthest reaches of Siberia… much interaction with Laps and Samoyeds.

The Blencathra (then named HMS Newport) was built in 1867 in the Pembroke Dockyard. Part of the Philomel class – a wooden screw gun vessel, with a single two-cylinder single expansion, single screw steam engine. She was the first ship to pass through the Suez Canal. She was bought by F.W. Laybourne-Popham in 1890 as a yacht. He had an interest in Arctic waters and appointed Joseph Wiggins as Captain for a voyage, the subject of this book. The whole exercise turned into a commercial one with the organisation of support vessels and the transport of rails for the Trans-Siberian Railway. Later the yacht was used by William Speirs Bruce and new owner Major Andrew Coats to cruise the Arctic as far as Novaya Zemyla and Kolguyev and then Spitzbergen. It was later purchased by the Russians who lost it near Franz Josef Land.

Rare Arctic Voyage – Unusual Author and Pedigree – Hard Working and Fated Polar Vessel.

$260.00

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Everest is Climbed [Special Illustrated Work 1954] – Wilfred Noyce and Richard Taylor

A very good copy of a very usual period “Puffin Picture Book” describing and celebrating the fits ascent of Everest. Noyce (teacher) was part of the expedition team lead by Hunt (soldier) and remembered for Hillary (beekeeper) and Tenzing (sirdar).

Landscape staple bound soft cover 31 pages, profusely illustrated a really super piece of work not like anything else on the subject. Published by Penguin with permission from Hodder in 1954.

Starts with the history of the “objective” after the team backgrounds … with Mallory and the 1922 expedition. The finding of Mallory’s ice axe 1933 and a table on notable achievements up to the final success. The Southern Route and the Great Crevasse. Oxygen systems and how they work. Base camp and the choices of tents as they advance. Climbing equipment and the nine camps to the top. The Western Cwm and the author Noyce at the Geneva Spur overlooking the South Col. The final trek to the top along the South east Ridge.

Postage will likely be reduced on final billing.

Rather unique Everest ephemera with genuine content and special illustrations of the period.

$40.00

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Sitting on Penguins [An Antarctic Diary] – Stephen Murray-Smith

A fine edition first edition of this provocative and we believe misunderstood book by the opinionated Murray-Smith.

HS spent the summer of 1985-86 in the Antarctic and this represents his diary interspersed with history, information and opinions and views on individuals and the greater Australian objectives and achievements in this icy world.

Octavo, 249 pages, illustrated and with end paper maps. A fine as copy as you will get. Published by Hutchinson in 1988. the jacket looks a bit strange front right but that’s what it’s like.

PS never sit on a penguin!

Murray-Smith a honed Antarctic diary with views and opinions that could still shape the future.

$30.00

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Australian Shipwrecks Update 1622-1990 (Volume 5 and last) – Jack Loney

Published in 1991 a soft cover copy of Jack Loney’s final book on Australian shipwrecks … filling in many gaps and providing new information nor previously published. So completing what remains as the great reference guide to shipwrecks and we have some!

Perfect bound, 169 pages, self published. Illustrated cover and numerous illustrations mainly from period photographs in the text. Because the subject matter is spread over the whole period of the broader “Shipwrecks” works this edition has a slightly different approach with chapters such as … The Long Lost wrecks; then the updated list; then extension appendices on … threatened losses; scuttled vessels; the Riddle of the Submarine etc.

If its shipwrecks its Loney

$35.00

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Fatal Storm -The 54th Sydney to Hobart Yacht – Rob Mundie – First Edition 1999

For those that remember it, and for many impossible to forget, the storm that took six lives in the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race was beyond any expectations. Waves a high as 100 feet (half the size of the Sydney Opera House) pounded boats in the Bass Strait for more than a day. This is the record of those events.

Softcover, published by Harper and Collins in 1999. Large octavo, 317 pages with numerous illustrations many in colour. Very good almost as new condition.

Real life Fatal Storm – Sydney Hobart 1998

$30.00

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The Opium Smugglers – Ion Idriess – First edition 1948

Idriess back in Cook’s Passage and the Lizard Island. A tale written for boys and now grown up boys. Somewhat of a rarity.

A first edition published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney in 1948. Without the jacket, octavo, 273 pages, original tanned cloth covered boards with shell design to front. End paper maps, ownership signature on front ends. A pretty good copy.

The Lizard and opium

$35.00

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Polar Gleams – An Account of a Voyage on the Yacht “Blencathra” [An Arctic Voyage] – Helen Peel – First Edition 1894

Everest is Climbed [Special Illustrated Work 1954] – Wilfred Noyce and Richard Taylor

Sitting on Penguins [An Antarctic Diary] – Stephen Murray-Smith

Australian Shipwrecks Update 1622-1990 (Volume 5 and last) – Jack Loney

Fatal Storm -The 54th Sydney to Hobart Yacht – Rob Mundie – First Edition 1999

The Opium Smugglers – Ion Idriess – First edition 1948

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