Non-fiction

The Amazing Mr Doolittle [Biography of American Air Ace and Daredevil] – Quentin Reynolds – 1954

A very good copy of the second impression of the first UK edition published in June 1954 one month after the first.

Published by Cassell, London. Octavo, 313 pages, frontispiece of our Hero.

Biography of the great American Air Ace. The front cover boldly list his achievements .. some would be less bold nowadays .. that’s history.

His early flights is our bag though, and this ace started early in the 1920’s .. winner of the Schneider Trophy and a true daredevil .. where are they now? He was the first to fly on instruments alone, cross America etc.

Doolittle, Not talking to the Animals, flying the Aeroplanes.

$40.00

Updating cart…

A World of My Own – Robin Knox-Johnston – First edition 1969.

A fine copy of the first edition 1969 of a then young Robin Knox-Johnston’s single-handed non-stop voyage around the world.

Published by Cassell, London. Octavo, 240 pages, end paper charts and illustrated very nicely.

Humble thorough account although he does point out his vessel Suhaili at 32 feet was smaller than Alec Rose’s Lively Lady at 36 feet and the relative monster Gipsy Moth II of Francis Chichester at 53 feet. Great technical information and tips for overcoming a number of practical difficulties.

We like the extensive lists of stores and instruments at the rear and especially his extensive onboard library which included … Boswell, Bronte(Wuthering Heights), Carlyle, Cherry-Garrard (Worst Journey), Darwin (Voyage of Beagle), Dostoevsky (Crime and Punishment), Laurence Sterne (Tristram and Sentimental), Thackery, Gilbert White (Selbourne) and from modern time interesting to see David Lewis (Daughter of the Wind) and [Voyager Hero] Hiscock (Wanderer III) …. Must have shopped at Voyager!

Knox-Johnston made his name on Suhaili deservedly so!

$30.00

Updating cart…

The Passenger Pigeon – by Joseph Quinn.

No date comb bound copied item published circa 1990, see below. This was its original form – self published by the author.

Subtitled “A Boys Story” but not a story for Boys, in fact a compilation of the writings of the author, many of them, published in Bird World … and all about the demise of the Passenger Pigeon.

We learn that the last pigeon a female was given the name of Martha, after George Washington’s wife … the second last Passenger Pigeon, her brother, named George … naturally. We like this unusual work not just for its obvious rarity but the love of the writer for his subject. The Boys story is a reference to him finding his childhood scribbles about the subject matter.

96 pages in all, some images from the magazine that have not copied too well. Cream card covers.

A total of 20 separate articles, all of some length, published variously between 1982 and 1987.

Inserted on posh faux vellum paper is a poem written by the author in honour of the sadly retired bird; rather well penned and definitely moving.

Joseph Quinn – his life’s work on the Passenger Pigeon all in one place.

$40.00

Updating cart…

The Martian – George du Maurier – First edition 1898.

First edition published by Harper & Brothers in 1898.

A substantial book, large squarish octavo, 471 pages, dark black end papers which show signs of paper label removal, so possibly ex library probably not public as no other library marks. Striking deep blue cloth covered boards with gilt titles, design, and faux signature to front, gilt title to spine, extraordinarily clean. Someone has assembled poetry to the early preliminaries, which we find quite charming.

Considered the be quasi autobiographical with a strange surreal Martian twist. The life of Barty Josselin as told by a friend Robert Maurice from early days at the Institution Brossard in Paris. Josselin a good looker and thoroughly talented and extrovert. Later back in England Barty has a spell in the army.

Later his eyesight starts to fail which makes him think of taking his own life. In a dream a spirit guardian in the form of Martia from Mars comes to him. From then Martia inspires him and provides advice which secures his career as an author. Martia has other influences and wishes him to marry Julia … and all gets a little complicated from there ..

George du Maurier Channelling a Martian Spirit Guide

$90.00

Updating cart…

James Cook’s Second Voyage – A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Around the World – Fine Large Scale Facsimile in 2 Volumes

Facsimile of James Cook’s Second Voyage – Towards the South Pole – 2 Volumes

A Voyage Towards the South Pole, and Round the World Performed in His Majesty’s Ships the Resolution and Adventure, in the years 1772, 1773, 1774 and 1775. In which is included Captain Furneaux’s Narrative of his Proceedings in the Adventure during the Separation of the Ships: By James Cook Commander of the Resolution.

Illustrated with Maps and Charts, and a Variety of Portraits of Persons and Views of Places, Drawn during the Voyage by Mr. Hodges, and Engraved by the Most Eminent Master.

This is the account of Cook’s second voyage. The success of Cook’s first voyage led the Admiralty to send him on a second expedition to circumnavigate the globe as far south as possible in search of any southern continents. Cook proved that there was no Terra Australis which supposedly lay between New Zealand and South America, but became convinced that there must be land beyond the ice fields. Cook was the first to cross the Antarctic Circle. Further visits were made to New Zealand, and on two great sweeps Cook made an astonishing series of discoveries and rediscoveries including Easter Island, the Marquesas, Tahiti and the Society Islands, Niue, the Tonga Islands, the New Hebrides, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, and a number of smaller islands. Rounding Cape Horn, on the last part of the voyage, Cook discovered and charted South Georgia, after which he called at Cape Town. William Hodges was the artist with the expedition. This voyage produced a vast amount of information concerning the Pacific peoples and Islands, proved the value of the chronometer as an aid in finding longitude, and improved techniques for preventing scurvy.

Also, includes the account of Captain Furneaux in the Adventure during his time separated from the Endeavour.

Originally published by Strahan & Cadell, London in 1777. This edition in two volumes by the Libraries Board of South Australia in 1970.

Complete with facsimile images – portrait frontispiece (Basire’s engraving of Cook from the painting by William Hodges) and 63 plates, charts and portraits, many folding. Light beige canvas cloth covered boards, separate title labels to spine. Very clean internally, high quality paper. A super set.

The second Voyage of James Cook to seek out the Great Southern Land – and to do so much more.

$360.00

Updating cart…

The Living Sea – John Crompton

A first edition of this interesting easy to read book about the natural history of the oceans. Quite broad in content … starts with prehistory and then moves into Whales (nice content), Manatee, Sharks, Rays back to Caelacanth .. all the good stuff.

Published by Collins, London in 1957. Octavo, 256 pages, some sketch like illustrations. And the dust jacket … we had to have it just for

Good period all rounder dressed to impress.

$25.00

Updating cart…

The Amazing Mr Doolittle [Biography of American Air Ace and Daredevil] – Quentin Reynolds – 1954

A World of My Own – Robin Knox-Johnston – First edition 1969.

The Passenger Pigeon – by Joseph Quinn.

The Martian – George du Maurier – First edition 1898.

James Cook’s Second Voyage – A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Around the World – Fine Large Scale Facsimile in 2 Volumes

The Living Sea – John Crompton

Product Categories