19th Century and Prior Classics

Manila Galleon [Anson’s Voyage] – F van Wyck mason – First Edition 1961.

An unusual one from the Anson’s Voyage Cannon … the novelisation of the dramatic events by American author Francis van Wyck Mason.

First UK edition published by Hutchinson, London in 1961. Octavo, 490 pages plus appendices and explanatory forward. Dust jacket a bit tattered cloth covered boards a bit flecked. Nice and clean inside, end paper charts etc. A pretty good copy of an interesting read.

The story of Anson’s voyage to put it about the Spanish in the Pacific and steal their gold [lots of it] from the “Manila Galleon” is a remarkable one. Several books from the period, mid 18th century, and many afterwards. Our author was languishing in a London hospital bed in 1946 when he read the interesting contemporary account of Pascoe Thomas … like many he was hooked on the broader story from then … it took a while to read the other volumes, assimilate the basis of his historical story and finalise this weighty fact based novel. We love it.

The Manila Galleon – Anson’s Prize

$80.00

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Kidnapped – Robert Louis Stevenson – 1950′s Dakers Edition

Published by Adam Dakers, London in the 1950’s, part of their Hamlyn Classic Series.

Octavo, 204 pages, with vibrant coloured frontispiece and our favourite Kidnapped dust jacket. The book is in good condition albeit evenly toned throughout probably due to a post war experiment in having this series printed in Czechoslovakia.

Vies with Treasure Island as RLS’s most important book … in Scotland no doubt their favourite.

Kidnapped everyone should have one

$30.00

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Oracles of Nostradamus – Edited by Charles Ward

Published by The Modern Library in 1940. The original now scarce work was published in the 1890′s. Octavo, 366 pages including index. Apart from some creasing top of dust jacket a very good copy.

Interesting – when you consider this edition published in 1940 – see front cover for reference to Hitler – have you had enough Nostradamus?

Prediction, prediction, prediction ..

$40.00

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Fine Carte de Visite – Adventure Author and Secretary to the Marine Society – Samuel Whitchurch Sadler – William Trindall Pembroke Dock. 1860’s.

Samuel Whitchurch Sadler was a prolific writer of maritime adventure stories of the period. Quite a number involved slave ships … The African Cruiser; Slavers and Cruisers; The Good Ship Barbara; The Flag Lieutenant and our favourite The Ship of Ice. The Marine Society is the World’s oldest Maritime Charity. Formed in 1756 at the Kings Arms Tavern, Cornhill London. The objective of the charity … to train and improve the lot of young men, often orphans, and train then up, cloth them etc so they had more chance of survival in the Navy.

The photographer was William Trindall, an Oxford born “photographic artist” who was operating out of premises in the Docks at Pembroke from 1868. A previous owner has written 1864 on the reverse … this might be a tad early.

A very good image in fine condition.

Distinguished Marine Identity and prolific story teller

$40.00

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The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio

The complete unabridged Modern Library edition. Published in 1951 (by reference to the number of book on the list back of dust jacket). Thick octavo, 630 pages. With a forward by Morris Ernst dated 1930 regarding the difficult time the book had had in America because of draconian obscenity laws. Well here it is unadulterated.

Translated by John Payne, which must have been a lengthy task and one well done. It has stood the test of centuries and was a source of inspiration for Chaucer, Shakespeare and Keats.

Good condition albeit with two previous owners names on the end papers and later date stamp on half title. Light chips to dust jacket and a hint of fading, now protected in Brodart.

A lusty bawdy delight by Boccaccio translated by Payne

$30.00

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A Bibliography of the Writings of Jonathan Swift – Herman Teerink.

A second revised and corrected edition of Dr Teerink’s fundamental reference on Swift.

Published by the University od Pennsylvania Press in 1963. Published in Britain by the Oxford University. First published in 1937, Teerink had continued to compile new discoveries and corrections since that date. He died in 1961 so it was down to Editor Arthur Scouten to produce this update from Teerink’s notes.

Large, thick octavo, 453 pages with frontispiece of Captain Lemuel Gulliver. A very good copy.

The preface by Thomas Yoseloff, Director of the Press reflects on the decision to publish the revision and the difficultly in understanding Terrink’s handwriting. Probably in the history of bibliography there has not been more challenge than in this work on Swift, mainly because of the nature of the publishing trade in the first half of the 18thC and the many potential attributions not under the authors real name or published anonymously.

A monumental work. One might say … what interest a Swift bibliography unless the completely immersed. Well, really it give one a thorough education of the publication of the book in the era … the challenges .. unsold runs of earlier copies and how they can be used in bolstering re-issues of complete works etc. the printing houses and the quality of editorial and review before press.

The structure of book is helpful … Table of Symbols and abbreviations. Table of Location of Teerink Numbers and then the body … Collected Works; Smaller Collections; A Tale of the Tub; Gulliver’s Travels; Separate Works; Doubtful (well some would challenge other and put some of these in the mix); Biography and Criticism, 1709-1895. And a useful index.

Jonathan Swift – more than Gulliver and “the Tub” a lifetime work by Teerink.

$60.00

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Manila Galleon [Anson’s Voyage] – F van Wyck mason – First Edition 1961.

Kidnapped – Robert Louis Stevenson – 1950′s Dakers Edition

Oracles of Nostradamus – Edited by Charles Ward

Fine Carte de Visite – Adventure Author and Secretary to the Marine Society – Samuel Whitchurch Sadler – William Trindall Pembroke Dock. 1860’s.

The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio

A Bibliography of the Writings of Jonathan Swift – Herman Teerink.

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