Non-fiction

Ungava: A Tale of Esquimax-Land – Robert M. Ballantyne

One of the most prolific writers of adventure for the young Scottish born Robert Michael Ballantyne (1825-1894) went to Canada at the age of 16. There he worked for six years for the Hudson Bay Company. In his autobiography he said that writing long letters to his mother on the goings on of the fur traders was the stimulus behind his first books.

His first was “The Hudson Bay Company” and then “The Young Fur Traders” … this book was his fourth. He went on to pen over 100 books to the delight of his adventure seeking followers.

An early 20th century edition published by Nelson, London. Octavo, 509 pages, blue cloth covered boards with sailing ship design and design to spine, coloured frontispiece. A very good copy indeed.

A party of explorers head into Eskimo territory to establish a fur trading post at Ungava Bay. Situated in the Nunavik region of Quebec.

Ballantyne in one of those “live there did that” adventures.

$60.00

Updating cart…

Australian Shipwrecks – Volume 2 (1851-1871) – Jack Loney

A first edition published by Reed, Sydney in 1980. Small quarto, 239 pages all in very good condition with a very good to better dust jacket. A few illustrations from period engravings and early photographs.

Jack Loney’s excellent work on shipwrecks representing part of the Australian Shipwrecks series started by Bateson.

An essential edition for those interested in wrecks. Follows the usual format with notes on sources followed by a chronology and notes on ships and their wrecking. Index of ships at the end.

Essential Australian Wreck Book

$30.00

Updating cart…

Ice-Bound on Kolguev [Russian Arctic] – Aubyn Trevor-Battye – 1895

Title continues .. A Chapter in the Exploration of Arctic Europe to Which is Added a Record of the Natural History of the Island.

Published by Archibald Constable, London in 1895.

Royal octavo, xxviii, 458 pages with 3 large folding colour maps, 25 plates and numerous in text illustrations. Original two tone cloth covered binding, top edge gilt. Showing a little age, still a good copy of a scarce account.

The island of Kolguev is in the south-eastern Barents Sea of the coast near the Kanon Peninsula in Russia. The author went there in 1894. He studied the Samoyeds (now referred to as Nenets) wildlife, botany, geology etc.

Illustrations by Nettleship and Charles Whymper.

Oxford graduate Aubyn Trevor-Battye (1855-1922) travelled widely in the north both in America, Europe and Asia. During the Kolguev expedition winter came early and along with companion they had to make a long unplanned journey through northern Russia. Through this experience Trevor-Battye joined the Conway expedition to Spitsbergen in 1896.

Unfortunately oil was discovered on Kolguyev in the 1980’s and the well is still active but a low levels. The population of the island is around 400 of which half work at the oil well the balance are Nenets who still hunt wild reindeer, fish etc.

Kolguyev Island accessible in the 1890’s and first studied by Trevor-Battye.

$160.00

Updating cart…

The Day of Fire [Suggested by the Life of Arthur Rimbaud] – James Ullman – First Edition 1959

First Edition published by Collins, London in 1959. Octavo, 638 pages. A little sign of age, dust jacket chipped at head, still a very good copy of a special book.

The author had been working on this book for a number of years and provides a nice foreword about Rimbaud, He thanks New Directions for quotes from their “A Season in Hell”, possibly Voyager’s favourite book.

No wonder the author invested so much time, Arthur Rimbaud was an extraordinary individual and apart from his poetry and writing led an extraordinary life, not always on the right side of the law.

Based on the life of Arthur Rimbaud and a colourful life that was.

$30.00

Updating cart…

The Hard Way [the Writing and Publication of Power Without Glory] – Frank Hardy.

This is the re-issue published by Rigby, Adelaide in 1976.

Octavo, 255 pages, original brown cloth covered boards, illustrations from relevant photographs. A near fine copy in a very good dust jacket which features a painting by fellow communist and artistic activist Noel Counihan.

This is Frank Hardy’s account of the writing and publishing of his classic novel the Power Without Glory. It was published original in 1961 by which time he had had nearly ten years to reflect on the goings on … including some time in the Courts.

Frank Hardy and the tale of the making of Power Without Glory

$35.00

Updating cart…

Kangaroo and Marsupial Friends – Bertuch 1800

An original hand coloured copper engraving of the Kangaroo with some friends.

This is one of the earliest images of the Kangaroo by Bertuch published in Germany c1800. It is based on the first ever painting by the great George Stubbs supposedly from an inflated kangaroo skin

A good size, 40cm by 20cm on thick wove paper, strong original coloring.

Price $140.00 unframed or $240.00 in cream mat with black core inside reddish gilt frame … a nice combination

Early and delightful image of the Kangaroo

$140.00

Updating cart…

Ungava: A Tale of Esquimax-Land – Robert M. Ballantyne

Australian Shipwrecks – Volume 2 (1851-1871) – Jack Loney

Ice-Bound on Kolguev [Russian Arctic] – Aubyn Trevor-Battye – 1895

The Day of Fire [Suggested by the Life of Arthur Rimbaud] – James Ullman – First Edition 1959

The Hard Way [the Writing and Publication of Power Without Glory] – Frank Hardy.

Kangaroo and Marsupial Friends – Bertuch 1800

Product Categories