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French Language translations or about the French

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  • The Expedition of the St Jean-Baptiste to the Pacific 1769-1770

    The Expedition of the St Jean-Baptiste to the Pacific 1769-1770

    A most interesting Hakluyt production. This expedition, conducted at the time of Cook’s first voyage, had dropped off the radar until the brilliant John Dunmore produced this work based on the journals of Captain Jean de Surville and First Officer Guillaume Labe.

    Published by Hakluyt in 1981, octavo 310 pages illustrated with maps, facsimile pages from journals etc. Original blue cloth covered boards with gilt design, dust jacket, a very good copy.

    Jean- Francois- Marie de Surville (1717-1770) was a merchant captain with the French East India Company. This was his only exploratory endeavour. He died in Peru without having completed his objective. In 1769 he was given command of the Saint Jaen-Baptiste to look for trading opportunities in the Pacific. He entered the Pacific from the north west and rediscovered the Solomon Islands, then on to New Zealand where he missed crossing paths with James Cook by a matter of days. Crossing the Pacific to Peru was confident in having dismissed the existence of David Land. His crew were in a most unhealthy state with the scurvy and other ailments. He decided not to call at Juan Fernandez and sailed straight to Chlica to get help. The ocean was rough and Surville set off in a small boat which capsized, and he drowned. Command was transferred to Labe. The ship however was seized by the Spanish and held for two years before the vessel and the remaining crew were let go. Roughly one third survived to return to France.

    Despite these difficulties (understatement) the journals contain valuable information on the Solomons, observations on pre-colonial Maori society, and extraordinary picture of the hardships endured.

    Jean Surville on the St Jean Baptiste

    $40.00

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  • The Crossing of the Copula – Jean Filloux – First English Edition 1955

    The Crossing of the Copula – Jean Filloux – First English Edition 1955

    A first English edition of Filloux’s adventure in the North Atlantic, translated by Gretchen Besser.

    Published by Collins. London in 1955. Octavo, 253 pages plus diagrams of the vessel, nicely illustrated throughout with images from photographs taken on the voyage. End paper maps on which one has dates written by a previous owner, helpful we think. A couple of snags to what is a complete dust jacket, a pretty good copy.

    Filloux, a penniless young engineer took a berth on the Copula, a 47 foot catamaran rigged like a Chinese Junk. They took their time. Thirteen months, to voyage from Bordeaux o New York … with time off in the Canaries (forced on them) and in the Windies having reached Martinique (chosen plan). Well written unusual account

    Copula across the Atlantic an round the Windies – not your usual vessel or adventurer.

    $25.00

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  • Les Volcans et les Tremblements de Terre – Arnold Boscowitz – First Edition 1866

    Les Volcans et les Tremblements de Terre – Arnold Boscowitz – First Edition 1866

    First edition published by Paul Ducrocq, Paris in 1866.

    Royal octavo (266mm x 175mm), 602 pages with 16 striking lithographs by Eugene Ciceri, toned with fiery highlights, and a further 40 wood engravings in the text. Publishers original red morocco backed pebble grain cloth covered boards with bevelled design. Spin gilt in compartments, raised bands, all page edges richly gilt, textured end papers. Some obvious marks to boards and closed crack on spine some patchy internal foxing, overall a good copy of a desirable book. Heavy book (1.6kg), may require an overseas postage supplement.

    Volcanologist / seismologist Boscovitz produced what is an important 19th Century survey of volcanoes and earthquakes. The impressive vies include … Vesuvius, Orizaba, Mount Etna, Cotopaxi, Kilauea Fire Lake, Stromboli, Popocatepetl, El Jorullo, geysers in Iceland, Hot Springs in New Zealand etc.

    Mid 19thC Volcano and Earthquake Classic with Striking Images.

    $240.00

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  • Lectures on The Blood and on The Changes which It Undergoes During Disease – Magendie

    Lectures on The Blood and on The Changes which It Undergoes During Disease – Magendie

    First published in English by Haswell, New Orleans in 1839. This edition for the Classics of Medicine Library published by Gryphon in 1996.

    Large octavo, 276 pages, printed by Quebecor Kingsport from film of the original courtesy of the Library of the College of Physicians, Philadelphia. Paper specially made for this edition by Glatfelter. Bound in full leather by the printers. Deluxe endpapers specially commissioned from Richard J Wolfe. All edges gilt, cover design in gilt by Daniel Bianchi and Selma Ordewer

    Francois Magendie (1783-1855) was a physiologist and a forerunner of experimental physiology. He conducted dissections on live animals for which he was criticised by many, including later Darwin and Huxley.

    Magendie unorthodox but effective experimental physiologist – his thinking and lectures on blood disorders before their time.

    $60.00

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  • Looking for La Perouse – Frank Horner

    Looking for La Perouse – Frank Horner

    Looking for La Perouse D’Entrecasteaux in Australia and the South Pacific 1792 – 1793 by Frank Horner.

    A 1996 first soft cover edition. Octavo, 317 pages, published by Melbourne University Press. A nice copy. Heavily illustrated.

    Solid read with maps, charts and illustrations. Bruny d’Entrecasteaux might have failed to find the doomed La Perouse but made some important observations in Tasmania, Western Australia and New Guinea.

    Top of the class Frank Horner

    $30.00

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  • The Memoirs of Sarah Bernhardt  – and her novel “In the Clouds” – Edited Sandy Lesberg

    The Memoirs of Sarah Bernhardt – and her novel “In the Clouds” – Edited Sandy Lesberg

    Original memoirs from early childhood through the First American Tour edited and introduced by Sandy Lesberg. Also, the first English language publication of her only novel “In the Clouds”.

    Large octavo, 256 pages of which the last 52 comprise the short novel.

    A first edition 1977 published by Peebles Press, New York and London. A very good copy.

    Nicely illustrated from period photographs, and Clouds illustrated with line drawings by Georges Clairin.

    The adventurous Bernhardt not satisfied with being the most admired actor of the 19thC took to some strange activities … riding whales, collecting exotic animals, early ballooning and, was a accomplished artist and sculptor.

    Sarah Bernhardt by Sarah Bernhardt

    $45.00

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