Exploration

The Dutch Seaborne Empire 1600-1800 – C.R. Boxer

Published by Hutchinson, London 1n 1965, a first edition. The author Charles Boxer was the Professor of Portuguese at Kings College, London at the time – he would likely have been the Dutch Professor also .. if they had had one.

Large octavo, 326 pages, illustrated throughout, very good dust jacket, a lightly embossed stamp on title,. A very good copy of a special work now hard to find.

Not your usual narrative, this book looks at the reasons behind the rise of the Dutch as a major seafaring nation from the mid 1600’s for over a century. Peace was signed after an eighty year war with Spain in 1648 and for the Dutch the seagoing expansion was near to phenomenal in terms of speed and ambition. Useful appendices include a chronology 1568-1795 which provides a framework …

The author Charles Boxer was an incredibly colourful character. Born into a military family (although his mothers family had been early sheep farmers in Tasmania). He enlisted and found himself in Japan in the 1930’s. Then a full blown spy in Hong Kong at the beginning of War II, imprisoned by the Japanese for three years. He married the most beautiful woman in Hong Kong , Ursula Tulloch, but left her for a life with the equally glamorous American writer Emily Hahn. Back in England his depth of knowledge was recognised in receiving the Lisbon sponsored Professorship which he made is own.

The Dutch … their power at sea and what was behind it …

$40.00

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The Founding of Hobart – A Diary Recounting the Events on the Derwent 1803-1804 – Frank Bolt

The author of this fine book, Frank Bolt, was surprised that he could not find any book on the very early period of the settlement of Hobart. So he carried out his own research and effectively self published this work.

Large octavo, 320 pages, illustrated, with folding plan, printed to a high standard. A first edition 2004 and fine, like new, condition.

An unusual work in structure … Bolt explain his approach well in the lengthy Preface. Having assembled all of the exiting evidence his challenge was how to present it … landing on the idea of creating a faux diary of events on a nearly day by day basis. It work very well. After a further introductory “Prologue” the diary runs from page 38 through to page 279. Within this there are separate brief “cut-aways” regarding the “difference between the initial Risdon Settlement and the final Settlement at Sullivan’s Cove and “the Cargo of the Collin’s Expedition”.

Notes on Sources are kept until the end and are extensive and useful as well is a list of the Pioneers of Hobart Town. And, Meehan’s Plan of circa 1811.

Hobart the early days revisited

$50.00

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Kennedy – The Barcoo and Beyond 1847 – Beale – Signed by Publisher Dan Sprod

Published by the tremendous Blubber Head Press of Hobart and signed by the publisher Dan Sprod at the front

The quality of the book is best bar none and the condition near fine. Octavo, 292 pages, nicely illustrate, some in colour, end paper maps an, a most unusual printed thick glassine dust cover, often chipped but here completely undamaged.

The author was taken aback by the contents of fresh papers that surfaced from the descendants of Kennedy – and along with records held in Northern Ireland and the journals and papers at the Royal Geographical Society London the rich content of this book has been crafted.

Edmund Besley Court Kennedy (1818-1848) was chosen by Mitchell as his second for the 1846 expedition into southern and central Queensland. He was given command of a further expedition the nest year to trace Mitchell’s “Victoria River” to an expected mouth in the Gulf of Carpentaria. This turned out not to be true, Kennedy proving that that the Victoria was in fact the Barcoo, the upper waters of Cooper Creek … and in doing so discovered the valuable Channel Country. He then went on to track the Werrego River and in a further expedition from Rockingham Bay in 1848, setting its sights on the very tip of the Cape York Peninsula, he was killed by aboriginals.

Three folding maps near rear.

Essential and Fine Kennedy

$60.00

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Owen Stanley R.N. – Captain of the Rattlesnake – Adelaide Lubbock

Published by Heinemann, Melbourne etc in 1968 a first edition. Octavo, 298 pages, illustrated throughout very nicely. A super copy

Whilst this book deals well with the voyage of HMS Rattlesnake” up the east Coast of Australia and over the southern coastline of New Guinea – his earlier years are also carefully researched.

Key Rattlesnake / Papua account – good all round adventure biography

$30.00

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Polar Exploration Cards – Players Series 2 – Issued 1916

A complete set of 25 cards in very good condition of the 2nd series of Polar Exploration cigarette cards by John Player. Elusive complete.

The Terra Nova Expedition – Scott, Evans, Oates, Wilson (Uncle Bill) and the victorious Norwegian Expedition including “Amundsen at the South Pole”

$90.00

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Polar Exploration Cards – John Player – First Series Complete – Issued 1916

A complete set of 25 cards of the sought after First Series of Polar Exploration cards issued by John Player & Sons. Good bright condition front and back.

Includes – Lieut. Sir E.H. Shackleton C.V.O.; The Northern Party at the South Magnetic Pole; The Aurora Borealis; The Aurora Australis; The British Antarctic Expedition 1910; Dr Fridjof Nansen; The “Nimrod” Picking up the Northern Party; A Remarkable Fumarole in the Old Crater of Mount Erebus etc

First series Complete and getting scarce

$90.00

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The Dutch Seaborne Empire 1600-1800 – C.R. Boxer

The Founding of Hobart – A Diary Recounting the Events on the Derwent 1803-1804 – Frank Bolt

Kennedy – The Barcoo and Beyond 1847 – Beale – Signed by Publisher Dan Sprod

Owen Stanley R.N. – Captain of the Rattlesnake – Adelaide Lubbock

Polar Exploration Cards – Players Series 2 – Issued 1916

Polar Exploration Cards – John Player – First Series Complete – Issued 1916

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