Maritime

The Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle, under the Command of Captain Fitzroy, R.N., during the years 1832 to 1836 – Edited, introductions and Notes by Charles Darwin

Originally published by Smith and Elder in parts from 1839-1843. Considered a superb example of scientific publishing.

This is the three-volume facsimile published by Nova Pacifica, Wellington, New Zealand in 1980. Til then the only reproduction and even now the standout in terms of quality.

Limited to 750 copies. Three volumes quarto, 34 cm by 26 cm. Original quarter blue leather binding with salmon buckram covered boards. Separate contrasting title labels and gilt to spine, marbled end papers. Various pagination, complete, illustrated in colour and black and white including tipped in plates. A very good set. Very heavy may require a postage supplement especially Overseas.

Volume one comprises Fossil Mammalia by Richard Owen [part 1] and Mammalia by George R Waterhouse [part 2]. Volume two comprises Birds by John Gould [part 3] and Anatomical Appendix by T.C. Eyton. Volume three contains Fish by Leonard Jenyns [part 4] and Reptiles by Thomas Bell [part 5]

Who can afford the original? This super facsimile set the best alternative.

$790.00

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Fangs of the Sea – Norman Caldwell [With Help from Norman Ellison] – First Edition 1936

An extremely rare first edition of Shark Hunter Norman Caldwell’s classic book.

Written in conjunction with Norman Ellison. Published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney in 1936.

Thick octavo, 282 pages, illustrated throughout with images from original photographs, diagrams of shark catching techniques, end paper maps. Missing the original dust jacket but rare as is in original green cloth covered binding. Some foxing as usual given nature of paper.

Caldwell could see money in catching sharks – his hunting ground was in Queensland between Repulse Bay and Gloucester Island taking in the Whitsundays.

Obviously if you don’t have the appetite for shark hunting this is not the book for you. Caldwell also went after and caught “big Fish” other than sharks and Rays and massive Grouper Fish were within his aim.

The book has taken on almost legendary status and sought after by those with a bit of Hemingway and Lee Marvin in them.

Caldwell’s Fangs one for the game fisherman

$190.00

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[Queensland] Thomas Welsby – The Collected Works – Two Volumes

Important two volume set constituting Welsby’s books on Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Stradbroke and Bribie Islands.

Published by Jacaranda Press, Brisbane in 1967/68. Large octavo, 397 pages and 427 pages with 54 plates, maps etc. Both volumes in very good condition with complete dust jackets.

Includes Schnappering in Early Moreton Bay [orig. 1905]; Discoverer’s of the Brisbane River [orig. 1913]; Memories of Amity (Stradbroke) [orig. 1922]; Sport and Pastime in Moreton Bay [orig. 1931 and Bribie the Basket Maker [orig 1937]. All very difficult to get in original form.

Born in Ipswich in 1858 worked first as a banker before becoming a member of the Legislative Assembly. He lived in New Farm and spent much of his leisure time on the Bay. A founding member of the Royal Historical Society of Queensland, holding positions in numerous other organisations – he died in 1941.

The collective work of an important historic Queensland identity

$340.00

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A Voyage Round the World in His Majesty’s Frigate Pandora – George Hamilton

The Pandora was sent to recover the Bounty and bring back the Mutineers. The voyage is an extraordinary story told with a light and readable touch by George Hamilton, surgeon onboard. After having recovered some Mutineers the Pandora was wrecked on the Barrier Reef approaching the Torres Straits.

One of a limited edition of 950 copies published by Hordern House in 1998. Octavo, 37 pages plus 164 pages illustrated. Spotted to edges otherwise very good. Bound in quarter cherry calf with marbled paper covered boards, separate black leather title label to spine gilt lines.

A faithful facsimile of the Voyage of the Pandora a rare 1793 publication connected to Bligh’s Mutiny on the Bounty.

HMS Pandora was a sixth rate Porcupine class naval vessel. She was commissioned in May 1779, built by Adams & Barnard, Deptford. Pandora saw action in the war against France in that year and in the American War of Independence. She was then mothballed from 1783. In 1790 having heard of the Bounty Mutiny, the First Lord of the Admiralty, Lord Chatham despatched her, under Captain Edward Edwards, to recover the Bounty and capture the Mutineers. When they arrived at Tahiti, they found that a group of fourteen mutineers had broken away from Fletcher Christian and returned there. Some surrendered themselves, including Peter Heywood, others proved more difficult, but eventually all fourteen were captured and locked in a cell on board … known as Pandora’s Box. The Pandora visited numerous islands looking for the others … but only managed to lose some of their own crew to desertion. They headed west for home, but the ship ran aground on 29^th August 1791 on the outer Great barrier Reef. She soon sank with 35 men lost including 4 of the Bounty Mutineers. The survivors made for a sand cay and two days later sailed in four open boats for Indonesia.

The wreck was found in 1977 jointly by John Heyer and Ben Cropp, after much competition to be the first to the spot. The Queensland Museum excavated the wreck under a team led by Peter Gesner who wrote the forward to this book.

HMS Pandora … the recovery of the Bounty Mutineers and its Shipwreck on the Barrier Reef.

$90.00

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A Voyage Round the World – Mary Ann Parker – The First Account of the Colony to be Published by a Woman

First published in 1795, reissued with a commentary by Gavin Fry of the Australian National Maritime Museum. Sydney Horden House 1991.

Octavo, hand bound in half maroon Scottish calf over marbled boards, 34, xxxi, 150 pages. With 2 illustrations and 3 facsimiles. (Australian Maritime Series No 1). Very good condition.

Mary Ann Parker was the wife of Captain Parker of the Gorgon – she accompanied him out to Australia and back in 1791/2. The voyage also carried Gidley King and his new wife Anna – the only other woman. Approximately a third of the book is taken up by goings on in Port Jackson.

The book is known not only for it being the first female account of such travels to and from Port Jackson but for its full, lively and positive content … nothing dour here.

Limited edition of 750 copies.

$120.00

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The Voyage of the Batavia – Francois Pelsart – First Published in 1647, reissued with a translation from the original Dutch.

Probably our favourite Hordern House published book and possibly the most sought after.

Published, Potts Point, Hordern House for the Australian National Maritime Museum in 1994.

Octavo, xxvi, 162 pages with 4 illustrations plus a folding page of plates reproducing the 15 engravings of the original work.

Beautifully bound, quarter calf over marbled papered boards with contrasting leather title label. Some spotting to page edges otherwise very good. One of 750 copies produced.

The original account “Ongeluckige voyagie, van’t schip Batavia, nae de Oost-Indien” Jan Jansz, Amsterdam 1647. Comprises the edited extracts from the journal of Francois Pelsaert relating to the disastrous voyage in the Dutch merchant ship Batavia. The ship was wrecked off the west coast of Australia. The fifteen illustrations depict the wreck and the terrible scenes following the mutiny of the crew. The account represents the first representations of the Australian coastline.

The English translation is by Willem Siebenhaar which appeared in the “Western Mail” in 1897. An additional commentary by Martin Terry from the Australian National Maritime Museum.

The Batavia – what more could have gone wrong – a quality production of this important book.

$190.00

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The Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle, under the Command of Captain Fitzroy, R.N., during the years 1832 to 1836 – Edited, introductions and Notes by Charles Darwin

Fangs of the Sea – Norman Caldwell [With Help from Norman Ellison] – First Edition 1936

[Queensland] Thomas Welsby – The Collected Works – Two Volumes

A Voyage Round the World in His Majesty’s Frigate Pandora – George Hamilton

A Voyage Round the World – Mary Ann Parker – The First Account of the Colony to be Published by a Woman

The Voyage of the Batavia – Francois Pelsart – First Published in 1647, reissued with a translation from the original Dutch.

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