Products | Voyager Rare Books Maps & Prints

Francois Valentjin’s Description of Ceylon – Translated and Edited by Arasaratnam

Francois Valentijn (1666-1727) was a Dutch scientific theologian and author of “Oud en Niew Oost-Indien” [Old and New East-India] a rather comprehensive history of the Dutch East India Company and the Far East.

Valentijn spent 16 years in the East employed in a ministerial capacity by the VOC … he returned to Dordrecht where he compiled the massive work, containing over one thousand plates and maps … he clearly had access to the VOC archives.

The translator and editor of this work Sinnappah Arasaratnam had thought for some time that a work, relating to Ceylon, based on Valentijn was a worthy endeavour. The original rather repetitive and encyclopaedic in form required a special talent to product a modern readable effective translation. Arasaratnam found the Hakluyt Society the ideal partner to assist in achieving his objective and the result is something special.

Octavo, 374 pages, illustrated and with large folding map at rear. A very good copy bar without dust jacket.

Sri Lanka (Ceylon) as described by Valentjin from VOC records in modern readable form by Hakluyt

$40.00

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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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Whalers of the Midnight Sun – Alan Villiers [A Fiction Based on His Experiences] – 1964

Maritime hero Alan Villiers brings his undoubted experience to this adventure book aimed at young boys.

A new edition and first of its type, Angus and Robertson 1964. Octavo, 248 pages with ten full pages illustration from woodcuts by Charles Pont. A little aging to page edges and gift inscription back of half title, nice bright jacket, all up a pretty good copy.

Endpaper maps of the voyage from Hobart, Tasmania down to Macquarie Island; the Balleny Islands; the Ross Sea; Grahams Island before heading north to Montevideo.

A Norwegian expedition picks up some extra crew at Hobart, a motely band of youths and a stow away, little Alfie, who appears at Macquarie Island. Adventure ensues.

Alan Villiers, a yarn about Whaling, from personal experience.

$30.00

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Miniature Antique Maps – Geoffrey King – Second revised edition 2003

The definitive reference on miniature antique maps and a special instruction on the development of the decorative map over the centuries.

A second revised and final edition of Geoffrey Kings work. Published by Tooley Adams & Co, Oxfordshire. Octavo, 223 pages with hundreds of illustrations.

Starts with a useful forward by London miniature map specialist, Graham Franks, acknowledgments, introduction and bibliography before the detailed chronological guide, attendant notes, and index of names.

A unique work to the field and a must have for a collector. Unfortunately, copies are hard to come by, particularly this revised edition.

King – the definitive reference on miniature antique maps.

$120.00

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Byron’s Journal of His Circumnavigation 1764-1766 – Edited by Robert E. Gallagher

Another well produced piece of work put out by the Hakluyt Society.

John Byron of Wager fame (the poets Grandfather and Voyager hero) has come in for some criticism regarding his circumnavigation of 1764-1776. Hard to understand considering he is in the all time top 20.

Sent by the Admiralty to search for Pepys’s Island and the Southern Continent and then around in the Pacific north to find the “other end” of the North West passage. He re-discovered the Falkland Islands (but was beaten by Bougainville) and when in the Pacific decided for his own reasons (quite valid) to go in a more direct route and all around back to Blighty.

His journal is at the mecca of all journals marine, the National Maritime Museum, London. And, here it is published with super supporting items by editor Robert Gallagher. Much about the giants of Patagonia.

Printed by the Cambridge University Press for the Hakluyt Society in 1964. Octavo, 230 pages with numerous illustrations and maps and charts many folding or multiple folding. A particularly good thoroughly clean copy.

John Byron first the Wager then the Circumnavigation on of the greatest naval heroes of the 18th C.

$50.00

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James Cook Bicentennial Medal (1970) by Andor Meszaros

A striking medal issues by the National Trust of Australia in 1970 to commemorate the 200-year anniversary of James Cook’s discovery of the east coast of mainland Australia.

Copper bronze 50mm in diameter, weigh 60gm (160gm cased). Heavy relief portrait of Cook dominates the right hand edge of the medal with the Endeavour helmsman covering the whole of the background … the impression is of is singularly focused observation of the fits sighting .. which would have been at Point Hicks. The narrative James Cook 1770-1970 to the left and below that the signature of the medallist Andor Meszaros. On the reverse the National Trust emblem. A fine example still housed in its original felt lined case all in fine condition. 3,000 medals were cast so it is not uncommon but how many still have their original case and remain unmarked.

Hungarian born Andor Meszaros (1900-1972) perhaps Australia’s greatest medallist. He was a natural sculptor and held high positions in the art in Australia and, recognised by his peers internationally. His name was made as a medallist when he designed the Melbourne Olympic Games Medals in 1956 … he also designed the Australian Vietnam War Medal in 1968.

James Cook honoured at 200 years by distinguished medallist Meszaros

$70.00

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All products

Francois Valentjin’s Description of Ceylon – Translated and Edited by Arasaratnam

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

Whalers of the Midnight Sun – Alan Villiers [A Fiction Based on His Experiences] – 1964

Miniature Antique Maps – Geoffrey King – Second revised edition 2003

Byron’s Journal of His Circumnavigation 1764-1766 – Edited by Robert E. Gallagher

James Cook Bicentennial Medal (1970) by Andor Meszaros

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