Products | Voyager Rare Books Maps & Prints

The Invisible Island – Alexander MacDonald – 1911

A Story of the Far North of Queensland … by Alexander McDonald and illustrated by Charles M Sheldon.

Published by Blackie & Sons, London, Glasgow, octavo 360 pages with pictorial image to front cover and spine. A little age otherwise a very good copy and especially clean internally.

The book opens on an island in the south west of the Gulf of Carpentaria … “Through the dank, shimmering heat haze the island loomed in ghostly outline”

Six full page illustrations including the frontispiece.

Adventure and gold in the Far North

$60.00

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A Handbook to the British Mammalia – Richard Lydekker – 1896

Published in London in 1896 by Edward Lloyd. Octavo, 339 pages, original maroon cloth binding with sharp gilt lines to boards and gilt title and author to spine.

The highlight the 32 plus frontispiece full page chromolithographs highlighted occasionally with gum arabic.

A superb Victorian systematic reference forming part of the Lloyd’s Natural History Series. Nice to see the bats, rodents etc getting equal weight with the badger, squirrel and fallow deer. The additional three chapters on the Ancient Mammals of Britain adds to the interest.

Lydekker on British Mammals – Nicely Illustrated

$40.00

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The Abbe Prevost – A Play by Helen Waddell – First Limited Numbered Signed edition – 1933

Superior production Published by Constable, London in 1933. Signed by the author and numbered 267 of a limited issue of 750 copies. Printed at the “Raven Press” in Harrow with a frontispiece engraved by Horace Walter Bray. Printed on thick cream paper rough cut to fore-edge, gilt to top. Original quarter velum over beige cloth covered boards. Gilt titles to front and spine.

Very good condition … note on en paper inviting all communications to Miss Waddell’s agent at Lincoln’s Inn.

A Play by esteemed Irish Playwright Helen Waddell, in a Prologue and Three Acts, over 57 pages, with Dramatis Personae of eight. The Prologue is set twenty years after the main events in the Library of the Chateau of the Prince de Conti. Act I is set in Lenski’s lodgings at the Hague in 173 and II and II in Prevost’s garret in Drury Lane, London in 1733.

Abbe (Antoine Francois) Prevost (1697-1763) was a Benedictine Priest who fled France for London in 1728 after falling out with the Abbot. He became a teacher and writer and after a love affair with a pupil fled London for the Hague in 1730. There he met the beautiful Lenski (described by others as a lady of doubtful character) … got into trouble with creditors and fled back to London. It is these events which are the subject of this historical drama.

Back in London, Prevost was briefly imprisoned for forgery. By 1735 he was forgiven by the Catholic faith and returned to Paris in 1735. A prolific writer, whilst all this was going on he published Manon Lescaut in 1731… one of Voyager’s favourites.

A glimpse into the 18thC Life of Abbe Prevost

$60.00

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Wanderings in A Wild Country Or Three Years Amongst the Cannibals of New Britain – Wilfred Powell – First Edition 1883

Scarce, one of the prized early New Guinea accounts. Published by Sampson Low, London 1883 a first edition.

Octavo, 283 pages including vocabulary of words. 5 full page plates and 29 illustrations in the text plus four pages with illustrations on New Britain sign language. Folding sketch survey of the North-east Portion of New Britain by the author. A little ribbing to the cloth on the front board and age toning near the ends otherwise a very good copy.

The book begins with the selection of an appropriate vessel, the ketch Star of the preparation and departure from Sydney. An eventful voyage with waterspouts, recounting the tragedy of Lizard Island (gruesome) … remarkable whirlpool near the Duke of York Islands. Reaching Matupi Island. Visiting George Brown first white in the region. Port Hunter natives, first signs of cannibalism … the Duk-duk. To Kininigunun and a native battle. To Spacious Bay with Brown and more hostilities, full on volcanic eruption. The murder of the teachers, forced to fight, saving the native women. Turtle catching and wife hunting .. exploration of the interior … natives board vessel and destroy everything.

We lost track of how many times Powell escaped from danger …

Wilfred Powell early adventures in New Britain

$190.00

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Jenolan Caves (The Underground Wonderland) New South Wales, Australia – H. Phillips – c1910

Superior period view book of the glorious Jenolan Caves. Photographed, printed and published by H Phillips (1873-1844) of Katoomba in the Blue Mountains.

This is a scarce edition with superior illustrated cover and more images than his more standard work on the Jenolan Caves. No date but circa 1910. Not in Trove.

Landscape presentation … soft covers with exotic gilt title and illustration to front. 30cm by 24cm with title page, 2 page introduction plus 49 pages of plates, 3 of which are double folding with five excellent panoramas. Captioned images include …The Grand arch; Carlotta Arch; Devil’s Coach House and Bridge from Lucas Entrance; Grand Stalactites Imperial Cave; The Giant Shawl; Cleopatra’s Needle; Mons Meg; The Proscenium; Brookes Column; Crystal Palace; The Mystery; The Willows Nettle cave; Gem of the South etc etc

Beautiful record of the Jenolan Caves by Harry Phillips

$80.00

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Spotted Seal (Phoque de Choris) – Lesson – Paris 1838

Original hand coloured engraving drawn by Antoine Charles Vauthier and engraved by Smith. Good strong clean example.

Produced for Rene Primevere Lesson (1794-1849) for his extension of the great natural history work originally produced by Count Buffon. They were published in Paris in 1838. Interesting that Lesson himself originally classified this species.

The spotted seal inhabits the Arctic regions, at one time thought to be endangered but now seen in large numbers from Alaska right through Northern Siberia.

Very good condition, clean with bright colours and a sophisticated stipple technique. Strong thick paper.. 24cm by 17cm unframed … external dimensions when framed would be 36cm by 28cm a nice size for the study or hallway.

Lesson participated as doctor and naturalist in the Duperry voyage round the world on board La Coquille (1822-1825).

Price $90.00 unframed or $190.00 framed in Voyager Natural History style … enquire if you wish …

The spotted seal now quite often seen!

$90.00

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All products

The Invisible Island – Alexander MacDonald – 1911

A Handbook to the British Mammalia – Richard Lydekker – 1896

The Abbe Prevost – A Play by Helen Waddell – First Limited Numbered Signed edition – 1933

Wanderings in A Wild Country Or Three Years Amongst the Cannibals of New Britain – Wilfred Powell – First Edition 1883

Jenolan Caves (The Underground Wonderland) New South Wales, Australia – H. Phillips – c1910

Spotted Seal (Phoque de Choris) – Lesson – Paris 1838

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