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Chance or Design? – A Pioneer Looks Back [Papua New Guinea] – George Seymour Fort

George Fort (1851-1951) was prodding ninety when he wrote this reminiscence and it’s an interesting one particularly his time in New Guinea as an aid to Sir Peter Scratchley who carried out the annexation. Some history of events in that period that we have not seen elsewhere,

Published by Robert Hale, London in 1942. Octavo, 180 pages, good images from early New Guinea photographs. Original blue cloth covered boards, a very good copy.

As well as Australasia and New Guinea, Fort spent time in South Africa and Rhodesia. Chapters on Prospecting Experiences in Manicaland.

Fort kept the Fort in New Guinea and had some interesting things to say about it…

$40.00

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Explorations in Garhwal around Karmet [Important Mountaineering Report] – Journal of the Royal Geographical Society – January 1932.

The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, January 1932, containing a report by legendary mountaineer Frank Smythe relating to the climbing of Kamet, then the highest peak climbed in the World. During the expedition they discovered and named the “Valley of Flowers” now a National Park in Sikkim. Smythe wrote well and his report is a good example of “in the moment narrative” .. you can almost feel the chills. Super images from original photographs accompany this article.

Other articles of substance include, in the Rockies, the confirmation of the Purcell as the source of the Kootenay River and, a traverse through Norwegian Lapland by Charles Elton.

Usual original blue wrappers, good photographs as mentioned and maps for reference. A crease across early pages from storage [priced accordingly], else clean and bright, a worthy copy of a scarce mountaineering report.

Frank Smythe later overshadowed by Everest but up there with the best Mountaineer explorers.

$70.00

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The Discovery of the Torres Strait; Arctic Glacier Cap; Crete and the Gulf Stream – Journal of the Royal Geographical Society – August 1941.

The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, November 1914, containing an important paper by “A.R.H.” regarding, from a western perspective, the discovery of the Torres Strait.

In 1928 Sotheby had sold a collection of Spanish manuscripts one being .. a “Relacion sumaria of the discovery begun by Pero Fernandez de Quiros and completed for him by Captain Don Deiego de Prado with the help of Captain Luis Baes de Torres … a document in Prado’s handwriting .. and a document that turned out to change the then held view.

Also, we have an excellent nicely illustrated paper on the Arctic Glaciers .. the West Ice of North East Land … including the Franklin Glacier.

A travel account relating to Crete takes us back to warmer weather.

Usual blue wrappers period adverts etc, illustrated with maps and images from original photographs.

The Prado manuscript changed it all re the discovery of the Torres Strait

$70.00

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A Pictorial History of The railway & Tramways of Western Australia – Ronald Aubrey.

Effectively self published at the OBM Bookshop, Hobart in 1975. The author a resident of Zeehan in Western Tasmania, in the very heart of this historic account.

Soft cover, large format, 52 pages, back covers a little edge nibbled, otherwise a very good copy. Ninety seven images from period photographs of the trains and trams make this a special record.

Through the early mining development of this remote region a number of lines were built and the book covers them all .. Emu Bay to Mt Bischoff; the Waratah Tramway; the Magnet Tramway; Tullah Tramway; My Lyell and Zeeham Railways etc etc

A special local history – see our broader collection of Industrial History in Tasmania

$40.00

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Tall Ships and Sailormen – A Concise Survey of Victoria’s early Maritime History – J. K. Loney.

Self published by the irreplaceable Jack Loney who knew everything maritime everything shipwreck there was to know.

Soft cover, 100 pages with an unusual unpaginated inset of 18 pages with images from photographs .. this may be an addition to the book … printed on smaller paper stock. Bar that, further illustrations, maps, charts etc.

The usual Loney comprehensive approach covering … Bully Forbes; Lure of Gold; Steamships; Tragic Loch Line; Mosquito Fleets; Hulks and Lighters. And, under “Making History” … Sealing and Whaling; Ghosts at the Rip; West Coast Mysteries; Smugglers; Shenandoah Incident etc etc.

Even to keep you going for a few wintery nights and at least one round of “Mastermind”

Loney summarising Victoria … and there is a lot of it!

$30.00

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Richard Siddins of Port Jackson [Australian Maritime History] – Lyndon Rose.

Published by Roebuck in 1984 a nice production, larger format, 152 pages, Illustrated, end paper maps. A very good copy.

Richard Siddins was a merchant sea captain who sailed out of Port Jackson from 1804 to 1822. He operated sealing expeditions to the Antarctic Oceans; gathered sandalwood; carried cargo to India and China. Within all this he experienced more adventure seeking gold from a wrecked privateer; taking care at a cannibal feast; chased by Tongan war canoes; wrecked off Macquarie Island … it was all in a day’s work for Captain Siddins.

Hinted above amongst all this was an important early voyage to the South Shetland Islands.

Early Australian Maritime History.

$35.00

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All products

Chance or Design? – A Pioneer Looks Back [Papua New Guinea] – George Seymour Fort

Explorations in Garhwal around Karmet [Important Mountaineering Report] – Journal of the Royal Geographical Society – January 1932.

The Discovery of the Torres Strait; Arctic Glacier Cap; Crete and the Gulf Stream – Journal of the Royal Geographical Society – August 1941.

A Pictorial History of The railway & Tramways of Western Australia – Ronald Aubrey.

Tall Ships and Sailormen – A Concise Survey of Victoria’s early Maritime History – J. K. Loney.

Richard Siddins of Port Jackson [Australian Maritime History] – Lyndon Rose.

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