Exploration

The Kon-Tiki Expedition – Thor Heyerdahl (With Original Photograph of the Raft)

Well certainly not a rare book, probably the biggest selling modern maritime adventure book. But a very good copy.

A 1959 edition by which time it had already run to 23 impressions. Octavo, 235 pages with eighty odd photographic images.

Thor Heyerdahl set off on the most amazing raft voyage with five companions determined to prove his migration theories. This account, praised by Somerset Maugham as “an incredible adventure which happens to be true. It would be a very dull reader who did not admire and envy the courage of the six men who took part in it”. Very good copy.

We also have what appears to be an original photograph of the raft on its way … the camera work is rather shaky so clearly taken from another vessel.

Leaving Callao in Peru for Tahiti, they almost made it running aground on the Raroia Reef were the raft was smashed to smithereens.

Kon-Tiki nice copy with photograph.

$30.00

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A Voyage Around the World (1785-1788) – Captain George Dixon

One of the harder to find facsimile published Israel, Amsterdam; this one in 1968.

Full original title … “A Voyage Round the World; but more particularly to the North-West Coast of America; performed in 1785, 1786, 1787, and 1788, in The King George and Queen Charlotte, Captains Portlock and Dixon. Dedicated, by permission, to Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. By Captain George Dixon.

Originally published by Geo. Goulding, Haydn’s Head, No ^, James Street, Covent Garden, 1789.

This form thick quarto, xxix (Introduction and Content, 360 pages, plus additional appendices 47 pages. Enormous folding chart of the Pacific as frontispiece. A further 21 plates of charts, maps and natural history exhibits, many folding. Very good condition. Heavy (1.3kgs), will require an overseas postage supplement.

Dixon has served under Cook on the Third Voyage on the Resolution. During that voyage he became aware of the commercial opportunities on the American North-West Coast. Dixon promoted a venture to exploit the fur trade in that region. He became partner in the King George’s Sound Company and an expedition was mounted with Dixon Captain of the Queen Charlotte and Portlock Captain of the larger King George. In the summers of 1786 and 1787 they explored the coastline of British Colombia and Alaska, spending the winter in Hawaiian Islands … they were the first to visit Moloka. Back in the North-West a good cargo of furs was collected, and the party sailed to China where they were traded … returning to England. During their exploits they were the first to understand that Haida Gwaii were islands and not part of the mainland; they explored Queen Charlotte Sound, Yakutat Bay, Sita Bay and the Dixon Entrance … they named the are where they took many fur cloaks .. Cloak Bay.

Dixon one of the less promoted Cook prodigies … with a commercial venture that went around the world and filled in the North-West Pacific.

$90.00

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A Journal of Magellan’s Voyage – First Around the World – George Sanderlin

A first edition and published by Hamish Hamilton, London in 1966.

Octavo, xxvi pages of preliminaries, Introduction etc, 188 pages with 12 super illustrations, sometimes double page including, charts and images of early globes. Pictorial boards matching the dust jacket design. All very good condition.

Author George Sanderlin brings the Magellan voyage to life. A fair bit is derived from the first hand account of Antonio Pigfetta, a young nobleman who accompanied Magellan. Enhanced by select excerpts from contemporary logbooks, letters, memoirs etc. Maintaining a first person form throughout makes it a very readable and enjoyable work.

At the rear a timetable of events which starts four years before the voyage highlighting the undercurrent of politics and subplots that surround Magellan’s contract with King Charles I of Spain to conduct the venture.

The First ever Round the World – what an adventure … only if Magellan had made it!

$25.00

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Mercator’s World – Anson’s Voyage

Volume 3 No 6 of Mercator’s World published in 1998.

Our favourite features is “Victory at Sea – How George Anson Became Leader of the British Navy”. Having said that, we do not like the title as he became the “Father” of the Royal Navy for many reasons, albeit including the incredible circumnavigation and stealing of the Spanish gold, the story of this feature.

An eight page article nicely illustrated, mostly from images and maps out of the official account. The charming engraving “England’s glory. Wagons heading into the Tower of London with the Spanish treasure” is a very rare engraving the originator unknown.

Provides fresh insight into the voyage particularly as you would expect concerning the charts and the route taken and the mistakes made and bad luck encountered. It is a lesson in the difficulties had before the problem of the longitude was solved by Harrison’s chronometer.

Other articles include quite a bit on underwater surveying … Davy Jones Locker etc and Portlan reflection a good one on early sea charts.

Mercator’s ideas and views on the Anson Voyage.

$24.00

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Antarctica’s First Lady – Edith M “Jackie” Ronne.

A special book effectively self-published with the help of the Clifton Steamboat Museum, Beaumont Texas in 2004. Why none of the major travel publishers did not we will never know, for all sorts of reasons an important account

Octavo, soft cover, 406 pages heavily illustrated from period photographs. Perfect bound, very good condition.

Finn Ronne was the organiser and leader of the last great privately funded Antarctic venture … the “Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition 1947-1948”. Jackie went along and was, as a result, the First American Woman to Set Foot on the Antarctic Continent and Winter-Over’. Perhaps a careful turn of phrase as Jennie Darlington went with them … it’s a long story.

Not much in the book about the falling out between the woman. Regardless Jackie played an important part being the main administrator/ recorder of goings on. And there were many of them. Some important work was carried out and a large part of the Antarctic Continent was named after Jackie as a result.

WE have an original photograph of Jackie and Jennie all furred up ready for the cold weather … its in out collection just search Jennie.

Edith Ronne (Preferred Jackie) and Antarctic Pioneer

$50.00

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Mercator’s World – First Six Editions – 1996

The very first group from Vol 1 No 1 to Vol1 No 6 published in 1996 published bimonthly by Astor Publishing by Edward Astor at Astor Publishing. Very good condition.

With an Editorial and Advisory Board to die for including, Robert Clancy, David Woodward and Peter Van Der Kroot.

Each edition approximately 100 pages, heavily illustrated mostly in colour. Content extremely well researched and presented.

By example, the first edition includes … Mythical Seas; Carto controversy; the mapmaker as artist; the Line that Divided the World; the Captain Cook Legacy; the Brilliant Irascible Ferdinand Hassler … and in the second … Cartographic Thievery; Carto philately (love it); Charting Shipwrecks Down Under [New South wales]; the Island of California. Obviously much more.

Mercator’s World – the important first group of six.

$90.00

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The Kon-Tiki Expedition – Thor Heyerdahl (With Original Photograph of the Raft)

A Voyage Around the World (1785-1788) – Captain George Dixon

A Journal of Magellan’s Voyage – First Around the World – George Sanderlin

Mercator’s World – Anson’s Voyage

Antarctica’s First Lady – Edith M “Jackie” Ronne.

Mercator’s World – First Six Editions – 1996

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