Travel and Exploration

Hunt, John; With a Chapter on the Final Assault by Edmund Hillary [Tenzing Norgay]

The Conquest of Everest.

New York : E.P. Dutton & Company, 1954.

First edition of this classic account of the first ascent of Mount Everest. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated with 8 pages of  photographs in full color, and 48 pages in black and white, maps, sketches and drawings. Foreword by Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh. Boldly signed by signed by three expedition members on theContinue reading "The Conquest of Everest."

Copeland, Sebastian; Foreword by Orlando Bloom

Antarctica: A Call to Action.

San Rafael, CA : Earth Aware, 2008.

First edition of the inspiring sequel to ‘Antarctica: The Global Warning.’ Oblong duodecimo, original pictorial boards, illustrated with breathtaking high-resolution photographs by Sebastian Copeland throughout. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “January 2009 To Linda, Sebastian Copeland.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Author photograph by Orlando Bloom.

Sikorsky, Igor; Eddie Rickenbacker; James H. Doolittle; Alford J. Williams; Anthony Fokker; Charles E. Rosendahl; Sherman Fairchild; Roscoe Turner; Thomas Sopwith; George Stainforth; Richard Atcherley; Clyde Pangborn; Ruth Nichols; Glenn L. Martin; Hugh Herndon, Jr; Frank Hawks; William A. Bishop; Giuseppe Mario Bellanca

Aviator Autograph Collection.

1935-36.

Autograph collection with signatures from eighteen of the world’s famous aviation pioneers and fighter pilots. Octodecimo, eighteen pages mounted on carbon paper, the collection includes: postcard signed by Igor Sikorsky, “I. Sikorsky,” illustrated with a photograph of the Sikorsky S-42 flying boat; card signed by Edward Rickenbacker, “Capt Eddie Rickenbacker 1936,” mounted with a photographContinue reading "Aviator Autograph Collection."

Cernan, Eugene and Don Davis

The Last Man on the Moon: Astronaut Eugene Cernan and America’s Space Race.

New York : St. Martin's Press, 1999.

First edition, early printing of this revealing and dramatic look at the inside of the American space program from one of its pioneers. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated with photographs. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “To Jay & Joan. Best wishes, Gene Cernan.” Additionally signed by NASA Geologist Farouk El-Baz onContinue reading "The Last Man on the Moon: Astronaut Eugene Cernan and America’s Space Race."

Schmitt, Harrison. Foreword by Neil Armstrong

Return to the Moon: Exploration, Enterprise, and Energy in the Human Settlement of Space.

New York : Copernicus Books in Association with Praxis Publishing, 2006.

First edition, early printing of the author’s visionary plan for humankind’s future in space. Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “To Louise and the future! Harrison H. Schmitt Apollo 17.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Jordan Rosenbum.

Lawrence, T.E

Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph.

London : Jonathan Cape, 1949.

Finely bound edition of Lawrence’s classic account of his role in the Arab rebellion against the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. Octavo, bound in full morocco by Bayntun Riviere, frontispiece, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, double gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, raised bands, marbled endpapers, inner dentelles, allContinue reading "Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph."

Haise, Fred

Fred Haise Signed Apollo 13 Photograph.

1970.

Rare photograph of the Apollo 13 service module. Small quarto, color satin-finish photograph of the crippled Apollo 13 service module floating in space. Boldly signed by Fred Haise, “Our view of the damaged Apollo 13 Service Module! Fred Haise, LMP, 4/17/70.” In fine condition. The piece measures 10 inches by 8 inches.

Irwin, James B. with William A. Emerson Jr

To Rule The Night: The Discovery Voyage of Astronaut Jim Irwin.

Philadelphia : A. J. Holman Company, 1973.

First edition, early printing of the autobiography of Jim Irwin, who served as the Lunar Module pilot for Apollo 15. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “To Diana. James Irwin.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design by Don Bender.

Collins, Michael; Foreword by Charles A. Lindbergh

Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut’s Journey.

New York : Farrar Straus and Giroux, 1974.

First edition, early printing of one of the finest memoirs of space travel. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “For David A. Stanfield, with all good wishes – Michael Collins.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design by Robert T. McCall. Foreword byContinue reading "Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut’s Journey."

Cormier, Richard L. 'Zeke'; Walter M. 'Wally' Schirra; Phillip R. 'Rat' Wood; Barrett Tillman

Wildcats to Tomcats: The Tailhook Navy.

St. Paul, MN : Phalanx Publishing Co, 1996.

First edition, early printing of this collection of flying stories. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated with black and white photographs. Presentation copy, inscribed on the title page by Captain Phillip Wood, “9/6/96 Tailhook To Ozzy: A great Tailhooker Warrior. Big A little F but still one of the finest. ‘Rat'” and Barrett Tillman, “To Ozzy:Continue reading "Wildcats to Tomcats: The Tailhook Navy."

Earhart, Amelia

The Fun of It.

New York : Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1932.

Early printing of Earhart’s account of her childhood, her fascination with aviation, and her life through her 1932 flight across the Atlantic. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated throughout. Signed by Amelia Earhart on the front free endpaper. Very good in a very good dust jacket, small bookplate to the rear pastedown. Accompanied by two pieces ofContinue reading "The Fun of It."

Piccard, Jacques [Wernher von Braun]

The Sun Beneath the Sea.

New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1971.

First edition of this official account of the thirty-day Gulf Steam Drift. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated with black and white photographs. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Translated from the French by Denver Lindley.

North America XIV Florida: Published Under the Superintendence of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge.

London : Baldwin & Cradock, 1834.

Rare 19th century English map of the state of Florida, published by Baldwin & Cradock under the superintendence of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. One page, the map shows the placements of Indian lands just before the second Seminole war and contains full margins showing all of the Florida Keys. In near fineContinue reading "North America XIV Florida: Published Under the Superintendence of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge."

Naipaul, V.S

A Turn in the South.

Franklin Center, Pennsylvania : The Franklin Library, 1989.

Signed limited first edition of captivating travelogue of the American South, privately printed exclusively for members of The Signed First Edition Society. Octavo, Smyth-sewn and bound in full top-grain leather specially processed for fine books by the Cromwell Leather Company with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in four compartments within raised bands, giltContinue reading "A Turn in the South."

Houston, Jeanne Wakatsuki and James D

Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese American Experience During and After the World War II Internment.

Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company, 1973.

First edition of this classic work, a powerful true story of life in a Japanese American incarceration camp. Octavo, original half cloth. Boldly signed by co-author, “James D. Houston Sacramento June 4, 1997” on the title page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Uncommon signed.

Hillary, Edmund

High Adventure.

London : Hodder & Stoughton, 1955.

First British edition of Hillary’s account of his ascent of Everest. Octavo, original blue cloth, with maps by A. Sparks and sketches by George Djurkouic. Boldly signed by the author in a contemporary hand on the half-title page, “E.P. Hillary.” Very good in a very good dust jacket.

Paxman, Jeremy

The English: A Portrait of a People.

London : Michael Joseph, 1998.

First edition of this portrait of English history and culture. Octavo, original cloth. Signed and dated by the author in the year of publication on the title page, “Jeremy Paxman 19.x.98.” Fine in a fine dust jacket.

Borman, Frank

Frank Borman ‘Earthrise’ Photograph Signed.

.

Glossy color photograph of the iconic ‘Earthrise‘ image taken by Bill Anders during the Apollo 8 mission, signed by mission commander Frank Borman, “Apollo 8 Earthrise, Frank Borman, 1968.“ In fine condition. The photograph measures 10 inches by 8 inches.

Volney, Constantin Francois. [Napoleon Bonaparte: His Copy]

Voyage en Syrie et en Egypte, Pendant Les Annees 1783, 84, et 85. [Travel to Syria and Egypt, During the Years 1783, 84, and 85].

A Paris : Chez Dugour et Durand, Libraires, Rue et Hotel Serpente, 1799.

Volney’s important work on Egypt and Syria, from the library in exile of Napoleon Bonaparte with his annotations and corrections throughout, several made as he was dictating details from the Egyptian Campaign for his own Memoirs. This copy may also have accompanied him during his Egyptian Campaigns; it is known that Napoleon brought along aContinue reading "Voyage en Syrie et en Egypte, Pendant Les Annees 1783, 84, et 85. [Travel to Syria and Egypt, During the Years 1783, 84, and 85]."

Brown, Hallie Q

Pen Pictures of Pioneers of Wilberforce.

Xenia, OH : The Aldine Publishing Company, 1937.

First edition of this snapshot of early life at Wilberforce, Ohio by the legendary African-American educator and activist. Small octavo, original green pictorial cloth, illustrated with black and white photographs and etchings. Boldly signed by Hallie Q. Brown on the front pastedown. In near fine condition. Accompanied by two advertisements for this and one ofContinue reading "Pen Pictures of Pioneers of Wilberforce."