Travel and Exploration

Attenborough, David

The Zoo Quest Expeditions.

London : Lutterworth, 1980.

First edition of this volume that compiles Attenborough’s acclaimed Quest Series. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. Boldly signed by the author “with best wishes David Attenborough” on the half-title page. Fine in a near fine price-clipped dust jacket.

Hillary, Edmund and Tenzing Norgay

Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Signed Commemorative Cover.

.

Commemorative cover with an inlaid medallion honoring the 25th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest, boldly signed by both Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. Housed in its original presentation folder, the cover measures 8 inches by 4.5 inches. In fine condition. An exceptional piece of mountaineering history, signed by the two individuals whoContinue reading "Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Signed Commemorative Cover."

Bardin’s New British Terrestrial and Celestial Globes. [Nineteenth Century English Globes].

c. 1800.

Fine pair of two large Regency period globes produced by William and Thomas M. Bardin, two of the most highly regarded globemakers of the period. Both the celestial and terrestrial globe measure 18 inches in diameter and are mounted on the original mahogany tripod stands with central compasses mounted on raised brass casters. Fitted withContinue reading "Bardin’s New British Terrestrial and Celestial Globes. [Nineteenth Century English Globes]."

Kingdon Ward, Frank

The Romance of Plant Hunting.

London : Edward Arnold & Co, 1924.

First edition of Kingdon-Ward’s work on the love of flowers and plant hunting. Octavo, original cloth with gilt titles to the spine and front panel, illustrated. In good condition.

Giles, Herbert A

A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.

London : Bernard Quaritch and Shanghai: Kelly & Walsh, Limited, 1898.

First edition of Giles’ Prix Julien award-winning work which “enjoys pride of place in the history of Chinese bilingual dictionaries as the authoritative source for the Wade-Giles system of Romanization” (Yong and Peng). Octavo, bound in three quarter morocco over marbled boards, gilt titles to the spine, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt, original publisher’s wrappersContinue reading "A Chinese Biographical Dictionary."

Giles, Herbert A

A Chinese-English Dictionary.

Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, & Yokahama : Kelly & Walsh, Limited and London: Bernard Quaritch, 1912.

Finley bound second revised and enlarged edition of Giles’ monumental work, the first Chinese–English encyclopedic dictionary published. Quarto, bound in three quarters morocco, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, rebacked, all edges marbled. The present enlarged edition contains the original 13,848 Chinese character head entries alphabetically collated by Beijing Mandarin pronunciation romanized in theContinue reading "A Chinese-English Dictionary."

Campbell, George

Log-Letters From “The Challenger.” [Fore-edge Painting].

London : Macmillan and Co, 1881.

Finely bound example of Campbell’s account of the cruise of The Challenger. Octavo, bound in full morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, double gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, decorated with a concealedContinue reading "Log-Letters From “The Challenger.” [Fore-edge Painting]."

Alexander, William

Picturesque Representations and the Dress and Manners of the Chinese. Illustrated with Fifty Coloured Engravings, with Descriptions.

London : Printed for James Goodwin, c. 1829.

Finely bound example of Alexander’s profusely illustrated work on t19th century China. Octavo, original full straight-grain morocco richly decorated in gilt, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, all edges gilt, illustrated with fifty hand-colored engravings. In good condition. Rare.

Mitchell Jr., S. Augustus

County Map of Florida and Map of South Carolina.

Clerk's Office of the District Court of the U.S. for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania 1860.

First edition of Samuel Augustus Mitchell Jr.’s map of the states of Florida and South Carolina, published in Mitchell’s New General Atlas, Containing Maps Of The Various Countries Of The World, Plans Of Cities, Etc. Embraced In Forty-Seven Quarto Maps, Forming A Series Of Seventy-Six Maps And Plans, Together With Valuable Statistical Tables. Philadelphia. OneContinue reading "County Map of Florida and Map of South Carolina."

Whitney, John F

St. Augustine, Florida. Its Advantages as a Winter Residence for Invalids and Northern Tourists. Cost of Living, and How to Get There.

St. Augustine, Florida 1873.

First edition of this early travel guide to the city of St. Augustine, Florida by the Editor and Proprietor of The Florida Press. Octavo, original wrappers, illustrated with advertisements. In good condition. Small bookplate. Exceptionally rare with only one other copy traced at auction and one listed in academic holding.

Sterne, Laurence

The Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy.

London : Williams and Norgate, 1910.

Finely bound example of Sterne’s popular travelogue which helped establish the genre of travel writing and Sterne as the “most eminent novelist of the period” (Baugh, 1022). Quarto, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards by Bayntun-Riviere, gilt titles and tooling to the spine in four compartments within raised gilt bands, top edge gilt,Continue reading "The Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy."

von Braun, Wernher

Wernher von Braun Signed Time Magazine Cover.

Havana : Time Magazine Latin American Edition, 1958.

Rare Time Magazine Latin American Edition cover signed by legendary German-American aerospace engineer Wernher von Braun. Quarto, the cover is from the February 17, 1958 issue and features a reproduction of a bust portrait of von Braun painted by Boris Chaliapin captioned “Missleman Von Braun.” Signed by von Braun on the lower right corner ofContinue reading "Wernher von Braun Signed Time Magazine Cover."

Mallet, Allain Manesson

Floride. Das Landt Florida. [17th Century Map of Florida].

Frankfurt : Allain M. Mallet, c. 1686.

Rare 17the century copper engraved map of Florida from Allain Manesson Mallet’s Description De L’ Univers, Contenant Les Differents Systemes Du Monde, Les Cartes generales & particulieres.’ One page, hand-colored, the copper-engraved map shows Canada or Nouvelle France, the Appalachians, Florida (Tegesta), the Gulf of Mexico, and Cuba. In fine condition. An exceptional example.

Colton’s Map of Florida.

New York : G.W. & C.B. Colton, 1868.

Rare 19th century printing of Colton’s map of Florida. One page, the lithographed map shows a detailed view of the state of Florida with an inset of the southern portion and the Keys. In near fine condition. Matted and framed. The entire piece measures 35.5 inches by 25.5 inches.

Bellin, Jacques-Nicolas

Carte de la Floride, de la Louisiane, et Pays Voisins. [18th Century Map of Florida, Louisiana, and Neighboring Countries. To be used in the General History of Travel].

: Jean-Francois de La Harpe, 1757.

Rare 18th century engraved map of North America by French cartographer Jacques-Nicolas Bellin. One page, hand-colored, the map shows the French territory of Louisiane and Florida.  Labelled cities and regions include St. Augustine, Savannah, New Orleans, Santa Fe, Toronto, Detroit, Mobile, Pensacola, New Mexico, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Topographical features include Lakes Michigan, Erie, andContinue reading "Carte de la Floride, de la Louisiane, et Pays Voisins. [18th Century Map of Florida, Louisiana, and Neighboring Countries. To be used in the General History of Travel]."

Sartine, Antoine de

Carte Reduite des Cotes et de l’Interieur de la Presqu’ile de la Floride, avec le Detroit de Cette Presqu’ile et le Canal de Bahama. [18th Century Anotoine de Sartine Map of Florida]

France : Dépôt General de la Marine, 1780.

Rare 18th century hand-colored engraved map or the state of Florida published for the use of the French Navy during the American Revolution. One page, the map shows coastal topography around the Florida Peninsula depicting harbors, points, keys, shoals and low water areas, the St. John’s River, St. Augustine, Cape Canaveral, Charlotte Harbor, Tampa Bay,Continue reading "Carte Reduite des Cotes et de l’Interieur de la Presqu’ile de la Floride, avec le Detroit de Cette Presqu’ile et le Canal de Bahama. [18th Century Anotoine de Sartine Map of Florida]"

Jerome, Jerome K

Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog).

Bristol : J. W. Arrowsmith, 1889.

First edition, second state of Jerome’s humorous account of a two-week boating holiday on the Thames. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated by A. Frederics. Second state with ’11 Quay Street’ (first state is without the 11) to the title page. In good condition. Period ownership inscription.

Pratt, Theodore

That Was Palm Beach.

St. Petersburg, Florida : Great Outdoors, 1968.

First edition of Pratt’s history of Flagler era of Palm Beach, Florida. Octavo, original pictorial wrappers, illustrated with photographs. Signed by the author on the title page. In very good condition. Front cover photograph of “the great Royal Poinciana Hotel which once stood in Palm Beach, the grandest hotel of all time, the largest woodedContinue reading "That Was Palm Beach."

Melville, Herman

Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life. During a Four Months’ Residence in A Valley of the Marquesas.

New York : Wiley and Putnam, 1846.

First edition of Melville’s first book and his most popular during his lifetime. Octavo, two volumes bound into one in the original cloth stamped in blind with gilt titles to the spine, frontispiece map, both half-titles and 6 pages of publisher’s advertisements at rear. BAL 13653. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the frontContinue reading "Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life. During a Four Months’ Residence in A Valley of the Marquesas."

Sikorsky, Igor

The Story of the Winged-S: with New Material on the Latest Development of the Helicopter.

New York : Dodd, Meade & Company, 1942.

First edition, early printing of the autobiography of the Russian-American aviation pioneer and designer of the first viable American helicopter. Octavo, original cloth, cartographic endpapers, illustrated. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author opposite the half-title page, “To Mr. Henry Drans with kindest personal regards of I. Sikorsky Dec 16 1942.” In very good condition.

Hawks, Frank

Speed.

New York : Brewer, Warren & Putnam, 1931.

First edition of the legendary World War I aviator’s autobiography. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated, lacking the frontispiece. Presentation copy, lengthily inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Rolly Ueland, the only pal I ever had – always wishing you happy landings Frank Hawks alias Hawker.” The recipient, Rolf Ueland practiced law inContinue reading "Speed."

Singer, Josh [James R. Hansen] [Neil Armstrong]

First Man.

London : Titan, 2018.

First edition of Singer’s annotated screenplay of First Man, based on the life of Neil Armstrong. Quarto, original illustrated boards, illustrated. Signed by Josh Singer on title page. From the collection of Bill Zwecker. A member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association, Zwecker was a longtime entertainment and celebrity journalist. A Chicago native and second-generationContinue reading "First Man."

Russell, William Howard

My Diary: North and South.

London : Bradbury and Evans, 1863.

First edition of this work by Russell. Octavo, two volumes, original blue cloth with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, folding map in volume one. In very good condition.

Hillary, Edmund. [Yousuf Karsh]

Edmund Hillary Signature and Yousuf Karsh Portrait.

1953.

Rare notecard signed by Edmund Hillary who on May 29, 1953, along with Tenzing Norgay, became the first climber to reach the summit of Mount Everest as part of the ninth British expedition led by John Hunt. Boldly signed by Hillary on a notecard less than six weeks after his successful ascent of Mt. Everest,Continue reading "Edmund Hillary Signature and Yousuf Karsh Portrait."