Travel and Exploration

Smeeton, Miles; Foreword by Nevil Shute

Once is Enough.

London : Rupert Hart-Davis, 1959.

First edition of this “unique among books of maritime adventure” (New York Times Book Review). Octavo, original cloth. From the library of of James Stephen “Steve” Fossett with his bookplate to the pastedown. American businessman and record-setting aviator Steve Fossett became the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in 2002 in hisContinue reading "Once is Enough."

Mawson, Sir Douglas

The Home Of The Blizzard: Being the Story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911–1914.

Philadelphia and London : J.B. Lippincott and William Heinemann, 1915.

First edition of this classic account of Antarctic exploration. Thick octavo, 2 volumes, original dark blue cloth, profusely illustrated with 18 color plates, hundreds of black-and-white plates, numerous in-text illustrations and three color folding maps in rear pocket of Volume II. From the library of James Stephen “Steve” Fossett with his bookplate to the pastedown of eachContinue reading "The Home Of The Blizzard: Being the Story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911–1914."

[Russia]

A New and Exact Description of Moscovy.

London : R. Baldwin, 1698.

First edition of this work. Octavo, bound in modern wrappers, 28 pages. In very good condition with some browning and toning to the text. Rare, with no other examples appearing at auction in the last 80 years.

Harrer, Heinrich [His Holiness The Dalai Lama]

Seven Years in Tibet.

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

First American edition of Harrer’s classic account, signed by Harrer and The Dalai Lama. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated with over 40 photographs. Presentation copy, lengthily inscribed by Heinrich Harrer in both English and Tibetan on the half-title page, “To Mrs. Rosser with best wishes in remembrance of my lecture in Philadelphia from H. HarrerContinue reading "Seven Years in Tibet."

Des Ballons Aérostatiques, de la maniere de les construire, de les faire elever [Of Balloons aerostatic, the way to build them, elevate them].

Lausanne : J.P. Heubach & Cie, 1784.

First edition of this work, translated as, Of Balloons Aerostatic, the Way to Build Them, Elevate Them. Octavo, bound in contemporary three quarters calf over marbled boards, gilt titles to the spine and gilt balloon tooling in 4 compartments, marbled endpapers. This work is often wrongly attributed to Faujas de Saint-Fond, as it reprints his “DiscoursContinue reading "Des Ballons Aérostatiques, de la maniere de les construire, de les faire elever [Of Balloons aerostatic, the way to build them, elevate them]."

Bonington, Chris and Charles Clarke

Tibet’s Secret Mountain: The Triump of Sepu Kangri.

London : Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2000.

First edition of this work by Bonington and Clarke. Octavo, original cloth, cartographic endpapers, illustrated. Signed by Chris Bonington and Charles Clarke on the title page. From the library of James Stephen “Steve” Fossett with his bookplate to the pastedown of each volume. American businessman and record-setting aviator Steve Fossett became the first person toContinue reading "Tibet’s Secret Mountain: The Triump of Sepu Kangri."

Bonington, Chris

Mountaineer: Thirty Years of Climbing the World’s Great Peaks.

London : Diadem Books, 1993.

First edition of this work by the legendary mountaineer. Quarto, original cloth, illustrated. Association copy, inscribed by the author to fellow explorer Steve Fossett on the half-title page, “To Steve, Fellow adventurer and mountaineer, who has achieved so much on land, at sea and in the air. Warm good wishes, Chris.” From the library ofContinue reading "Mountaineer: Thirty Years of Climbing the World’s Great Peaks."

Hedin, Sven

Trans-Himalaya. Discoveries and Adventures in Tibet.

London : Macmillan & Company, Limited, 1909-1913.

Early printings of volumes one and two and a first edition of volume three of this work by the famed explorer. Octavo, 3 volumes, frontispieces, 14 maps (4 of which are folding route maps), numerous illustrations. From the library of James Stephen “Steve” Fossett with his bookplate to the pastedown of each volume. American businessmanContinue reading "Trans-Himalaya. Discoveries and Adventures in Tibet."

Davis, John K

With the “Aurora” in the Antarctic 1911-1914.

London : Andrew Melrose, 1919.

First edition of Captain John Davis’ expedition to Antarctica. Octavo, original blue cloth, gilt titles and gilt illustration of the titular steamship, illustrated throughout, tipped-in rear map. From the library of James Stephen “Steve” Fossett with his bookplate to the front free endpaper. American businessman and record-setting aviator Steve Fossett became the first person toContinue reading "With the “Aurora” in the Antarctic 1911-1914."

Bonington, Chris

The Everest Years: A Climber’s Life.

London : Hodder & Stoughton, 1986.

First edition of this work by Bonington. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by Chris Bonington on the title page. From the library of James Stephen “Steve” Fossett with his bookplate to the pastedown. American businessman and record-setting aviator Steve Fossett became the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in 2002 in his 10-storyContinue reading "The Everest Years: A Climber’s Life."

Christensen, Lars

Such Is The Antarctic.

London : Hodder and Stoughton, 1935.

First edition of Norwegian Antarctic explorer Lars Christensen’s account of his Antarctic voyages between 1930 and 1934. Quarto, original cloth, cartographic endpapers, frontispiece portrait of the author, illustrated with 44 plates and one folding map. From the library of James Stephen “Steve” Fossett with his bookplate to the pastedown. American businessman and record-setting aviator SteveContinue reading "Such Is The Antarctic."

Hayes, J. Gordon

Antarctica: A Treatise on the Southern Continent.

London : The Richards Press, 1928.

First edition of Hayes’ seminal work on Antarctica. Quarto, original cloth, illustrated with plates after photographs, charts and maps, many folding. From the library of James Stephen “Steve” Fossett with his bookplate to the pastedown of each volume. American businessman and record-setting aviator Steve Fossett became the first person to fly solo nonstop around theContinue reading "Antarctica: A Treatise on the Southern Continent."

Grierson, John

Sir Hubert Wilkins: Enigma of Exploration.

London : Robert Hale Limited, 1960.

First edition of John Grierson’s biography of fellow Arctic pioneer Sir Hubert Wilkins. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated with photographs and maps. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper in the year of publication, “to my distinguished Namesake from John Grierson 5.10.60.” From the library of James Stephen “Steve” Fossett with hisContinue reading "Sir Hubert Wilkins: Enigma of Exploration."

Yule, Colonel Henry

The Book of Ser Marco Polo, the Venetian, Concerning the Kingdoms and Marvels of the East.

London : John Murray, 1871.

First edition of Yule’s important work which correlated Polo’s travels with their present-day locations. Octavo, two volumes. Bound in full morocco by Sangorski and Sutcliffe with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, gilt ruling and vignettes to the front panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, all edges gilt, patterned endpapers, with maps and engravedContinue reading "The Book of Ser Marco Polo, the Venetian, Concerning the Kingdoms and Marvels of the East."

Bull, Henrik Johan

The Cruise of the ‘Antarctic’ to the South Polar Regions.

London : Edward Arnold, 1896.

First edition of Antarctic pioneer Henrik Johan Bull’s account of his voyage aboard the steamship ‘Antarctic’ in search of the elusive Right whale which, arguably, put the first men on the continent. Octavo, original pictorial cloth with gilt titles to the spine, gilt vignette of the ‘Antarctic’ to the front panel, frontispiece by W.L. WyllieContinue reading "The Cruise of the ‘Antarctic’ to the South Polar Regions."

Allcard, Edward C

Temptress Returns.

London : Putnam & Co., Ltd, 1952.

First edition of English yachtsman Edward C. Allcard’s detailed account of his second solo trip across the Atlantic aboard the yawl Temptress. Octavo, original cloth, cartographic endpapers, frontispiece, illustrated. From the library of James Stephen “Steve” Fossett with his bookplate to the pastedown. American businessman and record-setting aviator Steve Fossett became the first person toContinue reading "Temptress Returns."

Byron, Robert

The Road to Oxiana.

London : Macmillan & Company, 1937.

First edition of the author’s masterpiece. Octavo, original cloth, frontispiece, 15 plates and a map. From the library of Henry Alexander Nesbitt Medd. Medd, who was an architect and best-known for his collaboration with fellow architects, Edwin Luytens and Herbert Baker, in designing New Delhi. He remained in India and in 1939-47 held the roleContinue reading "The Road to Oxiana."

Huxley, Elspeth

The Flame Trees of Thika: Memories of an African Childhood.

London : Chatto & Windus, 1959.

First edition of Huxley’s autobiographical work based on her early life among white settlers on her father’s coffee plantation in Kenya. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by Elspeth Huxley on the title page. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Rosemary Seligman. Uncommon signed.

Grierson, John. Introduction by Wolfgang von Gronau

High Failure: Solo Along the Arctic Air Route.

London : William Hodge & Company, Limited, 1936.

First edition of English Aviator John Grierson’s account of his solo trip along the Arctic Air Route. Octavo, original cloth, cartographic endpapers, illustrated. Associtation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page in the year of publication, “To Chief Factor Ralph Parsons with best wished John Grierson 15/11/36.” The recipient, Ralph Parsons was aContinue reading "High Failure: Solo Along the Arctic Air Route."

Brown, Monty. Foreword by Vivian Fuchs

Where Giants Trod: The Saga of Kenya’s Desert Lake.

London : Quiller Press, 1989.

Special limited edition of Brown’s elaborately illustrated history of Kenya’s northern desert region and the 13 expeditions to Lake Rudolf. Quarto, original publisher’s three quarters pebbled morocco over leatherette boards, marbled endpapers, with 75 color and 50 black and white illustrations, folding map in pocket affixed to rear pastedown. One of 250 numbered copies signedContinue reading "Where Giants Trod: The Saga of Kenya’s Desert Lake."

Roosevelt, Eleanor

India and the Awakening East.

New York : Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1953.

First edition of Eleanor Roosevelt’s account of her travels through the Middle East and India. Octavo, original half cloth, cartographic endpapers, illustrated with 32 pages of photographs.  Presentation copy, signed by the author on the half-title page, “Eleanor Roosevelt with love to you, on Washington’s birthday Fer. 22, 1954 Vernon.” Near fine in a veryContinue reading "India and the Awakening East."

Jameson, Mrs. [Anna Brownell]

Visits and Sketches at Home and Abroad with Tales and Miscellanies Now First Collected and a New Edition of the Diary of an Ennuyée.

London : Saunders and Otley, 1834.

Rare first edition of Mrs. Jameson’s Visits and Sketches at Home and Abroad. Octavo, volume III only of four volumes bound in three quarters vellum over marbled boards with gilt tooling to the spine, marbled endpapers, engraved frontispiece, headpieces, and tailpieces, all edges red. In very good condition.

Brown, Kenneth

The Medchester Club.

New York : The Derrydale Press, 1938.

First edition of the author’s collection of hunting reminiscences and tales of horsemanship. Octavo, original cloth with labels to the spine and front panel lettered in gilt, illustrated by Smithson Broadhead. One of 950 numbered copies, this is number 814. In near fine condition.

Uris, Leon; Photographs by Dimitrios Harissiadis

Exodus Revisited.

Garden City, NY : Doubleday & Company, Inc, 1960.

First edition of this monograph of photographs of Uris’ visit to Israel. Quarto, original cloth, illustrated throughout. Signed by the author on the front free endpaper, “Shalom Leon Uris.” Fine in a near fine dust jacket with light shelfwear. Jacket design by Sydney Butchkes. Project coordination by Ilan Hartuv.