Travel and Exploration

Huxley, Elspeth

The Mottled Lizard.

London : Chatto & Windus, 1962.

First edition of this sequel to Huxley’s The Flame Trees of Thika. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by Elspeth Huxley on the title page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Rosemary Seligman. Uncommon signed.

Miller, Henry

Journey Into an Antique Land.

Big Sur : Ben Ben Press, 1970.

First edition of Miller’s short illustrated work on a visit to St. Remy in the South of France. 12mo, original wrappers as issued, illustrated. One of only 2000 copies. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the verso of the front panel to his second wife, June Mansfield, “For June, All the best! Henry 1/16/67.”Continue reading "Journey Into an Antique Land."

Guide to Florida, “The Land of Flowers.”

New York : Cushing, Bardua & Co, 1872.

Scarce first edition of the earliest travel guide to the state of Florida. Small octavo, original cloth with gilt titular emblem to the front panel, with the rare original folding map of Florida engraved expressly for The Florida Guide by the publisher which is in fine condition, advertisements at rear. In very good condition. ScarceContinue reading "Guide to Florida, “The Land of Flowers.”"

Dien, Charles

Rare 19th Century Charles Dien Celestial Table Globe.

Paris : Sold by W. & S. Jones, c. 1845.

Rare mid-19th century Charles Dien celestial table globe. The globe measures 11.5 inches in diameter with an engraved longitude ring and brass latitude ring. Mounted on brass and mahogany stand. The globe contains twelve bodies including the sun and earth with its moon. The entire piece measures 18 inches in height. French astronomer and cosmographer CharlesContinue reading "Rare 19th Century Charles Dien Celestial Table Globe."

Dien, Charles

Globe Classique, Nouvelle Edition: Rare 19th Century Charles Dien Terrestrial Table Globe.

Paris : Sold by W. & S. Jones, 1844.

Rare mid-19th century French terrestrial table globe: Charles Dien’s The Globe Classique, Nouvelle edition. The globe measures 10 inches in diameter with an engraved longitude ring and brass latitude ring. Mounted on brass and mahogany stand. The globe is composed of hand-colored paper gores over a plaster sphere. The entire piece measures 20 inches inContinue reading "Globe Classique, Nouvelle Edition: Rare 19th Century Charles Dien Terrestrial Table Globe."

Muir, John

The Writings of John Muir: The Manuscript Edition.

Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company, 1916-24.

The Manuscript edition of The Writings of John Muir. One of only 750 numbered copies, this is number 461. Octavo, 10 volumes, bound in the original green with morocco spine labels with gilt titles, containing the original gelatin silver photographic frontispiece to each volume with tissue guards present, illustrated with numerous photogravure and halftone plates;Continue reading "The Writings of John Muir: The Manuscript Edition."

Baker, Samuel White

Ismailia: A Narrative of the Expedition to Central Africa for the Suppression of the Slave Trade. Organized by Ismail Khedive of Egypt.

London : Macmillan and Co, 1847.

First edition of Baker’s classic work documenting his journeys to the Nile. Octavo, two volumes. Bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards with gilt titles to the spine, six compartments within raised gilt bands, marbled endpapers, all edges marbled. Engraved frontispiece portraits with tissue guards to each volume, with fifty full-page illustrations by ZweckerContinue reading "Ismailia: A Narrative of the Expedition to Central Africa for the Suppression of the Slave Trade. Organized by Ismail Khedive of Egypt."

Smith, John Thomas

The Cries of London: Exhibited Several of the Iternerant Traders of Antient and Modern Times.

London : John Bowyer Nichols and Son, 1839.

First edition of this collection of this work on the street cries of London. Quarto, bound in three quarters calf over marbled boards, gilt titles to the spine, marbled endpapers, illustrated with 30 engraved plates. In very good condition. A very nice example.

Muir, John

The Cruise of the Corwin: Journal of the Arctic Expedition of 1881 In Search of De Long and the Jeannette.

Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company, 1917.

First edition, large paper copy, one of five hundred and fifty copies, this is number 260. Octavo, original cloth. Edited by William Frederic Badè. Illustrated with plates from photographs and from sketches by Muir. Fine in the rare original dust jacket with light rubbing and wear. Kimes 348; BAL 14775

Huxley, Elspeth

With Forks and Hope: An African Notebook.

1964 : William Morrow & Company, New York.

First edition of Huxley’s authoritative report on the rapidly changing political climate of post-colonial East Africa. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated with maps and drawings by Jonathan Kingdon. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “For Joe Ferrier with my best wished Elspeth Huxley.” Laid in is the original typed transmittal letter,Continue reading "With Forks and Hope: An African Notebook."

Yoshida, Hatsusaburo

Guide to the Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan (1931); Kumamoto-ken.

Kumamoto : O Aso Kokuritsu Koen Kyokai, 1931.

First edition of this photobook of the Kumamoto Prefecture. Quarto, original velvet bound, copiously illustrated with gravure photo pages with captions and text, occasional mounted gravure photos, all of the Kumamoto Prefecture in the southern-most Japanese island of Kyushu, including its manufacturing, spas, rivers, volcanic Mt. Aso, temples, village life and agriculture. Including panoramic foldingContinue reading "Guide to the Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan (1931); Kumamoto-ken."

Vaile, P. A

The New Golf.

New York : E. P. Dutton & Company, 1916.

First edition of P. A. Vaile’s authoritative manual of the game of golf. Octavo, original cloth, gilt titles to the spine and front panel, frontispiece engraving of Jerome D. Travers with tissue guard, illustrated with forty engravings from photographs. In near fine condition. A nice example.

de Poncins, Gontran. In collaboration with Lewis Galantiere. Illustrated by the author

Kabloona.

New York : Reynal, Hitchcock, Inc, 1941.

First limited edition of French adventurer Gontran de Poncins’ classic account of his solo unsupported journey in the Canadian Arctic. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco over cloth covered boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine. One on only 550 copies, this is number 81. Boldly signed by the author on the front free endpaper, “BeforeContinue reading "Kabloona."

Swift, Jonathan

Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, first Surgeon, and then Captain of Several Ships. [Gulliver’s Travels].

London : Benjamin Motte, 1726.

First editions of Jonathan Swift’s masterpiece, Gulliver’s Travels. Octavo, two volumes, bound in three quarters contemporary calf over marbled boards, engraved frontispiece of Lemuel Gulliver, woodcut initials, five engraved maps, gilt titles to the spine. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom cloth slipcase. Bookplate to the pastedown and period ownership signature to eachContinue reading "Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, first Surgeon, and then Captain of Several Ships. [Gulliver’s Travels]."

Fletcher, Colin

River: One Man’s Journey Down the Colorado, Source to Sea.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 1997.

First edition of this epic adventure by Fletcher, a renowned traveler and writer. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated with 15 maps and 42 photographs. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper in the year of publication, “For Jimmie Stanley, Colin Fletcher 6/8/97.” Fine in a fine price-clipped dust jacket. Jacket designContinue reading "River: One Man’s Journey Down the Colorado, Source to Sea."

Masson, Charles [James Lewis]

Narrative of Various Journeys in Balochistan, Afghanistan, The Panjab, & Kalat, During a Residence in those Countries.

London : Richard Bentley, 1842.

First edition of this narrative of Lewis’ travels between 1826 and 1838 through Balochistan, Sind, the Hazara, Afghanistan and the Punjab. Octavo, four volumes. Bound in full morocco, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, morocco spine labels, gilt ruled, marbled endpapers, illustrated with engravings, folding map. From the library of James Stephen “Steve” FossettContinue reading "Narrative of Various Journeys in Balochistan, Afghanistan, The Panjab, & Kalat, During a Residence in those Countries."

Todd, Frank Morton

The Story of the Exposition; Being the Official History of the International Celebration Held at San Francisco in 1915 to Commemorate the Discovery of the Pacific Ocean and the Construction of the Panama Canal

New York : G. P. Putnam's Sons/The Knickerbocker Press, 1921.

Complete first edition set of the most extensive review of the 1915 San Francisco Panama Pacific International Exposition ever written. Quartos, five volumes, original cloth, gilt titles to the spine and front panel, pictorial endpapers. With 600 illustrations from photographs, including 61 color plates. Near fine in the scarce original paper jackets which are in goodContinue reading "The Story of the Exposition; Being the Official History of the International Celebration Held at San Francisco in 1915 to Commemorate the Discovery of the Pacific Ocean and the Construction of the Panama Canal"

Stewart, Rory

The Places In Between.

London : Picador, 2004.

First edition of the author’s first book. Octavo, original cloth, pictorial endpapers. Signed by the author on the title page with the following inscription, “I recited and followed this song of the Places in Between as a map. Rory.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Cover photograph by Rory Stewart.

Naipaul, V.S

The Middle Passage: The Caribbean Revisited.

London : Andre Deutsch, 1962.

First edition of this travel work, “which belongs in the same category as Lawrence’s books on Italy, Greene’s on West Africa and Pritchett’s on Spain” (New Statesman). Octavo, original cloth, cartographic endpapers. Boldly signed by V.S. Naipaul on the title page. Name on the front free endpaper and stamp on the half-title page, near fineContinue reading "The Middle Passage: The Caribbean Revisited."

Naipaul, V.S

An Area of Darkness: An Experience of India; India: A Wounded Civilization and India: A Million Mutinies Now.

London : Andre Deutsch, 1964-1990.

First editions of each of the author’s works in his acclaimed Indian Trilogy. Octavo, original cloth. Each volume is signed by V.S. Naipaul on the title page. Each are fine in near fine to fine dust jackets.