item number |
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| 26. | Dobbs, Arthur. A REPLY TO CAPT. MIDDLETON’S ANSWER TO THE REMARKS ON THE VINDICATION OF HIS CONDUCT IN A LATE VOYAGE MADE BY THE FURNACE SLOOP... TO FIND A PASSAGE FROM THE NORTHWEST OF HUDSON’S BAY... TO WHICH IS ADDED, A FULL ANSWER TO A LATE PAMPHLET PUBLISHED BY CAPT. MIDDLETON CALLED FORGERY DETECTED. Lon 1745. 128 pp. This work is part of a pamphlet war between Dobbs and Christopher Middleton, who had been sent out by Dobbs in 1741 in search of a Northwest Passage. Middleton, of course, did not discover any such passage. Dobbs, who bitterly opposed the Hudson’s Bay Company, accused Middleton of colluding with the Company to prevent a thorough exploration of that part of the world. The two argued back and forth in print for several years, and all their writings, including this one, contain important information on the territory covered during Middleton’s voyage. The DNB says, “The public, with a national dislike to monopolies, sided with Dobbs.” A later expedition was sent out and its failure to find the fabled passage rehabilitated Middleton’s reputation. See DNB, Holland, pp. 108-109. Sabin, 20407. Quite a scarce work, not in Hill, or Arctic Bib. Only one copy ($5248 in 1997) has appeared at auction in the past 20 years. This copy has an ink signature torn from the upper corner of the half title. It is otherwise clean and sound, in excellent condition. Bound in original calf, rebacked in matching antique style, with raised bands, gilt rules and ornaments, and original morocco label. $6500 |
| 27. | Douglas, Sir Howard. A TREATISE ON NAVAL GUNNERY. Lon. 1829. b/w fldg plates, tables. lxvii, 319 pp. Second, revised, edition of a classic text. It is an exhaustive work, covering theoretical, practical and tactical aspects of gunnery at sea. Douglas was a prolific writer and of such influence that the gunnery training ship Excellent was established in part as a result of this book. (See DNB). Bound in publisher’s boards with original spine label. A near Fine copy, hardly ever found in original binding. $600 |
| 28. | Dudley, Dean (editor.) OFFICERS OF OUR UNION ARMY AND NAVY; THEIR LIVES, THEIR PORTRAITS. Bos. 1862. b/w plates. viii, 148 pp. plus 4 pages catalog of Prang publications. This is vol. I of a projected series, but it is the only one published. It features 30 officers, with biography and portrait. Charles Wilkes is the only naval officer among them, but he appears with a glowing writeup and a dour portrait by Prang, who did all the cuts in this book. Broadfoot p. 143. Bound in original cloth. VG. Scarce. See Illustration $150 |
| 29. | (East India Co.) ORDERS AND INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY THE COURT OF DIRECTORS OF THE UNITED COMPANY OF MERCHANTS OF ENGLAND, TRADING TO THE EAST-INDIES... Lon. 1829. Color plates, folding tables. 4to. 181 pp. As the preliminary notice makes clear, these books were intended to be distributed to each ship trading to the Indies, and are correspondingly scarce. Alas, this copy was used as a scrap book later in its life, and is defective. The first page and some index pages are lacking, and early pages show old glue marks. Still, all but the first 6 of the 208 detailed instructions for trading in the East are readable, and the 6 pages of color signals are only slightly bunged up, with all 77 hand colored signal flags clean. Half calf over marbled boards. $350 |
| 30. | (East India Marine Society). THE EAST-INDIA MARINE SOCIETY OF SALEM. Salem. n.d. (1831?) 178; 24 pp. Act of incorporation, list of members, officers, up to 1831, followed by about 150 pages of catalogs of the Society’s holdings, including log books, artifacts, and natural history specimens, with the donor listed where possible. This is followed by a supplement, similar in nature, dated 1837. The book is in rough condition, with some pages torn, chipped, etc. However I think this is a scarce item. Bound in original boards, worn. $200 |
| 31. | Edge, Frederick Milnes. THE ALABAMA AND THE KEARSARGE. Lon. 1864. 49 pp. First edition of this “account of the naval engagement in the British Channel, on Sunday, June 19th, from information furnished the writer by the wounded and paroled prisoners of the Confederate privateer Alabama, the officers of the United States’ sloop-of-war, Kearsarge, and citizens of Cherbourg.” Signed presentation copy from Chas. H. Danforth, Acting Master’s Mate aboard the Kearsarge during the battle. (He is listed on p. 29 of this book.) This London edition is quite scarce. It was reprinted in a Amerca a year later. Howes E45, (assigning it an “aa” rating). Not in Broadfoot. Original stiched signatures. VG $1750 |
| 32. | Ekins, Charles. NAVAL BATTLES, FROM 1744 TO THE PEACE IN 1814, CRITICALLY REVIEWED AND ILLUSTRATED. Lon. 1824. b/w charts, plates, some folding. Ills. in text. 4to. xxix, errata (Corrigenda), 425 pp. First edition. Primarily concerned with naval action in the Revolutionary War, also Napoleonic wars, with battles of St. Vincent, the Nile, Trafalgar and others reviewed and charted. Constant reference is made to Clerke’s work, but this book and its 79 engraved plates goes into a deeper analysis of specific battles. Also contains an interesting illustrated appendix on positioning of guns in rounded sterns of vessels. A later printed leaf is inserted after page 260 at the request of the author. This is a presentation copy from the author to his good friend (Commander) E(dwin) T. Caulfield (R.N.), the writer of an appendix in the second edition. With several manuscript notes in the margins, some apparently in the author’s hand, others may be those of Caulfield. It also has the author’s bookplate on the front pastedown. See Smith I, 489, NMM Cat V, 1108. Bound in antique style half calf over marbled boards. a Fine copy. $1500 |
| 33. | Eldridge, George. ELDRIDGE'S COAST PILOT NO. 1... FROM CHATHAM TO ST. JOHN, N.B. Bos. (1880) 287, 28 pp. Boston chart maker’s scarce coast pilot. This is a written description of coastal features, harbors, hazards and lights down east from the Cape. Lighthouses and lightships are named and described. Text is followed by an 1888 War Department publication entitled “Useful Information for Ship-Masters” featuring charts of hurricane and iceberg paths. Also, an illustrated 45 page catalog for the American Windlass Co. (Catalog not in Romaine.) Bound in full calf with label. Some cover wear, text clean. $250 |
| 34. | Elliot, Robert. VIEWS IN INDIA, CHINA, AND ON THE SHORES OF THE RED SEA. Lon. 1835. Colored frontis, engraved title, plus 62 steel engraved plates. 4to. 2 vols. bound together. 68; 64 pp. First edition. Descriptive text is by Emma Roberts. Each plate has several pages of precise description by author Roberts, who had written other works on the far east. Colored frontispiece by David Roberts, engraved and printed in oils by Baxter. Plates were drawn by Stanfield, Cattermole, Purser, and Prout after original sketches by Commander Robert Elliot. The places covered in this work are on the classic trade route to the east. China plates include Macao, Tiger Island on Canton River, Mah Chung Keow, Canton, River scene between Whampoa and Canton, and a Chinese junk. Abbey Travel, 442. Lust 219. All edges gilt. Bound in full morocco with gold stamped decorations, raised bands and gilt spine decorations. Scattered foxing but a lovely copy. $1250 |
| 35. | Emerson, William. A DISCOURSE DELIVERED IN THE FIRST CHURCH, BOSTON, ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS HUMANE SOCIETY. Boston. 1807. 39 pp. Emerson’s Respiration asks how drowning men die, and offers means by which they “shall be... rescued from the jaws of death.” With accounts of shipwrecked mariners and details of Greathead’s life boat. Wraps browned. $100 |
| 36. | (Ephemera.) BRITISH CHINA TRADE DOCUMENTS - PORT REGULATIONS, 1840S. Two folio sheets, folded, bearing the imprints, “Hongkong: Published by the Authority and Printed by John Carr” and “Printed at the Canton Press Office.” They are both regulations for British trade at the ports of Victoria, Canton, Amoy, Fuchow, Ningpo and Shanghai. The former document, regulations for Victoria, has a red tax stamp, the inscription “Ship Hygeia” and is docketed “Ship Hygeia. Reglement du Port d’hong Kong.” The latter document has two pages of duties on specific trade items, giving the amount of duty for a specific quantity of the item, both imports and exports. The documents are accompanied by a provenance that traces them back to Capt. Rocquemaurel, who had been second in command to Dumont d’Urville in his South Sea Expedition, 1837-40, and who was responsible for the Port d’hong Kong inscription. Most unusual. Two items $1200 |
| 37. | Ephemera. HAND COLORED WRITING SHEET ENTITLED “CHRISTMAS PIECE. A SPECIMEN OF HANDWRITING.” Folio sheet measures 15 x 20 inches. At the top it pictures “An English Privateer Capturing a Frigate.” The scene is vividly rendered and well colored, but this item is more notable because the 4 illustrations framing the writing sheet portray the cycle of the lady sailor or female marine. In the top two illustratioins, a sailor leaves, and then returns to his sweetheart. The bottom two panels depict “Ann Thornton the Female Sailor Travelling to America” and Ann Thornton the Female Sailor Going Aloft.” These panels are colored and measure about 3 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches. A scarce and wonderful visual item. VG in mat. See Illustration $750 |
| 38. | Ephemera. NEW YORK MARINE SOCIETY CERTIFICATE OF MEMBERSHIP, 1856. Framed image measures 11 1/2 x 8 1/4 inches. It certifies that Capt. Edward McCleave was admitted to membership. With seal and engraved allegorical scenes of discovery, shipwreck, Indians, and early Manhattan skyline. Under glass in old, heavy gilt frame. $400 |
| 39. | Ephemera OFFICIAL PROGRAMME. IN COMMEMORATION OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF NELSON AT THE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR. TREMONT TEMPLE, BOSTON, MASS., U. S. A., SATURDAY, OCTOBER TWENTY-FIRST. Bos. 1905. B/w plates. Small folio; unpaginated. (38)pp. As published in blue-green marbled paper and cloth spine; paper label on front cover. Signed by most guests of honor including the Admiral of the British Fleet, Sir Edward Seymour, Captain Alfred T. Mahan, U.S.N., and the Surgeon-General of the Japanese Navy, Baron Suzuki. Tipped on to the front pastedown is the program for the previous evening’s dinner at the Algonquin Club in Boston in honor of the guests above. Both events were sponsored by the Victorian Club of Boston. $250 |
| 40. | Essex Institute. SHIP REGISTERS OF THE DISTRICT OF SALEM AND BEVERLY MASSACHUSETTS. 1789-1900. Salem. 1906. color, b/w plates. 206 pp. One page loose. Private library number on title page, some pencilling. Two-color double page plate of private signals of the commercial houses of Salem and Beverly. Several signatures loose. A scarce book. $200 |
| 41. | Falconer, William. AN UNIVERSAL DICTIONARY OF THE MARINE... (WITH) PRINTED PROSPECTUS FOR THE DICTIONARY, SIGNED BY FALCONER. Lon. 1769. b/w plates. 4to. Unpaginated. First edition. “A copious explanation of the technical terms and phrases employed in the construction, equipment, furniture, machinery, movements and military operations of a ship. Illustrated with (a) variety of original designs of shipping, in different situations, together with separate views of their masts, sails, yards and rigging.” This is the first edition of a most important work on shipbuilding, as noted for its 12 informative plates as its hundreds of definitions of shipbuilding terms. See Scott 342, MacDonald 255 for other editions. Bound in old calf with raised bands and label. Front hinge weak but holding. A nice copy. It is accompanied by a printed prospectus and subscription receipt, laid down on paper, measuring 12" x 7 1/16", for a copy of the first edition of AN UNIVERSAL DICTIONARY OF THE MARINE, &c. Dated 28 October 1767, (Portsmouth, England.), and signed by Falconer. “…This work will be elegantly printed in One Volume Quarto, and illustrated with many New Designs, drawn by Authority. The Price to Subscribers will be Eighteen Shillings, of which Half a Guinea to be paid at Subscribing, and the Remainder of the Delivery of the Book in Boards... The Book will be ready to deliver to Subscribers in March, 1768. The Price will be raised after the Subscription is closed.” Falconer didn't live up to the promised schedule since the dictionary wasn't printed until 1769. Lieutenant McNamara was apparently patient, however, as his name is printed in the list of subscribers to the first edition. In addition to Falconer, Portsmouth bookseller, Richard Carr, has also signed the document. Adams & Waters 1046 locating but a single example. See Illustration $3750 |
| 42. | Fincham, John. AN OUTLINE OF SHIP BUILDING. IN FOUR PARTS... Lon. 1852. b/w plates. 2 vols. xii, 232, (1), 74, 64, 121, (1) pp. Folio atlas, 9 plates. An extremely thorough work on all aspects of ship building by the master shipwright of H.M. Dockyard, Portmouth. Fincham was an able historian as well, and wrote a substantial “History of Naval Architecture,” originally intended as an introduction to this edition of the “Outline,” but seperately published in 1851. Quite scarce. Scott 696 (Despite designating itself “Third edition, enlarged, this seems to be the only edition known.) This copy itself is from the Scott collection, with their bookplate on the front pastedown, and is presumably the one cited in the Scott bibliogpraphy. Bound in original cloth, backstrip lightly sunned. The folio atlas is bound in 19th century polished calf, which has some modern repairs. This set is also accompanied by a portfolio of reproductions of the 9 plates, so that they can be used without damaging the originals. $1500 |
| 43. | Folger, Eva C.G. THE GLACIER’S GIFT. New Haven. 1911. b/w plates. 145 pp. A scarce and charming Nantucket history. In decorative cover. VG, minor wear. $150 |
| 44. | Forman, Henry Chandlee. EARLY NANTUCKET AND ITS WHALE HOUSES. NY. (1966) b/w plates. 4to. ix, 291 pp. 90 photos and 115 drawings, over 50 dwellings measured and analyzed. Much island history as well as architecture. VG in chipped dj $75 |
| 45. | Furlong, Capt. Lawrence. THE AMERICAN COAST PILOT... Newburyport. 1798. xvi-239 pp. Scarce second edition of Blunt’s famous Coast Pilot. It went through one more edition without plates, and through the War of 1812 under Furlong’s name. It was not until the 8th edition in 1815 that this work was published under the more familiar authorship of Blunt. See Campbell 2. This copy differs slightly in that it contains the broadside pasted onto the front endpaper, but there is no broadside pasted to the back, as Campbell cites. A full page ad for Blunt’s Newburyport book store occupies the last leaf. Foxed, last two blanks partially torn away, otherwise a good copy in original full calf $1000 |
| 46. | Gleason, Hall. OLD SHIPS AND SHIP-BUILDING DAYS OF MEDFORD. 1630-1873. West Medford. 1936. b/w plates, lines. 84 pp. Narrative history of Medford’s part in maritime commerce up to 1850, with chapters on the pepper trade, clipper ships, storms and shipwrecks. The last third of the book is a list of Medford built vessels. #55 in a limited edition of 225 copies. VG-Fine. $150 |
| 47. | Goodridge, Charles Medyett. NARRATIVE OF A VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH SEAS, AND THE SHIPWRECK OF THE PRINCESS OF WALES CUTTER, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF TWO YEARS RESIDENCE ON AN UNINHABITED ISLAND. Lon. 1851. b/w plates. (45) 12-172 pp. “This is one of the liveliest and best of the shipwreck narratives, and almost the only one with a happy ending...the fourth edition contains eighteen pages of names of purchasers of the book, and many testimonials of its value.”—Huntress 297C. Goodridge was on a sealer which wrecked in the Crozet Islands. The crew spent two years living off the abundant wildlife and were rescued by an American vessel. Goodridge then spent some time as a ferryman in Tasmania, before returning home and attempting to recoup his fortunes by writing this book. This is the 6th edition, and the list of subscribers has grown considerably. Hill 713. Bound in original decorated cloth. Light coverwear and sunning. Scattered foxing, still VG $250 |
| 48. | Graglia, C. THE NEW POCKET-DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH AND ITALIAN LANGUAGES... WITH A MARINE-VOCABULARY BY J. GRABERG OF HENSO. Leghorn. 1820. 12mo. 484 pp. The “vocabulary of the Sea-Terms”: offers 98 pages of English terms and phrases with Italian equivalents. Craig p. 29 says the Graglia dictionary was first published in 1795. The marine vocabulary was a later edition. Bound in later paper over boards. VG $125 |
| 49. | Griffiths, John W. THE SHIP-BUILDER’S MANUAL, AND NAUTICAL REFEREE. NY. 1853. b/w plates. Two vol. in one. iv, 200; 182 pp. Griffiths designed the first “extreme” clipper, Rainbow (1845), and the famous Sea Witch (1846). Not to be confused with his more common “Treatise on Marine Architecture,” this work is far scarcer in the trade. It concentrates more on the technical aspects of construction, and includes material on timbers and timbering, scantlings, fastenings, spars, etc. It also contains 20 sets of lines and diagrams. Brewington says, “Griffiths works of great value. Contain many plates of lines, details, masting rules, tables of off-sets, etc.” Brewington Bib. NYPL list p. 315. First edition. Bound in half leather over marbled boards, rebacked in matching antique style. A scarce and handsome book $1250 |
| 50. | Griffiths, John W. AA TREATISE ON MARINE AND NAVAL ARCHITECTURE... NY. 1850. b/w plates. 4to. 416, (1) pp. Griffiths was an influential naval architect who was important in the development of clipper ship design. This work includes a history of shipbuilding and consideration of development in the design of many types of vessels including merchant and naval ships, with plans and offsets printed in 49 figures and plates. McDonald calls it, “an important American theoretical and practical work by the designer of Rainbow and Sea Witch.” McDonald 307 (citing 1860 ed.), and Brewington says, “Griffith’s works of great value. Contain many plates of lines, details, masting rules, tables of offsets, etc.” Brewington, Bib. of Am. Shipbuilding. (citing 1851 ed.) Scott 713 (1857 ed.) This is the first edition, and scarce as such, not being noted in any of the above bibliographies. It is in a full leather presentation binding with gold decorations on the front board and the name Levi James in gold on the front panel. All edges gilt. The gold decorated backstrip has been professionally laid down and shows some chipping at ends. Scattered light foxing. With a pencil cross section of the ship William Allen James laid in. $1000 |