item number |
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| 1. | Adams, N. A VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD. Bos. (1871) b/w plates. 12mo. 152 pp. Adams was a minister from Salem, Mass. He went to sea for his health and sailed on the famous clipper Golden Fleece in 1869. Not much on California, but about a third of the book is devoted to Canton, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore and Macao, as well as the Hawaiian Islands. Scarce, not in Howes, Hill or Smith. Forbes 2888. Bound in original decorated cloth. A very nice copy. $250 See Illustration |
| 2. | Allen, Joseph. BATTLES OF THE BRITISH NAVY. Lon. 1858. b/w portraits, diagrams. 2 vols. 12mo. xvi, (1), 527; xi, (2), 604 pp Classic set of British naval history, covering 12th century through Elizabethan era, Nelson, War of 1812. Illustrated with engravings of naval heroes and diagrams of great battles. Sumptuously bound in full blue morocco with gilt rules, raised bands and gilt panel decorations of ships. All edges gilt. In addition, each volume is decorated with a fore edge painting. These are extra-fancy additions to the book maker’s art. When the book is in its normal position the outside edge of the pages looks gilt. When the pages are fanned a color painting is revealed. The fore edge painting on volume 1 depicts Drake and the Armada. Volume two shows Nelson and Trafalgar. A flawless set, and a real collector’s item. 2 vols. $1750 |
| 3. | “An Officer of the Expedition.” LETTERS WRITTEN DURING THE LATE VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY IN THE WESTERN ARCTIC SEA. Lon. 1821. b/w plates, map. 124 pp. This was Parry’s first attempt at discovering a northwest passage. The expedition was frozen in for ten months. These letters describe the wintering over. Melville Island was discovered on this voyage and is described, along with, “wintering at Winter Harbour... the Canadian arctic waters and their ice, the arctic night, the activities of the crews and the weather.” Arctic Bib. 9949. First edition of this scarce account. Rebound in later boards. Text and plates clean and fresh, $500 |
| 4. | Anon. ALONG THE OLD ROADS OF CAPE ANN. Gloucester. 1923. 106 pp. Topography of Gloucester as it stood in the last great days of the fishery. Many of the sites in this charming little book still exist... if one looks hard enough. VG $25 See Illustration |
| 5. | Anon. STARTLING TRUTHS RELATING TO THE BURNING OF THE NEW JERSEY. NO. 1. THE CONDUCT OF WM. B. REED, AND THE CONSPIRACY AGAINST YOUNG KEYSER FULLY EXPOSED. BY ONE ACQUAINTED WITH THE FACTS. Phila. 1856. 24 pp. In 1856 a steamboat caught fire in the Delaware River and more than 60 people died. The author accuses the company of trying to escape blame for the tragedy by pinning it on a young employee named Keyser. Reed was the DA who the author accuses of conspiring with the steamboat company. A scarce pamphlet, not in Huntress. Front wrap chipped, lacks back wrap. $150 |
| 6. | Anon. THE ANTI-FOREIGN RIOTS IN CHINA IN 1891. Shanghai. 1892. 304 pp. Details the riots that occurred in various parts of the country in the 1880s and 90s, and speculates as to their immediate causes. Though they all were reactions to the forced opening of the country that resulted from the Opium Wars in mid-century. They took the form of protest against bad government, teachings of Christian missionaries, and anti foreign sentiment in general. Printed at the North China Herald office, and compiled from memos by reporters throughout China. Scarce. $250 |
| 7. | Anon. THE PRIVATEER PROVIDENCE OF PROVIDENCE... BY A NEAR RELATIVE. Providence, RI. 1893. b/w plates. 61, (2) pp. “Her unfortunate cruise during the War of 1812-1815, together with an account of her Commander, Capt. Nicholas Hopkins...” Some history, more genealogy. Faint tide mark along outer edges of first few pages, but still VG in original purple wraps. A scarce pamphlet. $75 See Illustration |
| 8. | Anon. (Fiske, Nathan W.) ALECK, AND THE MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY; OR, THRILLING INCIDENTS OF LIFE ON THE OCEAN. BEING THE HISTORY OF PITCAIRN'S ISLAND... Bos. 1845. b/w plates. 12mo. vi-162 pp. “Aleck is Alexander Smith, one of the Bounty mutineers who reached Pitcairn Island. He became a reformed character and under the new name of John Adams became the worthy patriarch of the island community.”—Ferguson 5822 citing an 1854 edition. This is the third edition, of a book first published the year before. It appears to have been reprinted later with a variant title, but is scarce in any edition. Not listed in Hill. In original blindstamped and gilt cloth showing only minor wear. VG $300 |
| 9. | Armstrong, Robert. THE INFLUENCE OF CLIMATE AND OTHER AGENTS ON THE HUMAN CONSTITUTION, WITH REFERENCE TO THE CAUSES AND PREVENTION OF DISEASE, AMONG SEAMEN... Lon. 1843. xv, (1), 207 pp. The author was Deputy Inspector of Hospitals and Fleets in the Royal Navy. In 1804-5 he was head of the naval hospital at Jamaica, and made many of his observations there. Pages 162-207 give an excellent first hand account of the Yellow Fever epidemic in Jamaica in 1827. Original cloth binding. VG $250 |
| 10. | Babson, John J. HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF GLOUCESTER, CAPE ANN, INCLUDING THE TOWN OF ROCKPORT. Gloucester, MA. 1860 b/w plates, folding map. xi, 610 pp. First edition of the premiere Gloucester history. It includes material on the discoverers and earliest settlers, shipbuilding, the fisheries and native industries. This copy lacks the map, as many copies do, but it DOES include the two original lithographs by Fitz Hugh Lane. Bound in original cloth. A nice copy of a scarce and important work. $75 See Illustration |
| 11. | Babson, Roger and Foster H. Saville. CAPE ANN. A TOURIST GUIDE. Rockport, MA. (1936) b/w ills. 118 pp. This guide is tailored to Roger Babson’s interests... Dogtown, Cape Ann’s early industries, Cape Ann geology and old houses. It was published by what we presume was our predecessor. Does anyone out there remember the Cape Ann Old Book Shop? We’d like to hear from you... VG in dj $30 |
| 12. | Berkeley, Edmund and Dorothy Smith Berkeley. DR. JOHN MITCHELL. Chapel Hill, NC (1974) b/w plates, maps. xix, 283 pp. Biography of famous map maker. First ed. VG, dj. $20 |
| 13. | Bethune, Colonel Drinkwater. A NARRATIVE OF THE BATTLE OF ST. VINCENT; WITH ANECDOTES OF NELSON, BEFORE AND AFTER THE BATTLE. Lon. 1840 b/w frontis, ills. diagrams. xii, 97 pp. Cowie, 633, who notes “The author, an army officer, witnessed the battle on board La Minerva.” The author states that the first edition was published anonymously. This expanded second edition is intended to “establish the authenticity of the narrative, and to explain the circumstances which led to its publication.” Bound in original cloth. Light cover wear. $200 See Illustration |
| 14. | Biddlecombe, George. NAVAL TACTICS AND TRIALS OF SAILING... Lon. 1850. b/w plates (spot color), ills. 4to. xvi, 176 pp. “Illustrated by diagrams of the several evolutions to which are added the established plans of lights for steam-vessels and regulations to avoid collision.” Although he is best known today for his earlier work “The Art of Rigging”, Biddlecombe attained fame in his own time as a surveyor in the Royal Navy. This book was written as a result of Biddlecombe’s long naval experience. The DNB observes, “Few officers saw more active service.”—DNB vol. 5 p. 16. As such, his work is more a summary of existing practices than an explication of new theories. Original cloth binding with gold stamp of a full rigged sailing ship in the center panel of the front board. A horn protractor issued with the book is lacking. Copy of Vice Admiral William Parker, with his ownership inscription, 1850. Minor cover wear, VG $250 |
| 15. | Bouguer, Pierre. TRAITE DU NAVIRE, DE LA CONSTRUCTION, ET DE SES MOUVEMENS. Paris. 1746. b/w folding plates. engraved chapter head. to. xl, 682, (4) “First edition of the first treatise on naval architecture written on a scientific basis.” Horblit sale, 153. According to the Scott catalog, Bouguer knew his stuff. “He succeeded his father as professor of hydrography ... in 1713. In 1730 he was appointed professor of hydrography at Havre. In 1735 he accompanied Charles Marie de La Condamine on a scientific expedition to Peru...” He was awarded several prizes by the Academie Royale des Sciences for his work in mathematics and navigation. Bouguer was one of the first to investigate mathematical principles as related to shipbuilding, and devised methods for calculating displacement and stability. Scott 256. Polak 1050. Lower corner of first 200 pages worn or nibbled, not affecting text, else a beautiful copy, rebound in antique style calf over tan boards. $500 See Illustration |
| 16. | Bourde(de Villehuet, Jacques.) MANUEL DES MARINS, OU DICTIONNAIRE DES TERMES DE MARINE. L’Orient. 1773. 2 vols. (4)-271; 5-278, (2) pp. First edition of a rare nautical dictionary, compiled, according to the author, because of the inadequacy of previous dictionaries. He adds that this work is not only for the seaman, but for the merchant as well. In his bibliography of naval dictionaries, Craig says “full defs., with examples of use; regarded by Roding as the best French work of its time.” Craig p .17. Polak 1121. This is a very scarce work, OCLC showing holdings in only 7 libraries. No copies of this edition have been offered in the trade in twenty years. Bound in original full mottled calf with gilt spine decorations. Minor cover wear, but an excellent set. $1500 |
| 17. | Brandt, J.D. GUNNERY CATECHISM AS APPLIED TO THE SERVICE OF NAVAL ORDNANCE. NY. 1864. b/w plates, volvelle. 12mo. 197 pp. plus 15 pp. ads. Nuts and bolts Q & A approach to operating and servicing Civil War-era naval ordnance of all types and sizes. With an operational volvelle showing the manner of shifting stations in Gun Crew drills. Smith III, 324. This copy is inscribed, “C.J. Hosmer, the SS Frigate Colorado Lisbon Portugal Dec 25 1866.” VG in original cloth binding with gold decoration. $250 See Illustration |
| 18. | Brook-Hart, Denys. BRITISH 19TH CENTURY MARINE PAINTING. (Suffolk, ENG 1974) Color and b/w plates. 4to, 368 pp. Good history but also written specifically for the collector/investor. VG in dj. $90 |
| 19. | Cary, Alan. MAIL LINERS OF THE WORLD. NY. 1937. b/w plates. 144 pp. Dozens of these liners with silhouette, photo, narrative description. Also statistics and brief histories of shipping lines. VG, dj. $75 |
| 20. | Chapman, Fredrich Hindr. TRACTAT OM SKEPPS-BYGGERIET, TILLIKA MED FORKLARING OCH BEVIS OFVFR ARCHITECTURA NAVALIS MERCATORIA, &C. Stockholm. 1775. b/w folding plates. 4to. (14), 245, (3) pp. plus 16 plates and 8 tables. First edition of Chapman’s most important work, in which he introduces his parabolic method of construction and the first use of Simpson’s rule in naval architecture. This treatise, intended as an explanation of, and supplement to Architectura Navalis, was reprinted in French in 1781. MacDonald 251. Scott 355. Polak 1605. Bound in later quarter brown morocco over marbled boards, with gilt rules and title. A very nice copy. $2500 See Illustration |
| 21. | Chatterton, E. Keble. THE STORY OF THE BRITISH NAVY. Lon. (1911) Color frontis. b/w plates. xiv, 363 pp. From the earliest times to just pre-WW I. First ed. tops of boards lightly sunned, but a beautiful copy, bound in half blue morocco over boards with raised bands, gold title, and panels decorated in ship and anchor motifs. $250 |
| 22. | Churchill, T.O. THE LIFE OF LORD VISCOUNT NELSON... Lon. 1810. b/w steel engravings, b/w facsimiles, fldg diagrams. 4to. vii, 94 pp. Standard hagiography, but one of the richest early sources of visuals, with 12 steel engravings by Bromley and Worthington, manuscript facsimiles of letters, and two folding plates depicting the funeral procession and the coffin. A tall copy on heavy paper, bound in contemporary half calf over marbled boards with backstrip professionally laid down. Second ed. of Cowie 136, the first having been published 2 years earlier. Some cover wear, still a decent copy. $750 See Illustration |
| 23. | Clerk, John. AN ESSAY ON NAVAL TACTICS, SYSTEMATICAL AND HISTORICAL. WITH EXPLANATORY PLATES. Edinburgh. 1804. fldg. plates with some hand coloring. 4to, xv, 287 pp. This is the first effort by an Englishman to systematize naval tactics with theories based on actual engagements. Though widely read, opinions differed as to its usefulness in battle. For those interested in history, however, it is of great utility, clearly summarizing major naval battles (including those of the American Revolution). Second edition, with a new and expanded preface. The first edition was published in four parts between 1782 and 1797. This is thus the first collected edition. Beautifully bound in full brown morocco with raised bands, gilt rules and spine label. Edges untrimmed. Repairs to upper corner of title and edges of a few plates, none affecting text or image. All 51 folding plates present and in excellent condition. $1250 |
| 24. | Connolly, James B. OUT OF GLOUCESTER. NY. 1902. b/w plates. 276 pp. Short story collection by the old master. Stain down center of backstrip, light wear to illustrated cover. About VG. $35 |
| 25. | Connolly, James B. THE DEEP SEA'S TOLL. NY. 1905. b/w plates. 315 pp. First edition. Stain on backstrip, else a nice copy of this collection of stories about the Gloucester banks fishermen. Pictorial cover. $35 |