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| 51. | Manuscript. THE ADVENTURES OF THE YOUNG APOLLO CLUB OF NEW YORK DURING THEIR SUMMER TOUR OF 1878 TO NANTUCKET, MARTHA’S VINEYARD, NIAGRA AND TORONTO, CANADA. WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THEIR EXPERIENCE AT DIVERS OTHER PLACES INCLUDED IN THE SAME GENERAL TOUR About 65 pages of manuscript entries with news clippings This is a narrative account written in purple ink and interspersed with pasted-in programs, newspaper reviews, and announcements about the concert. The Young Apollo Club was a group of boy singers who performed everything from opera to Jubilee songs. W.F. Williams was their director and probably the author of this account. It is especially interesting for the glimpse it gives of small town 19th century America, the local interest in such concerts, and Williams’ sometimes acerbic observations about audiences and their reactions. Fascinating and unique. In a blindstamped cloth scrapbook. See Illustration $1000 |
| 52. | Manuscript. "VESSEL BOOK" OF S.W. CAREY, OF NEW.YORK, SHOWING HIS OWNERSHIP IN 54 SAILING VESSELS AND 21 FLOATING GRAIN ELEVATORS, 1855-1890. 4to. 263 pp. Half calf over marbled boards, with the spine partially defective. A small label with the manuscript notation “Vessel Book” appears on the front cover. Manuscript entries in sepia and red ink in a fine, bold. hand - perhaps Carey’s. Entries are in balance sheet form with debit and. credit entries - usually on facing pages. Carey owned interests in smaller sailing vessels, including clippers (the Western Empire and John Fyfe}, a whaler (the Virgin of New Bedford), and. a number of large packets (the Isaac Webb, the Yorktown, the Great Western, etc,). Nineteen of Carey’s ships were lost during his ownership and their fates are carefully recorded. The ship Byzantium, for example, was “burned at sea by Pirate Bark Tacony. Capt. Reid June 21st/63.” Or, “Schooner Cordelia, driven ashore and became a total wreck at Vera Cruz.” Or the Octavius, which sailed from New York and was never heard from again. The bark Virginia was “taken by the Rebel Pirate Alabama” etc. From 1864 through 1890 Carey began investing in the floating grain elevators in New York harbour - at greater profit with far less risk. A most unusual manuscript item. $1500 |
| 53. | Meares, John. VOYAGES MADE IN THE YEARS 1788 AND 1789, FROM CHINA TO THE NORTH COAST OF AMERICA. TO WHICH ARE PREFIXED, AN INTRODUCTORY NARRATIVE Lon. 1790. Twenty-eight b/w engraved plates and maps. 4to. vii, (12), xcv, (1), 372 (108) pp First edition of “one of the early and fundamental books on the Northwest coast of America... In addition to his voyages from China to America in 1788 and 1789, which form the principal part of this work, Captain Meares also describes his earlier voyage to the northwest coast from Bengal.” Lada-Mokarski 46. During his second voyage, Meares assembled the Northwest America, the first ship to be launched in northern waters. He explored the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Port Cox, and Port Effingham, and narrowly missed discovering the Columbia, which he observed but named Deception Bay. His discoveries were the basis for Britain’s claims on the northwest. Spain’s seizure of Meares’ ships and disputation of his claim brought about the famed Nootka Sound Controversy, which nearly resulted in war between the two countries. This account “also gives a full accountof the Indian nations of Northwest America, describing their villages, languages, manners, and customs.” - Hill 1126. See also Howes, M469, Forbes 201 (one of Meares’ ships went to Hawaii), Streeter 3491. Bound in full mottled calf, blindstamped on front and back boards with raised bands, gilt tooling and spine label. Text clean, occasional mild tanning or offsetting to plates. Copies frequently appear with fewer plates and maps. This one has the folding plate of the Philippines not present in all copies. See Illustration $12500 |
| 54. | (Moore, J. J.) MARINER'S DICTIONARY, OR AMERICAN SEAMAN'S VOCABULARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS, AND SEA PHRASES, USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT, MANAGEMENT, AND MILITARY OPERATIONS, OF SHIPS AND VESSELS OF ALL DESCRIPTIONS. Wash. 1805. b/w engravings. 12mo. (vi), 256 pp. First American edition. This is the earliest dictionary of naval and nautical terms published in the United States. Based on J. J. Moore’s “The British Mariner’s Vocabulary,” first published in London in 1801, this dictionary is adapted to the United States Navy (in details of flag procedures, for example). This edition features 8 copperplate engravings with 119 illustrations. “It, like the navy’s regulations, was inspired, and, in part, copied from English sources. Moreover, its publisher, William Duane, one of the pioneer printers of Washington, made no attempt to hide the fact that his 1805 Dictionary was ‘improved from an English work,’... and dedicated to Secretary of the Navy Robert Smith. Nevertheless, the secretary discontinued its distribution, perhaps due to the depletion of copies, in April, 1808... No other similar instructional book was provided gratis to young officers for years to come.” --Skallerup, Books Afloat and Ashore, p. 111. Moebs 13. Craig pp. 24-35. Sabin 44590. Bound in antique style calf over marbled boards, with a wonderful contemptorary inscription on the front blank by Edwin Owens Perry, who had this book with him when he sailed in the ship Bolivar to the Baltic and Russia in 1825 where he saw Emperor Nicholas in Cronstadt. $1250 |
| 55. | O.J.H. (Omar J. Humphrey.) WRECK OF THE RANIER. Portland, ME. (1887.) 148 pp. The unfortunate Rainier was built in Maine in 1883. After a collision in the Delaware she finally managed to leave for Japan. She was wrecked on a coral reef enroute. The crew built a schooner and sailed to safety. There are plenty of natives, high adventure and Yankee ingenuity. The Captain even brought his daughter with him. There may be a movie here. VG in original cloth binding. Light wear to spine ends else VG. $200 |
| 56. | Palgrave, W.G. DUTCH GUIANA. Lon. 1876. folding b/w and color maps. vi, 264 pp. History of this colony - known to us in New England as Surinam - so important in American maritime commerce for its pepper and other resources. Published just three years after slavery in the colony had been abolished. With a chapter on “the Negroes.” Cundall 1722. Scattered light foxing to endleaves, but a brilliant copy otherwise, unopened, bound in original pebbled green cloth with gold spine lettering. $400 |
| 57. | Palmer, Thomas Fyshe. A NARRATIVE OF THE SUFFERINGS OF T.F. PALMER AND W. SKIRVING, DURING A VOYAGE TO NEW SOUTH WALES, 1794, ON BOARD THE SURPRISE TRANSPORT. Cambridge. 1797. 74 pp. “Contains the story of the inhuman treatment of Palmer and Skirving by Captain Campbell, master of the Surprise, following the malicious discovery by Maurice Margarot, as fellow convict, of a sham plot for capturing the ship. Depositions... against Campbell are included.” Ferguson I, 254. First edition of a scarce pamphlet. OCLC shows only 8 institutions holding copies. No copies have appeared at auction since 1996. Tear at the top of the title page affecting part of one letter in the title, else a clean copy with sewing intact and no foxing. Bound in antique style calf over marbled boards with spine label. See Illustration $2200 |
| 58. | Photograph FRENCH CRUISER HUSSARD. HENRY G. PEABODY, CIRCA. 1892. Vintage albumen print measuring 9 1/2 x 7 1/4 inches. The ship was in New York for the Columbian Exposition. VG $150 |
| 59. | Photograph REPLICA OF COLUMBUS’ NINA. HENRY G. PEABODY, 1893. Vintage albumen print measuring 9 1/2 x 7 1/4 inches. The vessel was built to comemorate the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ discovery. VG See Illustration $200 |
| 60. | Photograph RUSSIAN CRUISER RYNDA. HENRY G. PEABODY, CIRCA. 1892. Vintage albumen print measuring 9 1/2 x 7 1/4 inches. The ship was in New York for the Columbian Exposition. French cruiser Hussard in the background. VG $150 |
| 61. | Photograph SCHOONER YACHT MERLIN. HENRY G. PEABODY, 1892. Vintage albumen print measuring 9 1/2 x 7 1/4 inches. Small hole in lower left hand corner, else VG See Illustration $200 |
| 62. | Photograph. SCHOONER YACHT MERLIN. HENRY G. PEABODY, 1892. Another shot of the Merlin, sailing right to left in the frame, rather than left to right. Vintage albumen print measuring 9 1/2 x 7 1/4 inches. Small hole in lower left hand corner, else VG $200 |
| 63. | Photograph SIDEWHEELER CLERMONT. HENRY G. PEABODY, CIRCA 1890. Vintage albumen print measuring 9 1/2 x 7 1/4 inches. Probably New York harbor. VG See Illustration $200 |
| 64. | Photograph US CRUISER BOSTON. HENRY G. PEABODY, 1889. Vintage albumen print measuring 9 1/2 x 7 1/4 inches. The ship was photographed in Boston Harbor. Bunker Hill monument in background. VG $200 |
| 65. | Photograph YACHT FREDA. Vintage albumen print measuring 9 1/4 x 7 1/2 inches. Mounted on card. Small blindstamp in lower right corner reads, “West & Son. Gosport.” The yacht was built in 1876. See Illustration $350 |
| 66. | Portlock, Captain Nathaniel. A VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD; BUT MORE PARTICULARLY TO THE NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA: PERFORMED IN 1785, 1786, 1787, AND 1788 IN THE KING GEORGE AND THE QUEEN CHARLOTTE, CAPTAINS PORTLOCK AND DIXON. Lon. 1789. b/w plates, folding charts. 4to. xii, 384, xl pp. First edition of the “principal account of the first commercial voyage to the Northwest Coast and the first English voyage to visit Hawaii after that of Captain James Cook.” - Forbes 177. Portlock set out with George Dixon in 1785 to exploit the northwest fur trade. After visiting the Faulkands they put in for a long stay at Hawaii, then proceeded to the northwest territory, where they traded with the Indians and explored the coast. While Portlock’s account is esteemed for its early charts of the area, it is important for other reasons as well. “Both Portlock and Dixon were veterans of Captain Cook’s third voyage to the Pacific, and the present account is also important for the supplementary details added to the geographical explorations of Captain Cook. Portlock’s vivid descriptions of encounters with American Indians and the Russians serve to broaden the persepctive provided by... William Beresford/George Dixon.” - Hill 1376. See also Streeter 3485, Lada-Mocarski 42. Bound in full mottled calf, blindstamped on front and back boards, with raised bands, gilt tooling and spine label. Text clean, some foxing and offsetting to maps and b/w plates, but the five colored bird plates, probably because they were printed on better paper, are immaculate - clean and bright. A scarce and important account. $7500 |
| 67. | (Prinsep, John). STRICTURES AND OCCASIONAL OBSERVATIONS UPON THE SYSTEM OF BRITISH COMMERCE WITH THE EAST INDIES. WITH REMARKS AND PROPOSED REGULATIONS, FOR ENCOURAGING THE IMPORTATION OF SUGAR FROM BENGAL... Lon. 1792. iv, xiv, (15)-210, (8) pp. “Hints for an arrangement of the trade... to which is added, a succinct history of the sugar trade in general.” The DNB notes that Prinsep had first gone to India as a military cadet in 1771, and then made a fortune in India importing indigo, and by introducing the printing of cotton fabrics to that country. Pages 105-164 deal with the beginnings of the Sugar trade in the Americas. This is an excellent copy, untrimmed, in original 18th century marbled boards, with printed cover label. See Illustration $2000 |
| 68. | Print. BLOWING UP OF THE FIRE SHIP INTREPID COMMANDED BY CAPT. SOMMERS IN THE HARBOR OF TRIPOLI ON THE NIGHT OF THE 4TH SEPT. 1804. b/w wood engraving. Two sheets laid down on board, measuring 15 3/4 x 12 inches. Caption reads, “Before the Intrepid had gained her Distined (sic) situation she was suddenly boarded by 100 Tripolines, when the gallant Somers and his Heroes... determined at once to prefer Death and the Destruction of the Enemy, to Captivity & torturing Slavery, put a match to a train leading directly to the Magazine, which at once blew the whole into the Air.” The Intrepid was a 64 ton ketch captured by the USS Enterprise and taken into the Navy in 1804. Somers and his volunteer officers died in the explosion pictured here. No publisher or date given, but ca. 1810. See Olds, Bits and Pieces pp. 94-95. Lightly tanned, but VG. A wonderful old print. See Illustration $450 |
| 69. | Robertson, J(ohn) P(arish) and W(illiam) P(arish). FOUR YEARS IN PARAGUAY: COMPRISING AN ACCOUNT OF THAT REPUBLIC, UNDER THE DICTATOR FRANCIA. IN TWO VOLUMES (WITH) VOL III. FRANCIA'S REIGN OF TERROR. BEING A SEQUEL TO LETTERS ON PARAGUAY. Lon. 1838, 1839. b/w frontispieces, folding hand colored map. 3 vols. xxvii, (1), 359;x, 342; xvi, 400 pp. First edition, with the first edition of the third volume which was printed a year later. Written as a series of letters from two Scottish merchants about the country - including coastal and river navigation - and about the political turmoil that occured there as General Gaspar Francia ruthlessly carved out an independent Paraguay. “They contain some striking descriptions of the state of the country and of the curious events which were taking place. They were popular works in their day and left a strong impress upon popular opinion.” - Larned 4087. The authors were astute and sophisticated observers (one section is headed “Malthusian Economy”) who actually witnessed most of the events they report on. See also Sabin 71963, 71964. Beautifully bound by Riviere in Half morocco over boards, all edges gilt. A Fine set. See Illustration $2000 |
| 70. | Robinson, J. H. GUIDE TO NANTUCKET. (Nantucket) 1945. Color maps, b/w ills. 64 pp. plus 35 pp. illustrated ads. Four folding color maps. Interesting ads for local businesses. VG in original wrappers. $65 |
| 71. | (Steel, David.) THE SHIP-MASTER'S ASSISTANT AND OWNER’S MANUAL... (BOUND WITH) ... STEEL’S TABLES OF THE BRITISH CUSTOM AND EXCISE DUTIES... Lon. 1799. b/w frontis. and plate. xiv (2 plus plate), 402, (2); 121, 24, (4) pp. A scarce and valuable source, containing contemporary material on privateering and the slave act, as well as all phases of more peaceful mercantile activity including accounting, pilotage, insurance, and the various laws of the day (whaling and fishing) and newly published duties and laws in America. This is the eighth edition, considerably enlarged from earlier editions. Bound with Steel’s “New and Complete Tables...” giving the latest information on American duties enacted by Congress in 1797, and listing American ports and customs officers. Adams & Waters 3284, Witt 7, 130 - “First mention of David Steel, Jr. as the author of this publication, probably because the father was already dying or even dead.” A very nice copy, bound in original full calf, rebacked to match, with label and gilt rules. See Illustration $650 |
| 72. | Torrey, William. TORREY’S NARRATIVE: OR, THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF WILLIAM TORREY... Bos. 1848. b/w woodcuts. 300 pp. First edition. Torrey went to sea on a whaler out of New Bedford and served on several whaling, sealing and merchant voyages over 14 years. Included in the narrative are descriptions of his life in the Marquesas (where he participated in cannibalism), his visits to Hawaii, California, the Northwest Coast, South America, and other places. Torrey apparently had a quick temper, for he ran into trouble with several of his captains, and left ship a number of times. “Includes several whaling cruises in the Pacific in the 1830s, with visits to Hawaii, Marquesas... Fanning Island...”—Forster 96. Jenkins p. 151. Not in Hill, Hunnewell or Sabin. With 6 full page woodcuts. “Written by himself. Illustrated by engravings of his own sketching.” Original cloth, spine ends chipped, a few spots in text, but overall a VG copy of a scarce book. See Illustration $1500 |
| 73. | Tripp, Lot. DIRECTIONS FOR MARINERS ON VOYAGES IN HOT AND COLD CLIMATES; HOW TO TREAT THE SICK, AND TO USE THE MEDICINES CONTAINED THE CHEST. NY. 1838 12mo 22 pp. This pamphlet was intended to accompany the ship’s medicine chest. Each medicine in the chest was numbered. Each disease is described symptomatically, and the appropriate treatment is given by citing the number of the medicine to be administered. Thus, Bloody Flux is described on p. 12. Bottles no. 3 and 4 - Castor Oil and Rhubarb are prescribed. According to the title page, the medicine chest was put up by Silas Carle & Nephew, at Fulton and Water streets in New York. Though this title is rare - no copies listed on OCLC (the Blunt Library at Mystic Seaport seems to own an earlier edition) - the type of pamphlet turns up occasionally, since one was printed to accompany every medicine chest that ever set sail. In original plain wraps. Tide mark on outer half of every page, else a VG copy. $250 |
| 74. | Whaling Manuscript. ACCOUNTS OF WHALESHIP ILLINOIS OF SAG HARBOR, 1837-38. 4to. 1 1/2 pages manuscript entries. This is the accounting of William H. Nelson in the whaleship Illinois for the years 1837 and 1838. It shows he had a half share in the ship and lists expenses, prices realized on oil, balances, and payments to John Budd. Signed by Budd. Scarce Sag Harbor whaling document. $200 |
| 75. | Whaling Manuscript. BILL OF SALE. SHIP MARY OF EDGARTOWN, 1836. Folio, 3 printed pages accomplished in manuscript. Agents Coffin & Darrow sell one quarter part of the vessel to Daniel Vincent of Edgartown. The document is notable for its detailed description of this whaleship. She made her first voyage, under Henry Pease, the same year. $250 |