A Stunning Captain James Cook Catalogue from Hordern House
Captain James Cook from Hordern House.
By Michael Stillman
We recently received what must be the finest catalogue we have seen in the five years we have been presenting reviews. When a book catalogue comes with a hard cover and dust jacket, you know it is going to be special. Still, this was unexpected. Hordern House, the Australian bookseller that often features travels and voyages, regularly publishes extraordinary catalogues. This one is spectacular. The title is Captain James Cook The Great Discoverer. Offered is The Robert and Mary Anne Parks Collection. The Parks, collectors from Michigan, assembled a fantastic collection Cook and Cook-related material. This stunning presentation offers thorough, detailed descriptions and images of each item. Now this catalogue can join the items that belong in a Cook collection. Here are some of those offered.
The catalogue starts with a signature from early in Cook's career. Long before he embarked on his three journeys to the Pacific, Cook was sent to map areas of Atlantic Canada, first the St. Lawrence, later Newfoundland. It was the thoroughness of his work that led to Cook's being selected to lead his three famed voyages. Item 1 is a May 12, 1859 discharge certificate for Lieutenant George Allen from HMS Pembroke, signed by Cook. Allen was discharged for the very good reason that he was dead. Normally, the discharge would have been signed by Captain Simcoe as the commander, but he was mortally ill by this time. Priced at AU $78,500 (that is Australian dollars, or approximate US equivalent of $75,125).
Item 7 is a unique survival of Cook's first voyage, the first printed map of the lands it discovered. It was created by the expedition's naturalist, Sir Joseph Banks, and his botanist, Daniel Solander. It is the first map to depict the complete continent of Australia (then called "New Holland") and the two islands of New Zeeland. It is one of only two copies of this map known to exist, and the only copy on thick paper. The Hordern House catalogue includes a fold-out image of this very rare map. Price on request.
Item 34 is an unusual letter from Captain Cook as he prepared for his second voyage. This was perhaps his most important trip as it once and for all disproved the theory of a massive southern continent. The letter is addressed to a "Mr. Coggin," likely Charles Coggan, a director of the English East India Company. Cook, in his own hand, pleads for the release of one James Keaton, who was evidently press-ganged onto an East India Company ship to serve as a soldier. Press-ganging was a nasty way of recruiting sailors in the day, where they were involuntarily pulled off the streets and forced into service. Keaton must have been a sailor that Cook intended to bring on his voyage, so he pleads, "...I beg you will order him to be discharged or delivered up to such persons as I shall send for that purpose." Hordern House notes that there is no record of a James Keaton ever sailing with Cook, and that it is unlikely that this represents a confusion with the somewhat similarly named John Heaton, which perhaps indicates Cook's plea was not successful. Price on request.
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: APRES DE MANNEVILLETTE Le Neptune Oriental
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: CASSAS Eaux fortes de la Sicile et quelques vues d’Espagne
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: CASSINI DE THURY Carte générale et particulière de la France.
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: JOUY; GARNERAY Vues des côtes de France dans l'Océan et dans la Méditerranée
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: LA PÉROUSE Voyage autour du monde
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: LE GENTIL DE LA GALAISIERE Voyage dans les Mers de l’Inde
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: LICENT Hoang Ho, Pai Ho, Loan Ho, Leao Ho. Itinéraires suivis dans le bassin du golfe du Pei Tcheuly
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: FRENCH SCHOOL FROM THE 19th CENTURY Panorama d’Athènes
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: PEETERS Description des principales villes, havres et isles du golfe de Venise
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: PÉRON; FREYCINET Voyage de découverte aux terres australes
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: STACKELBERG La Grèce : vues pittoresques et topographiques.
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: VALENTINER Atlas des Sonnensystems.
Forum Auctions Online Sale: The Detective Fiction Collection of John Cooper Ending 7th November, 2024
Forum, Nov. 7: Christie (Agatha). The Thirteen Problems, first edition, The Crime Club, 1932. £15,000 to £20,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: Christie (Agatha). Dumb Witness, first edition, 1937. £3,000 to £4,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: Christie (Agatha). Cards on the Table, first edition, The Crime Club, 1936. £2,000 to £3,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: [Carr (John Dickson)], "Carter Dickson" and John Rhode. Drop to his Death, first edition, Heinemann, [1939]. £600 to £800.
Forum, Nov. 7: Berkeley (Anthony). Jumping Jenny, first edition, Hodder and Stoughton, 1933. £800 to £1,200.
Forum Auctions Online Sale: The Detective Fiction Collection of John Cooper Ending 7th November, 2024
Forum, Nov. 7: Marsh (Ngaio). Overture to Death, first edition, The Crime Club, 1939. £600 to £800.
Forum, Nov. 7: [Day-Lewis (Cecil)] "Nicholas Blake". The Beast Must Die, first edition, 1938. £750 to £1,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: Brand (Christianna). Green for Danger, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author, John Lane the Bodley Head, 1945. £600 to £800.
Forum, Nov. 7: Christie (Agatha). Murder is Easy, first edition, signed by the author, 1939. £3,000 to £4,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: Sayers (Dorothy L.) Lord Peter Views the Body, first edition, Gollancz, 1928. £6,000 to £8,000.
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RareBookBuyer.com Specialized in Purchasing Institutional Collections & Deacccessioned Books
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Sotheby's Fine Books, Manuscripts & More Available for Immediate Purchase
Sotheby’s: J.R.R. Tolkien. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. 11,135 USD
Sotheby’s: Edgar Allan Poe. The Raven and Other Poems, 1845. 33,000 USD
Sotheby’s: Leo Tolstoy, Clara Bow. War and Peace, 1886. 22,500 USD
Sotheby’s: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, 1902. 7,500 USD
Sotheby’s: F. Scott Fitzgerald. This Side of Paradise, The Great Gatsby, and Others, 1920-1941. 24,180 USD
Freeman’s | Hindman Fine Printed Books and Manuscripts, Including Americana November 14
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: LEROUX, Gaston. The Phantom of the Opera. FIRST AM. ED, FIRST ISSUE IN THE VERY RARE DUST JACKET. 1911. $6,000 – 8,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: GOULD, John. A Monograph of the Trochilidae...Humming-Birds. L., [1849-] 1861. $60,000 – 80,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: A COMPLETE RUN of Limited Editions Club publications, v.p. [mostly New York], 1929-2010. $50,000 – 60,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: ORWELL, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. Lon., 1949. FIRST EDITION IN A VERY FINE DUST JACKET. $6,000 – 8,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: GOULD. A Monograph of the Ramphastidae...Toucans. L., [1852-] 54. SECOND ED. $35,000 – 45,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14:The Federalist. NY, 1788. FIRST EDITION, THICK PAPER COPY. $60,000 – 80,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: SELBY. Plates to Selby’s Illustrations of British Ornithology. Edin., [1833-] 34. $20,000 – 30,000.