Forum Rare Books

Contemporary illustrations of the Trollhätte Canal

SKJÖLDEBRAND, Anders Frederik. Description des cataractes et du canal de Trollhätta en Suède; avec un précis historique.
Stockholm, Charles Delén, 1804. 4to. With an aquatint title-page and 12 aquatint plates, including 1 map, all drawn and engraved by the author. Contemporary grey-blue wrappers. [1], [1 blank], 47, [2] pp. Full description

€ 850

City Plans, Topography & Views Economic History & Trade Navigation Scandinavia Technology

Original logs and journals of South American voyages 1857-1860, with 8 sea charts (with routes)
and about 23 views (many in colour)

SNEYD-KYNNERSLEY, Thomas Alfred. Log of H.M.S. Cumberland [commanded by] Captain J.B. Dickson bearing the flag of Rear Admiral Provo W.P. Wallis, ... commencing 5th April 1857, ending 30th April 1858.
With:
(2) SNEYD-KYNNERSLEY, Thomas Alfred. Log of H.M.S. Siren . 16 guns, commanded from May 1st to May 8th 1858 by Captain J.H. Selwyn, from May 9th 1858 to [27th July 1858] by Com[ande]r G.M. Balfour.
(3) SNEYD-KYNNERSLEY, Thomas Alfred. Journal of T.A. Sneyd Kynnersley acting mate H.M.S. Siren, 16 [guns], commencing July 28 1858, ending [11 April 1860].
[In the Atlantic, along the European, African and especially the South American coasts, 1857-1860]. Small folio (32 x 20.5 cm). Three English manuscript ships' logs written in a single album in black ink on laid paper with a blue cast, with 3 hand-lettered title-pages, 2 sea charts showing the routes and 8 colour views (in watercolour, coloured pencil and sepia and black ink, mostly ships on the South American coast, but also camps) are drawn on 9 separate leaves, and 6 sea charts showing the routes and about 15 views drawn directly on the album leaves, mostly in black ink, but including a colour plan of one of the ships. Contemporary black half sheepskin. [215 (including 5 blank)], [117 blank] pp. Full description

€ 22,000

Brazil Latin America Logbooks Manuscripts & Documents South America

Finely executed Royal Naval Academy exercises by the teenage future Admiral,
Charles Sotheby 493 pages including nautical charts, fortification plans,
astronomical diagrams, topographic views, etc.:

SOTHEBY, Charles. [engraved title-page:] A plan of mathematical learning taught in the Royal Academy Portsmouth performed by [in pencil: Charles Sotheby] a student there.
[Portsmouth], "177 " [recté 1795-1798]. 2 volumes. Imperial 4to (37.5 x 27 cm). Manuscript school exercises with a pre-printed engraved title-page with a blank space for the student to add his name, with 4 full-page and 1 larger folding nautical charts (some partly in colour), 7 full-page fortification plans (in black ink with 1 to 3 colours), 4 full-page astronomical diagrams (2 also with yellow), a full-page compass rose, 23 pen and ink wash views in the text (9 x 15 cm to 12.5 x 22 cm, 1 also with blue washes), and numerous other diagrams (including maps in the surveying section) and some illustrations in the text. Near contemporary (ca. 1803) blind- and gold-tooled half calf, blue sprinkled edges. engraved title-page + “229” [= 228]; 230-493, [2 blank] pp., with pp. 229 and 493 blank excepting the page numbers. Full description

€ 25,000

Astronomy & Cosmography Charts & Maps Fortification & Military Architecture Manuscripts & Documents Mathematics Navigation USA - United States of America

Rare German translation of Speelman's expedition against the Kingdom of Makassar

[SPEELMAN, Cornelis Janszoon]. Journal, oder kurtze Erzehlung des Anfangs, Fort- und Aussgangs des Krieges, welcher zwischen dem König und mehrerer Regierunge des Reichs Macassar und der Oost-Indischen Compagnie der Vereinigten Niederlanden in den Jahren 1666, 1668 und 1669 geführet worden.
Hamburg, Gottfried Schulken, 1670. 4to. Disbound, preserving the original endpapers. [18] ll. Full description

€ 3,250

Indonesia / Dutch East Indies Military History (17th Century) Netherlands Southeast Asia VOC

Collegial letter by the famous 19th-century Dutch naval hero Jan van Speijk

SPEIJK, Jan Carel Josephus van. [Autograph letter to Johan Arnould Zoutman jr].
On board his gunboat "Z.M. kanonneerboot no. 2" off the coast level with 't Wiel, near Antwerp, 13 October 1830. 4to (25 x 22.5 cm). Folded. [1] leaf. Full description

€ 3,500

Autographs & Letters Manuscripts & Documents Naval History

A bestseller of illustrated 17th-century travel literature, probably printed by Izaak Elzevier

SPILBERGEN, Joris van and Jacob Le MAIRE. Miroir Oost & West-Indical, auquel sont descriptes les deux dernieres navigations, faictes es années 1614. 1615. 1616. 1617. & 1618.
Amsterdam, Johannes Janssonius [printed by Izaak Elzevier?], 1621. Oblong 4to (17.5 x 23 cm). With 24 (of 25) engraved plates, including 5 double-page and 10 larger folding. Modern vellum. [4], 172 pp. Full description

€ 16,500

Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Medicine Book History, Printing & Typography Brazil Charts & Maps City Plans, Topography & Views Indonesia / Dutch East Indies Latin America Navigation Peru South America Travel & Voyages Asia Travel & Voyages South America Travel & Voyages Southeast Asia VOC

Important early voyages to the East Indies and the impetus for the discovery of Australia

SPILBERGEN, Joris van and Steven van der HAGEN. Historis journael van de voyage gedaen met 3 schepen uyt Zeelant naer d'Oost-Indien onder het beleyt van den commandeur Joris van Spilbergen, syn eerste reyse. In den jare 1601. 1602. 1603. 1604. Als meede beschrijvinge van de tweede voyage ghedaen met 12 schepen na d'Oost-Indien onder den admirael Steven vander Hagen.
Amsterdam, Joost Hartgers, 1648. 4to. With a woodcut of 2 ships on the title-page and a folding engraved plate with 6 illustrations (each about 8 x 9 cm). Modern brown goatskin. 96 pp. Full description

€ 8,000

Economic History & Trade Indonesia / Dutch East Indies Southeast Asia Travel & Voyages Asia Travel & Voyages Australia Travel & Voyages Pacific Travel & Voyages Southeast Asia VOC

The bombardment of Alexandria, a night-attack of jihadic troops in Sudan and a survey in the Far East and Australia

SPINKS, Walter. [Album of watercolours drawn aboard HMS Myrmidon].
On board HMS Myrmidon, [1884-]1886[-1887]. Oblong 4to (17.5 x 25 cm). With 25 watercolours (including 1 double-page) and 13 pencil drawings, most of them captioned in pencil. Contemporary half-sheepskin album. [32] ll. Full description

€ 12,500

Arabian Peninsula & Gulf States Australia East Africa Eastern Mediterranean & Cyprus Malta Manuscripts & Documents Military History (19th Century) Naval History Southeast Asia Travel & Voyages Africa Travel & Voyages Asia Travel & Voyages Australia Travel & Voyages Europe Travel & Voyages Middle East Travel & Voyages Pacific Travel & Voyages Southeast Asia UK - United Kingdom

A prosecutors enquiry into the traumatic 1796 Dutch capitulation
at Saldanha Bay near the Cape of Good Hope

SPOORS, Jakob. Rapport van Jakob Spoors, als fiscaal van den Hoogen Zee-krygsraad, omtrend het gedrag van den capitein Engelbertus Lucas en verdere commandanten der schepen behoord hebbende tot het esquader in den jaare 1796. Naar de Oost-Indien gedestineerd; benevens de resolutie en sententie ten deze door den Hoogen Zee Krygsraad genomen en geslagen.
The Hague, 's Lands-Drukkery, 1798. 8vo. With the woodcut great seal of the Batavian Republic - the French-dominated republican government of the Netherlands from 1795 to 1806 - on the title-page (an allegorical female figure representing Freedom, with spear and freedom hat and with her hand on a book on a stand, next to the Dutch lion holding a Dutch flag). Modern blue cloth, title in gold on spine, new endpapers. [2], 151, [1] pp. Full description

€ 1,250

Law & Politics Military History (18th Century) Naval History Southern Africa

Very rare Dutch translation of one of the first German robinsonade

STIEFF, Christian. De Silesische Robinson, behelzende deszelfs geboorte, opvoeding ... minnenhandel, betoonde dapperheid in verscheide belegeringen, gevangenneming en elendige slaverny onder de Turken ... zyne reizen ... dienstneming by de Oostindische Compagnie ... dienstbaarheid onder de Boecaniers ... droevige schipbreuk en elendig einde
Amsterdam, S. van Esveldt 1755, 2 volumes. With a frontispiece by J. C. Philips and 7 full-page engraved plates. Contemporary gilt half-calf, dark brown moroccan letterpiece to spine. [12], 267, [1]; [4], 308 pp. Full description