Rare Books, Vintage Photographs & Archives Wanted. Will travel.

First Nations of British Columbia

Rare Books and Libraries Wanted. Buying Vintage Photo Albums and Historical Documents.  History, Arctic, Travel and Exploration, Science and Medicine, Old illustrated books in German, Vintage photographs of German culture, and so much more.  Also seeking anything related to Missionaries and Diplomats in China (pre-1949).  Also buying books in the Chinese language, especially art and books on antiques, Chinese works of art on paper, including photographs.

We are also looking for anything related to Japanese POW camps in Canada.  Missionaries in British Columbia and the Prairies.

 If you have something special, give us a call.  We will travel almost anywhere in Canada to investigate suitable material.  Thanks in advance!  

Rare Books and Libraries Wanted. Visiting Kelowna + Vernon on Feb. 24/25 2017

Sample items we are interested in.  

 Thanks in Advance!

 

 

 A large archive purchased and then sorted into binders.

SOLD to an Institution.

 

Thanks!

Catalogue 64 Early Voyages, Voyages of Discovery in the Pacific Northwest, and Overland Expeditions to British Columbia Fall 2016

Catalogue 64

Now available for downloading

 

 

Catalog 63 just published. ARCTIC AND NORTHERN REGIONS. Rare Arctic books.

NEW ARRIVALS: Musician Signed Photographs - Rachmaninoff, Heifetz, Segovia, Menhuin, Van Cliburn, and many more.

We recently acquired a great group of Musician signed vintage photographs including famous musicians such as Rachmaninoff, Heifetz, Segovia, Menhuin, Van Cliburn, and many more.

See our listings on abebooks

 We have also acquired vintage and exotic Travel Photographs from places such as Ceylon,  Malaysia,  Venice,  China,  Burma, Egypt ...
(Please enquire)

Included in the new arrivals, we have acquired

ARCTIC BOOKS AND TRAVEL BOOKS 

Captain Cook's Third Voyage

Cook,Captain James; King, Captain James. A VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN.Undertaken by the Command of His Majesty, for Making Discoveries in theNorthern Hemisphere. Performed Under the Direction of Captains Cook,  Clerke, and Gore, in the Years 1776, 1777,1778, 1779, and 1780. Being a Copious, Comprehensive, and Satisfactory Abridgement of the Voyage. 4 Volumes. London:  Printed for John Stockdale, etc. 1784. First 8vo edition. 370pp (17 plates) + 359pp (11plates) + 400pp (16 plates) + 310pp (4 plates) + 60pp of  Index and List of the Subscribers (Complete: 48engraved plates + 1  large folding chart).  Bound in full contemporary tree calf with ornate gilt tooling, highly decorative spines with gilt titles on red and green labels. Marbled end papers. Overall a Fine set, with pages and plates clean.

Includes a folding view of "The Death of Cook" not found with the first edition. This publication is based on the official account of Cook's Third Voyage, but was adapted for a wider public by leaving out technical details. The plates are based on those found in the first edition, but have been re-engraved for this edition.

SOLD 

 

Belcher, Edward.  THE LAST OF THE ARCTIC VOYAGES. Being a Narrative of the Expedition in H.M.S. Assistance, Under the Command of Captain Sir Edward Belcher, C.B., in Search of Sir John Franklin, during the Years 1852-53-54.  With Notes on the Natural History, by Sir John Richardson, Professor Owen, Thomas Bell, J.W. Salter, and Lovell Reeve.  London: Lovell Reeve, 1855.  2 volumes.  xx + 383pp; vii + 419pp.  36 lithographic plates (12 of which are coloured), 25 text illustrations, 4 charts (3 of which are folding).  Early 20^th Century half crimson morocco and cloth boards, raised bands, gilt.    An attractively bound set. 

Belcher led the Admiralty-sponsored five-ship expedition to Wellington Channel in the spring of 1852.  Dividing the squadron into 2 parts, with the North Star remaining at Beechey Island as a base, Belcher sailed with the Assistance and the Pioneer under Sherard Osborn through the Wellington Channel.  The expedition made numerous discoveries there and subsequent sledging parties discovered further islands on their journeys westward.  At this time, the other two expedition ships, Resolute and Intrepid, rescued the crew of M’Clure’s Investigator expedition, also searching for Franklin and the first to travel through the North West passage.  Belcher finally sailed back towards Lancaster Sound, but the expedition ships were unable to penetrate the pack ice and all were eventually abandoned, the crews returning to the North Star.  On his return home, Belcher was court-martialled for his decision to abandon the expedition ships, but acquitted.  [AB 1241] 

SOLD

We have recently acquired a small collection of rare arctic books.

RARE BIRD BOOK COLLECTION 

Lesson, R. P.  HISTOIRE NATURELLE DES OISEAUX DE PARADIS ET DES ÉPIMAQUES. Paris: Arthus Bertrand.  [1834-1835]. First edition. 4to --Large paper copy. [4] + viii +248pp + [4]. 43 beautiful hand coloured plates ( some large plates double page )--printed in colour and finished by hand by Jean Gabriel Prêtre and Paul Louis Oudart. In near contemporary deluxe full morocco, probably by a French bookbinder, with ornate arabesque corners front and back boards. Handsome copy with plates brightly coloured.

René Primevère Lesson (1794-1849) was a surgeon on board the "Coquille" on Duperrey's circumnavigation of the Pacific (1822 to 1825). Lesson's work on this voyage earned him a place among the prominent French naturalists of the period, including Dumont d'Urville (who was second-in-command on the voyage). The book was initially issued in parts, in 8vo format. This copy intended as a large paper copy, measuring thus 12" x 9", instead of 9" x 6".   Listed in FINE BIRD BOOKS.

From the J. Fenwick Lansdowne Bird Book collection who is best known in British Columbia for BIRDS OF THE WEST COAST, 2 volumes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenwick_Lansdowne

Phone for the price 1 888 869-5459   Catalog anticipated early Summer 2016

One of the thrills of working as an antiquarian bookseller is to be offered private libraries. In the summer of 2015, we acquired a notable collection which nearly filled the van.

Your Inquiries are welcome 1 888 869-5459