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The Indian Alps and How We Crossed Them -
Nina Elizabeth Mazuchelli
1876 - Longmans, London - First Edition
A handsome volume of this enduring work on mountaineering, the enthusiastic and irrepressible narrative of Nina Elizabeth Mazuchelli who, together with her Army chaplain husband, Francis, and their friend ‘C’ (the District Officer) traversed the Nepal-Sikkim frontier along the Singalila Ridge – they almost reached the Tibetan border before a blizzard forced them to turn back.
Despite their retreat, Mrs Mazuchelli was the first English woman to travel so far into the eastern Himalayas.
Profusely illustrated with 10 full page chromolithographic plates and numerous in-text drawings and sketches by the author, together with a folding map of Sikkim, the travelling party’s route marked in colour.
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Price HK$ 5,000
1876 - Longmans, London - First Edition
A handsome volume of this enduring work on mountaineering, the enthusiastic and irrepressible narrative of Nina Elizabeth Mazuchelli who, together with her Army chaplain husband, Francis, and their friend ‘C’ (the District Officer) traversed the Nepal-Sikkim frontier along the Singalila Ridge – they almost reached the Tibetan border before a blizzard forced them to turn back. Despite their retreat, Mrs Mazuchelli was the first English woman to travel so far into the eastern Himalayas.
Profusely illustrated with 10 full page chromolithographic plates and numerous in-text drawings and sketches by the author, together with a folding map of Sikkim, the travelling party’s route marked in colour.
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Price HK$ 5,000
The Sand Pebbles -
Richard McKenna
1963 - Victor Gollancz, London - First English Edition
Fine copy in nice bright unclipped and scarce dust jacket. The story of a US naval river boat based on the Yangtze river in 1925, the author served for ten years in the US Navy in the Far East, two of them on a Yangtze River gunboat.
The basis for the film starring Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough, Richard Crenna and Candice Bergen. Later republished by the U. S. Naval Institute as part of their ‘Classics of Naval Literature’ series.
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Price HK$ 2,500
1963 - Victor Gollancz, London - First English Edition
Fine copy in nice bright unclipped and scarce dust jacket. The story of a US naval river boat based on the Yangtze river in 1925, the author served for ten years in the US Navy in the Far East, two of them on a Yangtze River gunboat.The basis for the film starring Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough, Richard Crenna and Candice Bergen. Later republished by the U. S. Naval Institute as part of their ‘Classics of Naval Literature’ series.
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Price HK$ 2,500
Across East African Glaciers -
Hans Meyer
1891 - George Philip & Son, London - First Edition in English
A superb example of the first edition, in the publisher’s original and first state illustrated cover highlighting the snow in white and additional colour to the tents and clearing, described by Neate as ‘a most handsome volume’. With mounted chromolithographed frontispiece, three folding colour maps, eight mounted photographic plates, and twelve photogravures
‘Hans Meyer was a geologist and experienced climber who made four trips to the Kilimanjaro region in 1887-1889 culminating in his successful ascent – the first undisputed summit of Kibo, 19,340 feet, the highest of the mountain's three peaks – in 1889. In an earlier attempt, Meyer and his companion Oscar Baumann had the misfortune to arrive in the midst of an Arab revolt against German traders on the East African coast. They were captured and held hostage until a substantial ransom was paid. Meyer's ultimate success has been attributed to his recognition that the greatest obstacle to achieving the summit was the lack of food in the upper regions. He brought a sizeable and well organized party and established several camps on the mountain, allowing him to make multiple attempts at the summit without descending to the base. His lively and highly readable account of the expedition is arguably the most important work on African mountaineering.’ - Walkabout Books.
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Price HK$ 40,000
1891 - George Philip & Son, London - First Edition in English
A superb example of the first edition, in the publisher’s original and first state illustrated cover highlighting the snow in white and additional colour to the tents and clearing, described by Neate as ‘a most handsome volume’. With mounted chromolithographed frontispiece, three folding colour maps, eight mounted photographic plates, and twelve photogravures‘Hans Meyer was a geologist and experienced climber who made four trips to the Kilimanjaro region in 1887-1889 culminating in his successful ascent – the first undisputed summit of Kibo, 19,340 feet, the highest of the mountain's three peaks – in 1889. In an earlier attempt, Meyer and his companion Oscar Baumann had the misfortune to arrive in the midst of an Arab revolt against German traders on the East African coast. They were captured and held hostage until a substantial ransom was paid. Meyer's ultimate success has been attributed to his recognition that the greatest obstacle to achieving the summit was the lack of food in the upper regions. He brought a sizeable and well organized party and established several camps on the mountain, allowing him to make multiple attempts at the summit without descending to the base. His lively and highly readable account of the expedition is arguably the most important work on African mountaineering.’ - Walkabout Books.
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Price HK$ 40,000
A Literary History of Scotland -
John Hepburn Millar
1903 - T. Fisher Unwin, London - Number 6 of 25 copies.
A finely bound limited edition of this detailed work. Over 700 pages with chapters covering Scottish poetry, prose, reviews, histories and novels.
‘Miller’s scholarly A Literary History of Scotland was for many years the standard work on Scottish Literature and remains a useful work of reference. In it he maintained his attack on the then fashionable Kailyard writers (late 19th-century movement in Scottish fiction characterised by a sentimental idealisation of humble village life), whom he had first criticised in the April 1895 issue of The New Review.’ - Famous Scots
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Price HK$ 3,000
1903 - T. Fisher Unwin, London - Number 6 of 25 copies.
A finely bound limited edition of this detailed work. Over 700 pages with chapters covering Scottish poetry, prose, reviews, histories and novels.‘Miller’s scholarly A Literary History of Scotland was for many years the standard work on Scottish Literature and remains a useful work of reference. In it he maintained his attack on the then fashionable Kailyard writers (late 19th-century movement in Scottish fiction characterised by a sentimental idealisation of humble village life), whom he had first criticised in the April 1895 issue of The New Review.’ - Famous Scots
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Price HK$ 3,000
Around the United States by Bicycle -
Claude C. Murphey
1906 - Raynor & Taylor, Detroit - First Edition
An near fine and extremely rare copy of this wonderful book, profusely illustrated with drawings by Eustace Paul Ziegler, and by photograph plates from photographs taken by Clarence M. Darling.
The story of how a pair of young men, Clarence M. Darling and Claude C. Murphy, bicycled across the United States on a wager. The terms were that the entire journey was to be completed in 1 year and 6 months time, and without a penny to their name, any funds used had to be raised from the sale of an aluminum card-receiver or ash-tray, they were not allowed to beg, work, borrow, nor steal.
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Price HK$ 7,000
1906 - Raynor & Taylor, Detroit - First Edition
An near fine and extremely rare copy of this wonderful book, profusely illustrated with drawings by Eustace Paul Ziegler, and by photograph plates from photographs taken by Clarence M. Darling.The story of how a pair of young men, Clarence M. Darling and Claude C. Murphy, bicycled across the United States on a wager. The terms were that the entire journey was to be completed in 1 year and 6 months time, and without a penny to their name, any funds used had to be raised from the sale of an aluminum card-receiver or ash-tray, they were not allowed to beg, work, borrow, nor steal.
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Price HK$ 7,000
The English Lakes (In the neighbourhood of Keswick and Penrith) -
Nelson
1868 - T. Nelson & Sons, London - First Edition
12 Chromolithograph plates of the area. Original blue cloth, lettered and blocked in gilt with a colour-printed and varnished paper title in the centre panel.
Nelson's began colour printing in 1857 and `over the next two years greatly improved their use of just five inks to create extremely convincing full-colour chromolithographs.' Gascoigne discusses their `Series of views', attractive collections of souvenir prints for tourists, at some length and notes that they were frequently updated to reflect changes. He also states that Nelson launched their series of `Pictorial guide-books' in 1869 bound in paper covers.
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Price HK$ 1,200
1868 - T. Nelson & Sons, London - First Edition
12 Chromolithograph plates of the area. Original blue cloth, lettered and blocked in gilt with a colour-printed and varnished paper title in the centre panel. Nelson's began colour printing in 1857 and `over the next two years greatly improved their use of just five inks to create extremely convincing full-colour chromolithographs.' Gascoigne discusses their `Series of views', attractive collections of souvenir prints for tourists, at some length and notes that they were frequently updated to reflect changes. He also states that Nelson launched their series of `Pictorial guide-books' in 1869 bound in paper covers.
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Price HK$ 1,200
Notes on Nursing: What it is, and What it is Not -
Florence Nightingale
Circa 1860-64 - Harrison, London - Early Edition
‘Every woman, or at least almost every woman, in England has, at one time or another in her life, charge of the personal health of somebody, whether child or invalid, – in other words, every woman is a nurse.’
One of the earliest editions of Florence Nightingale’s seminal work on nursing – the first of its kind ever to be published – which sets out her principles of care for the sick and injured, with advice and practices under chapters entitled ‘Observations of the Sick’, ‘Personal Cleanliness’, ‘Bed and Bedding’, ‘Cleanliness of Rooms’, ‘Taking Food’, ‘Ventilation and Warming’, and ‘Health in Houses’.
‘The book was the first of its kind ever to be written. It appeared at a time when the simple rules of health were only beginning to be known, when its topics were of vital importance not only for the well-being and recovery of patients, when hospitals were riddled with infection, when nurses were still mainly regarded as ignorant, uneducated persons. The book has, inevitably, its place in the history of nursing, for it was written by the founder of modern nursing’ – Joan Quixley, head of the Nightingale School of Nursing, 1974.
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Price HK$ 11,500
Circa 1860-64 - Harrison, London - Early Edition
‘Every woman, or at least almost every woman, in England has, at one time or another in her life, charge of the personal health of somebody, whether child or invalid, – in other words, every woman is a nurse.’One of the earliest editions of Florence Nightingale’s seminal work on nursing – the first of its kind ever to be published – which sets out her principles of care for the sick and injured, with advice and practices under chapters entitled ‘Observations of the Sick’, ‘Personal Cleanliness’, ‘Bed and Bedding’, ‘Cleanliness of Rooms’, ‘Taking Food’, ‘Ventilation and Warming’, and ‘Health in Houses’.
‘The book was the first of its kind ever to be written. It appeared at a time when the simple rules of health were only beginning to be known, when its topics were of vital importance not only for the well-being and recovery of patients, when hospitals were riddled with infection, when nurses were still mainly regarded as ignorant, uneducated persons. The book has, inevitably, its place in the history of nursing, for it was written by the founder of modern nursing’ – Joan Quixley, head of the Nightingale School of Nursing, 1974.
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Price HK$ 11,500
Wine, Women and War: A Diary of Disillusionment -
Howard Vincent O’Brien, Karl Edwin Harriman (introduction)
1927 - William Heinemann Ltd., London - First English Edition
A superb example, in a rare dust jacket designed by K Romney Towndrow.
As a 28 year old Yale educated American officer, O’Brien gets shipped off to France and is appointed 1st Lieutenant Field Artillery, [November 1917], and “later was later attached to "Intelligence" and worked behind the front lines. His wartime journal was kept in a series of small black books in a half shorthand of his own devisement, but quite readily translatable.”
“Written with perfect candor for the eyes of its author only, the necessity for the author's original anonymity will be apparent to every reader. Authentic from the first word to the last, it is precisely what it appears to be-the undramatized record of the actions and reactions, recorded almost at the moment of their execution and perception, of one young American, who, given an undramatic part to play in one of the greatest dramas the world has ever witnessed, played it through to the final curtain. And, while playing it through, he recorded some of the most perceptive observations ever written about the Allied armies, France and its people and of the Germans” [from the introduction by Karl Edwin Harriman].
It is indeed a wonderfully entertaining and frank account, despite being in a diary format it flows well, energetic, and with a humour that can only flourish during wartime.
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Price HK$ 5,500
1927 - William Heinemann Ltd., London - First English Edition
A superb example, in a rare dust jacket designed by K Romney Towndrow.As a 28 year old Yale educated American officer, O’Brien gets shipped off to France and is appointed 1st Lieutenant Field Artillery, [November 1917], and “later was later attached to "Intelligence" and worked behind the front lines. His wartime journal was kept in a series of small black books in a half shorthand of his own devisement, but quite readily translatable.”
“Written with perfect candor for the eyes of its author only, the necessity for the author's original anonymity will be apparent to every reader. Authentic from the first word to the last, it is precisely what it appears to be-the undramatized record of the actions and reactions, recorded almost at the moment of their execution and perception, of one young American, who, given an undramatic part to play in one of the greatest dramas the world has ever witnessed, played it through to the final curtain. And, while playing it through, he recorded some of the most perceptive observations ever written about the Allied armies, France and its people and of the Germans” [from the introduction by Karl Edwin Harriman].
It is indeed a wonderfully entertaining and frank account, despite being in a diary format it flows well, energetic, and with a humour that can only flourish during wartime.
More details
Price HK$ 5,500