item number |
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| 51. | Knowles, John. RECHERCHES SUR LES MOYENS EMPLOYES DANS LA MARINE ANGLAISE POUR LA CONSERVATION DES BOIS ET DES VAISSEAUX... Paris. 1825. xvi, 146 (1) pp. This treatise on preservation of ship’s timbers by Englishman Knowles contains a wealth of information on the construction of English warships at a time when the French were seeking to emulate British techniques. Knowles was a Fellow of the Royal Society, and author of a biography on Fuseli. According to the title page of this work he moonlighted on the Committee of Inspectors of the Royale Marine. Polak 4893. Scarce. No holdings on OCLC. Pretty French period binding, half calf over marbled boards with label, lightly sunned along top edge. $125 |
| 52. | Kohl, J.G. DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE STATE OF MAINE... CONTAINING A HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF MAINE... Portland. 1869. duotone maps, many folding. vii, 535 pp. Northmen, Cabots and subsequent European discoverers of the 16th century. A useful and scholarly collection, with 22 duotone reproductions of early charts and maps, from the Zeni to Mercator’s 1569 map. Haskell, Maine Bib., 656. Some cover wear, but maps and text clean. $125 See Illustration |
| 53. | (Lestock, Richard). VICE-ADM. LESTOCK'S RECAPITULATION. Lon. 1745. 27, (1) pp. “Containing his remarks on the evidence that have been examined, relating to the late miscarriage of His Majesty’s Fleet off Toulon, against the combined fleets of France and Spain.” Small part of a seemingly endless pamphlet war between Lestock and his detractors, regarding Lestock’s conduct in the Battle of Toulon. Matthews, his chief rival, had signaled for support from the rear, which Lestock failed to provide. Lestock prevailed in a court martial, but the controversy kept printers busy for years. In the process much information about Toulon and Royal Navy tactics of that time were revealed. Removed from larger volume. VG $150 |
| 54. | Lewis, Michael. A SOCIAL HISTORY OF THE NAVY. 1793-1815. George Allen & Unwin. Lon. (1960) b/w plates. 467 pp. Social and geographical origins of sailors; recruitment; prospects, conditions and rewards; action, accident and disease. With appendices of casualties in battles and other sorts of losses. An invaluable reference for understanding the Royal Navy. First ed. VG $45 |
| 55. | Lloyd’s Register... YACHT REGISTER.... YACHT REGISTER, FROM 1ST MAY 1896 TO 30 APRIL 1897. Lon. 1896. Color flag plates. 1340 pp. British and American yacht register showing tonnage, rig, name, place of origin, dimensions, designer and builder, owner, place of construction, home port, as well as lists of signal letters, owners who have become masters, etc. 80 full pages color plates of flags and pennants. Accompanied by Supplement no. 1, in wraps. Bound in green cloth with gold lettering and decoration, proclaiming this copy #668, the property of Major E.F. Coates. All edges gilt with brass clasp. The prettiest copy I’ve seen. $250 See Illustration |
| 56. | Lloyd’s Register. LLOYD'S REGISTER OF AMERICAN YACHTS... 1925. NY. 1925. Color plates. Oblong 8vo. 445, 19 pp. With 45 color plates depicting hundreds of club burgees and yacht flags. A very good copy, once the property of Arthur Bloch, with his name printed on the cover. $125 See Illustration |
| 57. | Lyman, Albert. JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE TO CALIFORNIA, AND LIFE IN THE GOLD DIGGINGS, AND ALSO OF A VOYAGE FROM CALIFORNIA TO THE SANDWICH ISLANDS. Hartford. 1852. b/w frontis, plate, wood engraved ills. 192 pp. “Lyman was a member of the Connecticut Mining and Trading Company which took part in the California gold rush... In January of 1851 he left on a voyage to Hawaii. He relates all of these adventures in his book.” - Hill 1047. Cowan calls it, “a very rare and curious book.” Cowan p. 400. Howes rates it a “b” - Howes L-577. And finally, Forbes calls it “an important and very scarce California Gold Rush narrative.” Forbes 1887. Copies were issued in wraps, and in blue and brown blindstamped cloth, with no apparent priority. This copy is in original blue cloth with spine title in gold. Some cover spotting, and some interior foxing, especially to prelims. Overall this is an excellent copy of a scarce and important book. $2250 See Illustration |
| 58. | MacGregor, J. THE ROB ROY ON THE JORDAN... Lon. 1870. Color and b/w plates, ills. xiii, 474 pp. Third edition. “The third of MacGregor’s immensely influential canoeing books... This is probably the best of MacGregor's canoe books...” — Toy 1457. Inscribed “From the Author” on title page. Endpapers renewed, a VG copy. $200 See Illustration |
| 59. | Mackay, William. NARRATIVE OF THE SHIPWRECK OF THE JUNO ON THE COAST OF ARACAN IN THE YEAR MDCCXCV. (Edinburgh) 1892. 12mo. 95, (1) pp. Mackay was second mate on the Juno, which sailed from Rangoon for Madras in questionable shape. After a grounding and two gales she foundered, being kept afloat by her cargo of teakwood. “The crew and passengers got into the mizzen-top and fore-top, without food and water, and continued there until the ship grounded on the coast of Aracan, a part of Burma... There were fourteen survivors... including the captain’s wife and her maid, four passengers, Mackay’s boy and six lascars... Byron read this narrative at school and used it in writing his account of a shipwreck in Canto II of Don Juan.”—Huntress 128C. A Fine bright copy, reprinted for the Clan McKay Society, with new notes and appendices. $125 |
| 60. | Macleod, Allan. STRICTURES ON THE TENTH REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF NAVAL ENQUIRY... Lon. 1805. viii, 96 pp. A virulent attack on the 1802 Commission of Naval Enquiry in general and St. Vincent in particular. Given recent naval successes and the successful suppression of mutinies at Nore and Spithead by St. Vincent, the writer has few hard facts upon which to base his criticism, and confines himself mostly to moral outrage and ad hominem attack. An earlier cataloger has written, “The DNB notes that Mcleod’s pamphlets are all ‘couched in an offensive and conceited style,’ and this one is no exception.” Interesting insight into politics surrounding naval affairs in the age of Nelson. Removed from larger volume. $125 |
| 61. | Manuscript. ACCOUNTS OF BRIGS NIMROD AND JASPER, CAPT. JOHN HILL, WEST INDIES TRADE, 1826-33. Folio, about 50 pp manuscript entries Line item accounting for a voyage of the Nimrod from London and Marseilles to New York and Norfolk, 1827; Antwerp - London, 1828; Philadelphia - West Indies, 1829. Jasper, Madeira - Turks Isl., 1831; West Indies - Pensacola, 1832; and other, similar voyages. With accounts and notes laid in, indicating payments to crewmembers, etc., copies of two letters written by Hill to merchants from Havana, 1832, and port charges in Madeira, Canaries Turks, St. Thomas, Barbados and New Orleans. An interesting and detailed look at the working lives of merchantmen. Bound in calf over marbled boards, VG. $250 See Illustration |
| 62. | Manuscript. LOG OF THE BARK LIZZIE, BOSTON - OTAGO, NZ, 1869-72, WILLIAM PEAK, MASTER. Folio, about 125 pp. manuscript entries. Mostly standard entries on weather, position, shipboard evolutions, written on pre-printed pages, but with occasional lengthy or detailed entries regarding such matters as navigating the waters of New Zealand. They stopped in Hong Kong and Macao and finally returned to England after a journey of ten months. A few interesting notes, such as seeing a waterspout, or, “3 days before our arrival France declared war against Germany, found all lights discontinued...” which must have made for a fairly exciting homecoming. This is followed by a shorter journal of the voyage of the brig Arthur Egglese from the famous slave port of Goree to Boston in 1872. Partially disbound, with back cover lacking. Entries clean and legible. $500 See Illustration |
| 63. | Manuscript. ACCOUNT BOOK OF SHIPOWNER AND MERCHANT JOSIAH BRAGDON (BOSTON) 1817 - 1826. Folio, unpaginated. About 35 pp. manuscript entries. These accounts follow the Brig Forest, 1817, through Wilmington NC to the West Indies; Brig Brutus, Charleston and London, 1818; Ship Ramdolollday(?), Savannah, Cronstadt and Liverpool, 1821-22; Sarah Sheafe, Savannah and Liverpool, 1825-6, and similar entries. The Sarah Sheafe was a fairly well known packet ship. She was launched in New Hampshire in 1824 and these are the earliest entries relating to her that I know of. VG in Marbled wrappers. $300 |
| 64. | Manuscript. INVOICE OF MERCHANDISE AT THE STORE NOW OCCUPIED BY DANIEL KILBY ON STEAM BOAT WHARF AT EASTPORT. Small folio, 6 pp. manuscript entries. Over 200 items with prices give a good sense of the contents of a general store in Maine in the early 19th century. VG $75 |
| 65. | Manuscript. INVOICE OF GOOD LADEN ON BOARD THE SLOPP BENJ. FOR NEWBURY Small folio, one page manuscript. Thirteen items shipped aboard the Benjamin in small quantities - “1 sm bag cotton wool... 1 barrl sugar” etc. An individual’s consignment on a trading voyage, probably up the Hudson. Dated Salem, 1792. Old fold marks, but legible. $75 |
| 66. | Manuscript. FOUR PAGE LETTER FROM BLOCK ISLAND. “Rough passage... pulled into harbor... came within half an inch of running onto the rocks... nothing there but fish works and a smell... the bay completely filled with boats.” And similar details and drollery. VG $75 |
| 67. | Manuscript. INVOICES FOR SUPPLIES FOR PERRY EXPEDITION, JAPAN, 1854. 16 pp. manuscript entries. The invoices are for supplies taken aboard the Powhatan, Southampton, and Mississippi, during the last week in April, 1854. The Japanese had just recently responded favorably to the letters from President Filmore and Perry, and Japan was “open” for the first time. These invoice document goods, mostly foodstuffs, taken aboard Perry’s ships, and the cost of each item. As was customary, they are written in Chinese characters phonetically spelling Japanese and American words - “Total” is “totaru;” “Mississippi” is “Mishishippi.” The items include salmon, eggs, clams, mussels, fowl, sugar, soy, various kinds of wood, sweet potatoes, scallions and charcoal. The invoices are attractively written in Chinese calligraphy on folded rice paper sheets, and bound book style. The are accompanied by a modern English translation, with explanatory notes. An attractive and fascinating artifact; surely one of the earliest documentations of Japanese-American commerce. $9500 See Illustration |
| 68. | Manuscript. LOG OF THE BARK WAVE BOUND ON A WHALING VOYAGE TO THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. 1860-1862, LEONARD COURTNEY, MASTER. Folio, unpaginated. Approximately 160 pp. manuscript entries. Faithful record of position by latitude and longitude, weather, shipboard evolutions, ships spoken and gammed with, whales sighted, chased and caught. With whale stamps marking successful catches, drawings of flukes denoting some that got away, and brief descriptions of each encounter. They departed New Bedford at the end of July 1860, crossed to the Azores, then proceeded south and and west. Finally, in December, they got their first sperm whale off the coast of Brazil. So it went as they criss-crossed the South Atlantic, then returned north and repeated the cycle. A 75 barrel bull came their way that January, as the log’s keeper relates in his miserable spelling, “At 10 AM saw spar whales loar th starboar and west boat. the starbar boat strake and kill him.” Then, ten days later, a 96 barrel bull, a pod of four calves in March, three more babies in April, and then nothing until the next fall, by which time a new logbook keeper (and better speller) has taken over. One gets the sense of a depleted fishery and an arduous trip. Starbuck validates this, reporting that they landed 257 barrels of sperm oil and sent 275 barrels home. A complete log with few gaps, handsome whale stamps and a four page record of stores expended on the two year voyage. According to Lund and Sherman no other journals of this voyage exist in institutional holdings. Bound in calf over boards, with spine partially chipped away. Pages clean and sewing tight. $6000 See Illustration |
| 69. | Manuscript. WHALING LOG. “REMARKS ON BOARD BARK FALCON OF NEW BEDFORD, P.B. HANDY MASTER.” 1882-1886. Folio. 288 pp., most with manuscript entries. According to Hegarty the Falcon spent 4 years in the Atlantic and returned 1400 barrels of sperm oil - an excellent haul for this late a date in the Atlantic, and the beginning of the last decade of truly successful sperm whaling. The log commences with their departure from New Bedford October 31. Instead of repairing to the Western Islands, the Falcon headed south, reaching 76 South by the end of December. After a fairly successful winter, they put in at St. Helena to transship oil and five of the crew jumped overboard to desert. The mates lowered boats and calmly rounded up the swimmers, who were confined until the ship was out to sea. Either Handy was a savvy captain or he was having a good run of luck. Captures continued throughout 1883. In July of that year a whale stove a boat, and a crewman named Louis Varela was lost. Another boat killed the whale, and not until he was made fast did anyone bother with the occupants of the stove boat. Those were the days! This is an action packed log of a lengthy trip, rich in its accumulation of detail - deserters, discharges and men advanced are noted by name - kept by two different individuals at least. No whale stamps, but a listing at the back of the log of “Oil shipped from Bark Falcon by Schooner Lottie Beard.” This list indicates much more oil shipped than the 1400 barrels cited by Hegarty. Close study of the text would be needed to resolve the discrepancy. Bound in half calf over marbled boards, backstrip worn away and sewing loose. Text clean. A very interesting log of a whaling voyage for which, according to Sherman and Lund, no other logs exist in institutional holdings. $5000 See Illustration |
| 70. | Manuscript. CHARTER PARTY. SCHOONER NANCY, JOHN STANTON MASTER, WILLIAM ROSS AND SAMUEL OSBORNE, OWNERS. JAMAICA, 1790. Folio, 3 pp. manuscript entries. Stanton was to proceed from St. Ann’s Bay to Portsmouth, VA and carry goods from a factory there to Yorktown, and then back to St, Ann’s Bay. The Nancy was carrying staves and shingles, and very specific instructions follow for their sale, disbursement of monies received, and contingency plans, as well as Stanton’s obligations to the ship and the owners. Spilt at horizontal fold, but complete and legible. $150 |
| 71. | Maury, M.F. EXPLANATIONS AND SAILING DIRECTIONS TO ACCOMPANY THE WIND AND CURRENT CHARTS. Wash. 1858-9. b/w and hand colored plates and charts. 2 vol. xxxvi. 383 (39 + 24 plates and maps); vii-874 (vi plates) pp. A highly influential work, with its wealth of scientific information on the oceans, weather and currents, sailing directions, abstract logs. Maury’s work was the final factor bringing the art of navigation into the realm of science. Results were immediately reflected in improved passage times. Eighth edition, revised and enlarged. Volume I is devoted to Maury’s pioneering work in oceanography. Vol. II contains very specific and detailed information on passages at various seasons. This is a very handsome set in full calf bindings with black and gilt spine labels. Backstrip ov vol I. has been laid down. Text and plates, including the double page handcolored “Approaches to Sandy Hook, 1855,” are clean and fresh. $500 See Illustration |
| 72. | Mitchell, W. F. THE ROYAL NAVY Portsmouth, 1881. Color plates. 2 vols. 4to. Unpaginated. 50 color plates with text. “In a series of illustrations lithographed in colors, from original sources, by W.F. Mitchell, esq., with letterpress descriptions.” Some foxing to text and margins, but luminous color plates are clean. These include the Victory, the royal yacht Victoria and Albert, and the Challenger. Done to the nines in fancy full crimson morocco with gold spine and cover decorations and gilt inner dentelles. Minor wear, but still an impressive set. $2500 See Illustration |
| 73. | Morris, Paul C. and Joseph F. Morin. THE ISLAND STEAMERS. Nantucket, 1977. b/w plates. 4to. ix, 196 pp. Steamboats to Nantucket and the Vineyard, from 1818 on. First edition. VG, dj. $125 See Illustration |
| 74. | (Nautical Instrument). BOXED MARINER’S POCKET COMPASS. This charming instrument is set in a wooden case measuring 2 1/2 inches square, with a functional compass needle over a fully drawn compass rose, and all the “points” lettered and articulated in degrees. On the inner part of the top is a circular instrument maker’s label, “Compasses Made & Repaired by S. Thompson, Yarmouth.” We’d like it to be Yarmouth Maine or Mass., but it could just as easily be Yarmouth England. Judging by the letterforms it dates from the late 18th century. Very Good condition, with wooden box, brass retaining ring and hinges intact and functional. $350 See Illustration |
| 75. | Neeser, Robert Wilden. OUR MANY-SIDED NAVY. New Haven. 1914. b/w plates. ix, 220 pp. First printing. Informal propaganda written to bolster the Navy’s image in the public and Congressional eyes. Excellent vintage photographs. VG $45 |