Rare books from David Spilman Fine Books, ABAA & IOBA

London: H. Whitridge, 1748. First Edition. Near Fine. 8vo [8x5.5in]; xxviii, 1-96, 89-96 (repeated in [ ]), 97-336, 344 pp., frontispiece folding map of North West Passage and track of ships from England to Hudson's Bay [7x17.5in], nine plates of illustrations with five folding, chapter heading and ending designs; Contemporary mottle calf binding rebacked with ribbed and ruled gilt spine with original spine label, all edges trimmed, head and tail bands; Some shelf wear to edges, covers and corners, overall nice patina and wear, no foxing to map, illustrations or text, folding map and illustrations are in fine condition, hinges repaired and reinforced, binding glue offset to end papers, armorial bookplate of John Lewis along with modern bookplate of Beekman Pool on front end paper, small ink signature of J. Lewis on title page, contemporary, likely John Lewis, handwritten list of illustrations on p. xxviii [did not list illustration on p. 36]. [Hill 540, NMM 798, Sabin 22312, Cooke p.462]. Henry… Read More

Bruxelles: Imprimerie Scientifque Charles Bulens, Ed, 1902. First Edition. Near Fine. In French, 8vo [10x6.75in]; [1-6], 7-94 pp., [2], frontispiece image of Gerlache, image of Belgica in ice on title page, 5 maps [1 full page color, 1 full page black and white, 3 in text], 14 full page photo illustrations, 36 photo illustrations in text, 1 ship plan and 2 sketches in text, red,yellow and blue silk ribbon bookmark; Three-quarter red cloth with yellow marbled paper covers, gilt lettering and crest on front left cloth panel and spine plain, marbled end papers, top edge gilt, other edges untrimmed; Minor shelf wear to edges, typical cracks between some signatures at spine; Tipped in Brussels Book seller card. [Taurus 15, Rosove 147.C1b]. This abridged edition was issued by Bulens after sales were lagging from the true first deluxe edition issued earlier in 1902. The Hachette and G. Lebègue editions were printed later in the same year. This smaller edition was, from the Taurus, "... extracted from his… Read More

Philadelphia: Childs & Peterson, et al., 1856. First Edition. Very Good. in two volumes, 8vo [9x6.25in]; Vol. I - 464 pp., frontispiece of Kane, large fold out map, numerous illustrations in text and 12 plates with tissue guard; Vol. II - 467 pp., frontispiece of Grinnell, fold out map, 7 plates with tissue guard; Dark brown cloth covers with blind stamped embossed ship in ice and border designs on front, gilt lettering on spine, dark brown coated end papers, all edges trimmed; Some shelf wear to both volumes to edges, all corners bumped and cloth worn through, chipping at top and bottom of spine, some rubbing to covers and boards bowed, minor foxing thought out, period prior owner ink name on front free end paper, Vol. I has 1" split in rear top gutter, Vol. II rear hinge starting to crack, fold out map edges tanned and chipped from mis fold. [Arctic Biblio 8373, Howgego III K3, Hill 904]. Elisha Kane (1820-57) was a Navy Medical Officer and polar explorer. He participated in the first American… Read More

San Jose: Self Published [San Jose Notta Bros.], 1916. First Edition. Good. , limited to 300 [9.25x6.25in]; 68 pp., [2], six leaves of halftone portraits of Jayhawkers and illustrated scenes; Brown stiff paper wrappers with gilt stamped lettering on front, brown endpapers, stapled binding, covers extend beyond text block; Age wear to paper covers with creases and chips on all edges and corners, missing 1/4" bottom spine, several small stain and ink spots on covers faded and gilt lettering dulled, offset of 1920 newspaper article tipped in on the death of Stephens and prior owner ink signature on front leaf, oval stain on upper fore edge of first 12 pages, age toning of text throughout; Overall condition of this type and material quality is Very Good. [Kurutz 601, Cowan II p. 613, Graff 3972, Howell 50 1636, Adams 2136]. Lorenzo Dow Stephens (1827-1921) was part of a an Illinois company that left for California in March 1849. The company traveled to Fort Laramie, South Pass, Fort Bridger and Salt… Read More

Salem: Newcomb & Gauss, 1900. First Edition. Very Good. [9.5x6.5in] 251 pp. frontispiece image of Author's log cabin and miners, 25 plates and 12 in text sketches by the Author; Dark blue cloth covers with gilt lettering on front and spine, blind stamped borders on covers, all edges trimmed; Some shelf wear and soiling to covers, edges and corners bumped and frayed, spotting wear to top front cover and spine with some loss of spine text, closed tear to lower title page, age toning to page edges, front hinge cracked. [Kurutz Alaska 623, Arctic Biblio 19606, Wickersham 80, Graff 4712, Ricks p.259 ]. Captain James D. Winchester caught the Alaskan gold fever and joined the Lynn Mining Company in 1897. Typical of the mining companies of the California gold rush 50 years earlier, the Lynn company bought a schooner and sailed to San Francisco through the Straits of Magellan and then took a steamer to Seattle, a barque to Alaska and then paddlewheel to St. Michaels and then up the Yukon river. The book is a… Read More

Los Angeles: Glen Dawson and the Plantin Press [Saul and Lillian Marks], 1956. First Edition. Near Fine. Limited to 200 copies with the hand-colored plates, [7.5x5.25in]; xi, [2], 113 pp. [1] colophon, 10 colored illustrations by Mary Helen Dawson; Light maroon patterned paper covers with maroon back strip, paper label with red lettering on spine, red lettering on light green field on front, top edge trimmed and others untrimmed, Minimal shelf wear to edges with minor rubbing to top and bottom of spine, spine and label faded, offset shadow and light glue residue from removed bookplate on front end paper. [Rudkin p. 173]. Abel du Petit-Thouars (1793-1864) was a French explorer of the Pacific. In 1840, a book on his journey and the navigation and scientific findings was published in a series of volumes. This is a translation of a portion of Chapter X and all of Chapter XI on the portion of his travels to California and long stay in Monterey. Glen Dawson (1912-2016) was an American rock climber,… Read More

New York: D. Appleton & Company, 1854. First Edition. Very Good. In two volumes, 8vo [8.75x5.75in]; Vol. I - xxii, fold out map [General Map | Showing the Countries Explored & Surveyed | by the United States & Mexican | Boundary Commission | in the years 1850, 51, 52, & 53 | Under the direction of | John R. Bartlett | U.S. Commissioner], 506 pp., fold out lithograph Frontispiece of Fort Yuma, 29 woodcuts in text and 3 on plates and 6 plates tinted lithograph illustrations, Vol. II, xvii, 624 pp., fold out Lithograph Frontispiece of Ruins at Casas Grandes, 33 woodcuts in text and 26 on plates and 10 plates tinted lithograph illustrations [includes Tucson plate not listed] , appendices and index; Later binding of tan half calf-backed marbled covers with raised ribbed gilt lettered and decorative spine, marbled end papers [appears to have been rebound in early 1900's by the Rose Bindery, Boston], [also appears to have a second rebinding with replaced marbled covers, end papers, and possible text block… Read More

London: Chatto and Windus, 1938. First Edition, 1st Printing. Very Good/Very Good. [10x7.75in]; xv, [1], 295 pp., [1], frontispiece image of Penola's deck, 80 plates of 121 sepia toned images, 4 color maps (3 folding), 4 maps and 3 diagrams in text, appendices and index; Original green cloth covers, red paper spine label with gilt lettered, top and fore edges trimmed, bottom edge untrimmed; Sepia toned dust jacket with white and black lettering on front and spine, image of ice filled bay and glacier covered mountains; Minor shelf wear to covers edges and corners, several dents along top back edge and area of darkening to lower back cover, top edges and text soiled, minor foxing spots along all text edges, old prior owner ink signature on front end paper, Steve Fossett bookplate on paste down front end paper; Dust jacket aged toned, soiled edges and spots with surface rubbing on joint edges, several small scrapes on back, several small chips and closed tears along edges and corners, minor crease… Read More

Chicago: The John C. Winston Company, 1935. First Edition. Near Fine/Very Good. Inscribed by David Irwin, [8.75x6.25in]; x, 254 pp., frontispiece image of David Irwin, 14 plates of 16 black and white images; Green cloth covers with black ink lettering and illustration of dog sled team on front, gilt lettering on spine; Arctic maps and routes on end papers, all edges trimmed; Dark blue dust jacket with white and black lettering on front and spine, illustration of dog sled team and aurora on a globe, image and Irwin biography on back; Minimal shelf wear, back hinge loose; Some shelf wear to dust jacket with chips and closed tears along edges and corners, top and bottom of spine chipped with minor loss of text, long repaired split along front and back spine, some soiling and rubbing to covers and spine, spine slightly darken, inscription on frontispiece by Irwin "To Barney McEntire - The best of pilots & men - Sincerely Your Arctic Friend - David Irwin", tipped in folded plain paper with pencil note to… Read More

New York: The Cadmus Book Shop, 1921. First Edition. Near Fine. Limited to 250 copies, [8.5x6in], 95 pp.; Dark Royal Blue cloth covers with gilt lettering on front and spine, all edges trimmed; Minimal rubbing to corners and spine top and bottom. A near fine copy. [Wagner-Camp 105, Howes W471, Graff 4682]. Joseph Williams (1778-?) was an Indiana Methodist minister, that in 1841, at the age of 63, traveled, independently, overland from Independence, MO to Oregon and back. From a book review in the Washington Historical Quarterly (July, 1921), Williams '... was prompted to make his tour to Oregon ... to preach to the Indians ... and ... see the country. ... This Narrative throws some rather valuable side lights upon the conditions in the Oregon Country notwithstanding the author's frequent digressions upon the wickedness which he everywhere found." From Wagner-Camp, "A few days out [from Independence], he joined the Bartleson Party with whom Father De Smet was traveling [apprehensive about the… Read More

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1949. First Edition. Near Fine/Very Good. [9.5x6.5in]; xxvii, 375 pp., 8 color plates illustrations by Author, appendix (1850 Report to Sec. of State by T. Butler King on California); Black cloth covers with gilt lettering on spine and gilt rules and illustrations on front and spine, yellow dyed top edge, other edged untrimmed; Light green dust jacket with black, white and yellow lettering on front and spine, illustration of San Francisco on front, with black floral pattern on spine, advertisements for Western Americana book series (Oscar Lewis and Robert Glass Cleland, editors) on back; Negligible shelf wear to book, light glue remains of removed bookplate on front end paper; Minor shelf wear to dust jacket with small chips to corners and edges, age darken spine and along edges, light rubbing to surfaces. [Kurutz 618, Volkmann Zamorano 80 #73]. Bayard Taylor (1825-1878) was a travel author, poet and artist. His 1850 two volume book "Eldorado" is his best known work about… Read More

Potts Point NSW: Hordern House, 2004. First Edition. Fine/Fine. [11.25x8.5in]; xi [introduction], 690 pp.,732 articles with 4000 names of persons and ships, index of persons, index of ships; Gray green cloth covers with gilt lettering on front and spine, all edges trimmed, three gold page mark ribbons, light gray illustration of explorers looking at map on a promontory overlooking land on front and back end papers; Pictorial color illustration on dust jacket of Gill painting of Australian "Desert Interior" circa 1846 [also on end papers], black lettering on front and spine; Publisher prospectus tipped in. Raymond Howgego (1946- ) is an independent researcher, scholar and traveler. He has been researching the history of travel and exploration for much of his adult life. His first book in this series, Encyclopedia of Exploration To 1800, was issued in 2003 was the distillation of that research that took some fifteen years to complete. This book is the second in the series and cites more than 10,000… Read More

London: Longmans, Green and Co, 1958. First Edition. Near Fine/Very Good. [9x6in]; 256 pp., four plates with 10 images, one map; Blue cloth covers with gilt lettering on light blue label on spin, all edges trimmed; light green tinted pictorial dust jacket with white lettering on front and spine, image of dog kennel in the ice, advertisement on back; Minimal shelf wear to covers and edges, dusty age toned top edge, bookplate of Steve Fossett on front end paper; Minimal shelf wear to dust jacket, light soiling to covers and darken spine, minor rubbing along edges and corners. [Conrad p. 377]. Jack Bursey (1903-1980) was a polar explorer and US Coast Guard Commander. He was selected by Richard Byrd as a member the Little America expedition (1928-1930) to the Bay of Whales on the Ross Ice Shelf. During his career in the Coast Guard, he was also part of the Byrd U.S. Antarctic Expedition in 1939-41 and the massive Operation Deep Freeze in 1955-57. Operation Deep Freeze was the United States contribution… Read More

Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1932. First Edition. Near Fine/Very Good. [Reprinted from the 1849 edition][5.25x8"]; Maroon cloth covers with gilt lettering on spine and front, gilt illustration of Indians and horses on front; Dark blue and white dust jacket with red lettering on front; xxiv, 63 pp., [1], 2 plates with black/white illustrations, various illustrations and tables in text, 24" fold out profile map of routes to California with elevations, index; Minimal shelf wear to edges; Dust jacket minor soiling with chips to all edges and corners, closed tear at top of spine and front repaired with tape, prior owner ink name on front endpaper. [Kurutz 663b, Wagner-Camp 175]. Joseph E. Ware published The Emigrant's Guide to California in 1849. In the introduction to this reprint Princeton edition, John Caughey wrote that "Joseph E. Ware was the first to attempt a complete description of the best route for the forty-niners." Ware did not make the journey himself and wrote the guide… Read More

New York: Redfield, 1854. First American Edition. Very Good. [First French Edition 1820] 12mo [7.5x5.5in]; 376 pp., [8] advertisements, three plates including frontispiece of Fort Astoria 1813, "second edition" preface by Huntington and appendix [added from French edition]; Original dark green pebbled cloth covers with gilt lettering on spine, blind stamped borders on front and back, all edges trimmed, plain end papers; Minor shelf wear to edges and corners, rubbing and soiling to original covers and corners, top and bottom of spine a little frayed, some foxing to plates and throughout, prior owner calling card tipped in [Graff 1400, Wagner-Camp 16:2]. Gabriel Franchere (1786-1863) was a French Canadian author and explorer of the Pacific Northwest [Wikipedia]. From Wagner-Camp, "In 1810 Franchere sailed on the ship Tonquin to the Columbia River for the founding of Astor's new trading post, Astoria. Franchere remained there from April 1811 to the spring of 1814." He then traveled overland to… Read More