Special Books from Australia, the South Seas, and More from Hordern House
Rare view from the Beagle; Gonneville book.
James Cook is probably the most noted of the Australian explorers, though his three voyages took him well beyond that continent, as far away as Alaska. His discoveries were far too numerous to mention, but perhaps the most significant was his disproving the long held belief in the existence of the aforementioned massive southern continent. Item 9 is a complete set of the first Irish edition of the official account of his voyages, seven volumes with dates of 1775, 1775, and 1784. AU $21,000 (US $13,600).
Item 3 is another complete set of voyages, one that eventually provided one of the most important scientific discoveries ever. This is the four-volume (including the appendix to volume 3) report on the voyage of the Beagle. The set is titled Narrative of the Surveying Voyages of His Majesty's Ships Adventure and Beagle Between the Years 1826 and 1831... The first voyage by the two ships ran from 1826-1830 and the second, by just the Beagle, from 1831-1836. The second included a circumnavigation of the globe, which brought the ship to Australia. However, it was time spent around South America that proved to be momentous for science. That was when young naturalist Charles Darwin began examining the natural history of the area. His observations would lead to the later development of his theory of natural selection, or evolution. The first two volumes are narratives by Robert Fitzroy, who captained the second voyage and whose great interest in scientific discovery led him to select Darwin as naturalist. The third volume is Darwin's account of his discoveries. AU $68,000 (US $44,044).
Item 4 is a very rare, pre-Darwin Beagle item: View of the Strait of Magellan, &c. This series of lithographic views was produced by the British Hydrographic Office in 1831 in evidently a very limited quantity. It includes 42 lithographs of views from the first voyage of the Adventure and Beagle. Most of the drawings were created by W.W. Wilson, a mate on the Adventure, though several others contributed to the portfolio. Hordern House notes that this work was not "published" in the standard use of the term, and that they have found it mentioned in no bibliographies. It was likely produced by the Hydrographic Office for internal use only. AU $48,000 (US $31,090).
Hordern House may be reached at +61 (0) 2 9356 4411 or rare@hordern.com. Their website is found at www.hordern.com.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 156: Cornelis de Jode, Americae pars Borealis, double-page engraved map of North America, Antwerp, 1593.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 206: John and Alexander Walker, Map of the United States, London and Liverpool, 1827.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 223: Abraham Ortelius, Typus Orbis Terrarum, hand-colored double-page engraved world map, Antwerp, 1575.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 233: Aaron Arrowsmith, Chart of the World, oversize engraved map on 8 sheets, London, 1790 (circa 1800).
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 239: Fielding Lucas, A General Atlas, 81 engraved maps and diagrams, Baltimore, 1823.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 240: Anthony Finley, A New American Atlas, 15 maps engraved by james hamilton young on 14 double-page sheets, Philadelphia, 1826.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 263: John Bachmann, Panorama of the Seat of War, portfolio of 4 double-page chromolithographed panoramic maps, New York, 1861.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 265: Sebastian Münster, Cosmographei, Basel: Sebastian Henricpetri, 1558.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 271: Abraham Ortelius, Epitome Theatri Orteliani, Antwerp: Johann Baptist Vrients, 1601.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 283: Joris van Spilbergen, Speculum Orientalis Occidentalisque Indiae, Leiden: Nicolaus van Geelkercken for Jodocus Hondius, 1619.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 285: Levinus Hulsius, Achtzehender Theil der Newen Welt, 14 engraved folding maps, Frankfurt: Johann Frederick Weiss, 1623.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 341: John James Audubon, Carolina Parrot, Plate 26, London, 1827.
Sotheby’s Book Week December 9-17, 2025
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 1997, first edition, hardback issue, inscribed by the author pre-publication. £100,000 to £150,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Autograph sketchleaf including a probable draft for the E flat Piano Quartet, K.493, 1786. £150,000 to £200,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Hooke, Robert. Micrographia: or some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies made by Magnifying Glasses. London: James Allestry for the Royal Society, 1667. $12,000 to $15,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Chappuzeau, Samuel. The history of jewels, first edition in English. London: T.N. for Hobart Kemp, 1671. $12,000 to $18,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Sowerby, James. Exotic Mineralogy, containing his most realistic mineral depictions, London: Benjamin Meredith, 1811, Arding and Merrett, 1817. $5,000 to $7,000.
![<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 11:</b> Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] <i>Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society,</i> Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/00d5fd41-2542-4a80-b119-4886d4b9925f.png "<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 11:</b> Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] <i>Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society,</i> Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.")
