Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - May - 2008 Issue
50 Fine Travel Books from Bernard J. Shapero Rare Books
Would be female emigrants to Australia are forewarned.
Item 31 is The Ascent of Everest by John Hunt. Hunt’s name is not as well known as that of one of his expedition’s members, Edmund Hillary. That is because Hillary was the one to make it to the top, but it was Hunt who led the expedition. His book was published in 1953, and this copy is signed by 13 of the participants in this first climb to reach the top of the world's highest peak, including Hunt and Hillary. £3,000 (US $5,983).
Item 35 is a scarce 1834 cartoon lithograph by W. Newman headed Female Emigration! Dedicated with all Due respect to the Fair sex of Great Britain & Ireland. The emigration described is to Australia, and the story told would certainly discourage any woman from making this journey. The poor women who make this trip are crammed in hammocks and subjected to rough seas. They are fed "a mouldy biscuit and water each per day" while being subjected to sermons from a preacher, while the Captain guzzles three-course meals and desert. They end up "disembarking in the land of felons" to live in poverty. In this case, the poor woman returns to England and commits suicide. At the time, there were attempts to lure women to Australia to try to alleviate the imbalance of men to women in that colony, but obviously not all English males approved. £2,500 (US $4,985).
Bernard J. Shapero Rare Books may be reached at +44 (0)20 7493 0876 or rarebooks@shapero.com. Their website is www.shapero.com.
