Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - October - 2008 Issue
Egodocuments, Biographies, etc., on Maritime and Colonial Exploration from Bestebreurtje Rare Books
One of 96 18th century diplomatic letters offered as item 539.
Here is one more work of "art." It is a satirical drawing of an exaggerated island native behind a palm tree staring at a British official making notes of some sort. We are not sure exactly what the point was in this 19th century drawing pictured on the cover of this catalogue. Item 578. €295 (US $427).
Here is another adventure of more recent variety: Desperate Voyage. This is a later edition of a book that recounts author John Caldwell's adventures at sea following the Second World War. Caldwell was a merchant marine who had married while in Australia, but then was shipped back stateside. Having no way to get back to her, he took a steamer to Panama, hoping to find transportation. None was available, so he purchased a sloop and set sail by himself. He had no experience sailing, relying on a book he brought along for on-the-spot training. Unfortunately, his boat was swamped in a hurricane and he drifted along without food or supplies for over a month and a half before landing in the Fiji Islands. He took regular transportation for the remainder of the journey to Australia. Some people think Caldwell may have embellished his account a bit, but obviously it was a most trying, though exciting, experience. €20 (US $29).
Item 539 is a collection of very old Dutch diplomatic posts. It contains 96 manuscript letters, 84 in Dutch, 12 in French, sent from various posts around Europe to the Dutch government between 1715 and 1729. €795 (US $1,150).
Gert Jan Bestebreurtje Rare Books may be reached at +31 (0)347-322548 or info@gertjanbestebreurtje.com. Their website is www.gertjanbestebreurtje.com.
