David Spilman Fine Books

Voyage of the Venus: Sojourn in California; Excerpt from Voyage auour du monde sur la frégate Vénus pendant les années 1836 - 1839 [ Early California Travels Series XXXV] [Translated by Charles N. Rudkin]

Du Petit-Thouars, Abel

Los Angeles: Glen Dawson and the Plantin Press [Saul and Lillian Marks], 1956. Near Fine. First Edition. 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]. Item #11440

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, mountaineer, antiquarian bookseller, publisher and environmentalist. In his early years, he was an accomplished rock climber and mountaineer, with a number of first accents, and involved with the Sierra Club. Dawson had a long career succeeding his father Ernest as proprietor of Dawson's Book Shop in Los Angeles, an antiquarian bookstore in business since 1905. His brother Muir also participated in the business. He has also published 370 collectible books (wikipedia).

The 50 volume Early California Travels Series, 1951 to 1961, was published by Glen Dawson, a Los Angeles bookseller and publisher. The series was designed and printed by a number of Southern California printers, such as, Cheney, Paul Bailey, Cole-Holmquist, Ward Ritchie, Plantin, Muir Dawson, Serpent, and others. The various editors were well known western scholars, authors, and historians, such as, Thomas, Robinson, Farquhar, Kemble, Wagner, and others. These volumes are fine press issues in small format, limited, and a number of them signed.

Price: $100.00