David Spilman Fine Books

The Great White South or with Scott in the Antarctic; Being an Account of Experiences with Captain Scott's South Pole Expedition and of the Nature Life of the Antarctic [Introduction by Lady Scott] [Steve Fossett Collection]

Ponting, Herbert G.

New York: Robert M. McBride and Company, 1923. Near Fine. Second American Edition. 8vo [1 on p. 1], [8.75x6in]; [2], xxvi, 306 pp., [2], memoriam, 51 plates of 173 images, including frontispiece image of Terra Nova ice-bound without tissue guard, 2 illustrations, facsimile image of diary and 1 map in text; Orange cloth covers with black ink lettering between ruled lines on front and spine, all edges trimmed; Minimal shelf wear to edges, spine slightly darken, several spots to top edge, Steve Fossett bookplate on front end paper. [Rosove 251.B2 variant b binding, Conrad p.183]. Item #13593

Herbert G. Ponting (1870-1935) was a professional war and nature photographer before Scott selected him to be part of his last expedition, the Terra Nova Expedition 1910 - 1913. From Rosove, "Ponting was the first professional photographer to accompany an Antarctic expedition.... Ponting dragged as much as two hundred pounds of equipment on his sledge .... Ponting's photographic are was more than sufficient contribution, but his narrative The Great White South, liberally illustrated with his photographs, also proved to be one of the most popular expedition accounts, ..." Ponting's narrative of life on the ship and expedition and the personalities of the members is a significant literary addition to the many books about the expedition. From Conrad, this book provides "... a full account of Ponting's activities (including his propensity for directing awkward, cold and dramatic poses his mates called "ponting") ...". The book includes an important chapter on the Pole Party from his second hand account after returning on the Terra Nova after the first winter.

Steve Fossett (1944-2007) was a successful commodities trader and an adventurer that set world records in balloons, sailboats, gliders and unique powered aircraft. In 2002, he was the first person to solo circumnavigate the world in a balloon, uninterrupted and unrefueled. He was an accomplished pilot that, in 2005, made a solo nonstop unrefueled flight around the world in the Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer sponsored by Richard Branson. In the 1980's Fossett began developing a library collection of books on adventure and exploration to be housed in his Carmel, California vacation home. He enlisted the services of an experienced bookseller to assist him in building a 2,000 plus volume collection focusing on significant and authoritative accounts of aeronautics, polar, Asia, Australasia, circumnavigation's, mountaineering and others. In September, 2007, Fossett disappeared on a solo flight in a light aircraft over the eastern Sierra Mountains along the California and Nevada border. An extensive search was conducted and the wreckage was found by hikers a year later along the rugged Mt. Ritter range in the Ansel Adams Wilderness in Madera County, about 10 miles east of Yosemite National Park.

Price: $100.00