To The South Polar Regions.

BERNACCHI, Louis

Expedition of 1898-1900. Illustrated from photographs taken by the author. First edition, FIRST ISSUE; 8vo; original green ribbed cloth, lettered in gilt. Four page publishers catalogue at end, 2 folding maps and one folding plate. Bernacchi's very scarce account of the Southern Cross expedition of 1898-1900, the first to include a planned over wintering in Antarctica. The rather frail of this first issue binding led the publishers to issue a more hard-wearing red cloth version the same year, 'with the result that few copies survive in truly fine condition' (Taurus Collection). This example is very good with browning to front free end paper. Both maps have short tears and the first has repairs to the verso, but there is no loss to either map. The extremities of the cloth are slightly rubbed and the head and foot of the spine are bumped. Modern slipcase.

With Scott, The Silver Lining

TAYLOR, Griffith

First edition, first issue; 8vo; original cloth boards; 7 maps, 2 photographic panoramas, 73 photographic and other illustrations on 50 plates, 97 sketch diagrams. Taylor provides one of the most substantial accounts of Scott's Terra Nova expedition, and one of its finest book productions (Taurus). Taylor led the Western party in their exploration of the mountains of Victoria Land and then Granite Harbour. His journal, sledge diaries and field notes provided an excellent source of information for the book. This is the first issue without the author's preface. A fine copy with two neat ownership inscriptions to front free end paper.

The Black Jacobins

JAMES, C.L.R.

First edition; 8vo; original black cloth and dust jacket. Inscribed by the author on the front free end paper 'For Gerry Bradley from C.L.R. James. With revolutionary greetings, and personal good wishes, August 26th 1938.' Cyril Lionel Robert James (4 January 1901 – 31 May 1989), was a Trinidadian historian, journalist and socialist. His works were a pioneering and influential voice in postcolonial literature. James was a tireless political activist, his history of the Haitian Revolution, The Black Jacobins, is a seminal text in the literature of the African Diaspora. Gerry Bradley having served during the Great War in the British Army became involved in the Irish Republican movement and was a founder member of the British Communist Party. By the 1930s he had become a Trotskyist and was expelled from the Communist Party. In an interview that James gave shortly before his death he related how he and Bradley became friends. They would attend Communist Party public meetings, such as one in 1936 on the Moscow show trials, and challenge the platform from the hall to debate with James. It would appear the Bradley had a reputation as a hard man as they feared he would physically break up the meeting. James stated that 'the audience listened, and I put the case for Trotskyism, and it wrecked their meeting.' A very rare copy of the author's most important work, with a superb inscription to a close friend, together with the rare dust jacket. The book is near fine with a little light foxing to the endpapers. The map at the rear of the work is in excellent condition. The dust jacket is in poor condition with chips especially to the top and bottom of the spine. The image to the front is complete.