Antiquariat Kainbacher has published a catalogue of Unterwegs in der weiten Welt (Traveling in the Wide World). That's not an exaggeration as these trips go to places all over the Earth. They are older books so no one is jumping on a plane and going halfway around the world in 10 hours. There were a lot of boats, some horses, and plenty of sore feet. Travelers came back with wild tales of things unimaginable to the folks back home, those being Europeans. Here are a few selections from these travels.
Therodor de Bry was not a traveler himself, but he did more to bring tales of distant places to the European public than anyone else. He gathered together others' accounts, provided illustrations, and wrapped them all up in his books. If his accounts weren't always perfectly accurate, he did provide information that was much closer to correct than the nothing most people knew. De Bry wrote his accounts in Latin, but had them translated into several other European languages to extend their reach. This book is Orientalische Indien (Oriental India) which is also known as his Little Voyages. It was published in 1628. It is a second German edition, containing an abridged version of parts I – XI but adds XII and XIII. Priced at €44,000 (euros, or approximately $46,165 in U.S. dollars).
This one has a long title: Entdeckungsreise unter den Befehlen der britischen Admiralität mit den königlichen Schiffen Isabella und Alexander um Baffins-Bay auszuforschen und die Möglichkeit einer nordwestlichen Durchfahrt zu untersuchen. It translates to “Voyage of discovery under the orders of the British Admiralty with the royal ships Isabella and Alexander to explore Baffin's Bay and to investigate the possibility of a north-westerly passage.” This book was originally written in English but translated to German. It is John Ross' account of his unsuccessful first Arctic expedition to find a Northwest Passage, published in 1820. Ross wasn't the only one to fail. Many others did until Roald Amundsen sailed all the way through in the early 20th century. Ross had picked up on a long ago attempt to sail from the Atlantic to the Pacific, north of the North American continent. Attempts failed because the short summers and long winters keep the waters frozen most of the year. Illustrations show the polar scenery, Eskimos, icebergs, Arctic wildlife and the ships and crew. Ross turned around when a mirage led him to believe mountains were blocking his path. He made two more attempts later to find a route, but was again denied. €8,500 (US $8,930).
For more but earlier voyages to the far north, here is a book with travels up to 1777. The title is Geschichte der Entdeckungen und Schiffahrten im Norden (History of discoveries and shipping in the north). It covers voyages to the Arctic and northern reaches of North America. Voyages by Barentz, Cabot, Hudson, Cook and others are described. Johann Reinhold Forster, the author, was himself a voyager along with being a professor, pastor, and botanist. He joined Cook on his second voyage, accompanied, as he often was, by his son George. The senior Forster was not, as we now say, a “people person.” He was obstinate and evidently not too pleasant. He eventually moved to Germany when he lost his influence in Britain. From there he published this book of northern voyages in 1784. €3,900 (US $4,105).
One of the better-known American expeditions was that of Commodore Matthew Perry. Perry was called upon to visit Japan and force its opening to American trade. At the time, the doors to commerce were closed by Japan. They didn't even welcome a visit. Perry first arrived in Japan in 1853 and presented a letter with his demands. He said he would return the following year for an answer. He did and the Japanese, recognizing Perry's show of force, acceded to his demands. The old isolated order came to an end. Writing the official account was assigned to Francis L. Hawks. Published in 1856, the title is Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan, performed in the Years 1852, 1853, and 1854, under the Command of Commodore M.C. Perry... €3,500 (US $3,680).
Gioivanni Battista Belzoni was a barber and then a strongman in a traveling circus. That led to other travels, particularly to Egypt, where he engaged in archaeological discoveries. He was assigned the job of moving the 7-ton bust of Ramesses II to London (he had lots of helpers). He wrote about his four journeys in Narrative of the Operations and Recent Discoveries within the Pyramids, Temples, Tombs and Excavations in Egypt and Nubia... This has the text in the second edition from 1822, the atlas in the first. Ramesses II, or the “Younger Memnon,” still stands guard inside the British Museum, although he looks terribly out of place there. €36,000 (US $37,850).
Antiquariat Kainbacher can be reached at 0043-(0)699-110 19 221 or kainbacher@kabsi.at. Their website is found at www.antiquariat-kainbacher.at.