Rare books from Chet Ross Rare Books

London: Frederick Etchells & Hugh Macdonald, 1926. Limited Edition. Small folio -- 30.8cm, 81 pp. plus colophon. Quarter cream buckram with scarlet cloth covered boards with de-bossed bright gilt nautical device on front cover, bright gilt spine titling. All edges uncut. Title-page, full-page map, 4 head and tail-pieces (two hand-coloured). 17 full-page engravings of ships and barges; printed recto only, and all but one coloured by hand — all by Edward Wadsworth. Copper plates destroyed after 450 copies printed.
An elegant and most impressive publication featuring a series of copper plates engraved in the line manner by Edward Wadsworth and coloured by hand. Introduction and brief descriptions by Bernard Windler. Number 187 of 450 copies set in Koch Kursiv type and printed at the Curwen Press (recto pages only) on Zanders hand-made paper. There is such a harmonious elegance between the typeface (Koch Kursiv) and the engravings that one must agree with Peter Tucker when he says "It was one of the… Read More

SEX SERIES, 1981
10 Original Graphite Drawings by Bobby Ross
The drawings of Bobby Ross are a mix of ideas that depict human nature in a realistic and humorous way. He addresses fundamental questions about science, religion and social issues with ordinary objects by creating densely packed images with surprising combinations.
Arguably one of Bobby Ross's most well-received series is his Sex Series. This series is being offered for sale for the first time since purchased by its original owner in 1981. These are the original graphite drawings framed by the artist. Each is meticulously drawn showing difficult-to-imagine details and measuring 6" ht. x 5" w. inside the matting and exterior frame size of 13" ht. x 12" w. A fabulous set of signed graphite drawings. Additional images available upon request. This set will require additional postage for FedEx and insurance.
Sold only as a set and not individually, the ten drawings included in this series are titled:
Sex in San Francisco
Sex in Indianapolis
Sex… Read More

London: T. Fisher Unwin, Printed by the Gresbam Press, Unwin Brothers. 1914, First Edition. Thick 8vo – 22.6cm, 382pp., frontispiece with tissue guard plus 149 photographs, 4 diagrams in text, 3 unlisted fold-out maps in excellent condition. Publisher's ruled and debossed blue-cloth showing slight wear to extremities and subtle darkening spine. Internally: no prior ownership markings, and no foxing, folds or tears with strong uncracked hinges – a clean and crisp copy in Very Good + condition. Conrad p. 186; Spence 939; Taurus 80; Rosove 256.A1.
"A detailed book covering two winters (the first at Cape Adare and the second at Inexpressible Island) and journey back to Ross Island to rescue themselves after the second winter. The six-member party's courage, good spirits and tenacity are incredible, notwithstanding the fact that the only other option was to give up and die. This is a gripping read. The first edition is unfortunately rare as (according to Spence [and Priestley]) 'many copies were… Read More

Kristiana (Oslo): H. Aschehoug,1890 - First Norwegian Edition. Thick 8vo., Vol. I: [xii], 704pp. frontis of Nansen, five full-page plates, numerous woodcuts, 5 fold-out maps – 4 in color; numerous woodcut illustrations in text, numerous black-and-white photographs in text – some full-page. Publisher's dark-green cloth pictorial boards and spine with bright gilt titles. A near fine copy showing prior owner's script signature on second blank end leaf, no foxing, folds or tears – very clean internally and exterior. A scarce and complete first Norwegian edition documenting this most important Norwegian Greenland Expedition. Arctic Bibliography 12010
Narrative of the expedition of Fridtjof Nansen and Otto Sverdrip with four companions to East Greenland with the objective of crossing the Greenland ice — a feat never before achieved. The book contains descriptions of the equipment, the voyage from Norway via Iceland to Umivik, the East Greenland coast and its ice belt, previous attempts to penetrate… Read More

London: Hodder & Stroughton, Printed by Butler and Tanner. ND [ca. 1911], First edition of the first English translation. sm4to – 25.6 cm., (viii), 315pp.,Indexed, 42 plates including fold-out photographic frontpiece with tissue guard, 48 black-and-white photographs – many full-page, 3 sketches and one full-page map. Original blue green cloth with blind stamped border and bright guilt title on cover and spine. Spine with image of gentoo penguin in white and cover with guilt high-relief image of the ship "Why Not?" in the ice. Exterior in very good+ condition; Interior with tight hinges and bright clean pages – all are quite clear and crisp – hinges are strong and show no signs of splitting. Prior owner's elegantly penned inscription on front free endleaf. A Near Fine copy of a very Scarce publication. Spence 262; Renard 296; Conrad p. 152, Taurus 66; Rosove 67.A.1.
The first-person narrative and results of the Second French Antarctic Expedition under the command of Jean Charcot. Impressively,… Read More

Signed and inscribed by David Brainard to his daughter Elinor.
Indianapolis & New York: by Bobbs-Merrill Co., 1940. 1st Edition, 1st Printing. 8vo – 22.2cm. 305 pages, frontispiece portrait, black-and-white photographic plates, cartographic endpapers, a complete copy. Publisher's blue cloth with gilt titles on cover and moderately faded spine and slight wear at extremities. In Near Fine condition; Pages are clean and gutters are strong and un-cracked. A Near Fine copy of a first-person account of the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition under the command of Lieutenant Adolphus Greely. This volume contains Brainard's entire diary, a portion of which (the last four chapters) was published in 1929 as "Outpost of the Lost". Arctic Bibliography 2071
This unique copy with significant provenance being signed and inscribed by David Brainard in the year of publication on the half-title page "To my sweet and lovely daughter Elinor, D. Brainard – Washington, D.C.; Aug. 31st, 1940".
Account by Sergeant David… Read More

London: Smith, Elder, & Co., 1907–14, 1907. 3 Volumes, Quarto - 4to - 28.2 cm. Publisher's original navy-blue ribbed cloth, titles in bright gilt to spines and upper boards, inset coloured pictorial decoration to upper boards within gilt rope-twist borders, all edges bright gilt. Profusely illustrated with chromolithographic and black-and-white plates by Edward Wilson and others of the expedition with several being some mounted, numerous photographs by Herbert Ponting, illustrations in text including caricatures and silhouettes of expedition members. Collation is complete as per Rosove 287.A1. A remarkably well-preserved set. No prior ownership markings, no restoration, binding firm and secure. Volumes I and II limited to 250 copies, these both numbered 213, and Volume III limited to 350, this unique volume is unnumbered and penned "Presentation Copy". This is a very well-preserved set housed in individual custom slip cases. No loose pages or cracked hinges as is typically found with this… Read More

New York: G.P. Putnam,1938. First Edition, First Printing. Deluxe Edition. 8vo – 21.4cm. [ix], 296pp. Finely bound by The Chelsea Bindery in full navy-blue Morocco, bright gilt titles and decoration to spine in gilt, five raised bands, double lined gilt rule bordering boards, marbled endpapers with decorative gilt ruling, original blue silk ribbon page-marker, top page edges gilt, text in dark navy-blue ink. Decorations by Richard E. Harrison. Signed by R.E. Byrd. — this being numbered copy #120 of 225. A fine copy. Scarce
A finely produced deluxe edition of the narrative that is arguably Byrd's most important work – an intensely personal account of his isolation and near death through an Antarctic winter in a small hut at Latitude 80° 08' South – located 160km south of Little America on the Ross Ice Shelf. Alone is a first-person account of human endurance while experiencing long term isolation under extreme conditions. This is a very elegant publication, well-written and a very good read.… Read More

Tokyo: Hakubunka, 1913 First Edition, First Printing. Thick large 8vo, 22.8 cm. pp. I, (I), 496 text, [I]. 39 plate leaves including 4 in color and 33 in black-and-white, title page with original tissue guard; 104 photographs, 48 drawings in text, large fold-out color map bound at rear containing three maps on one. One thick paper page mounted with card and signature of General Maresuke Nogi — famous general and Japanese hero from the Russian Japanese war — with inscription stating "congratulations on heroic attempt". Publisher's dark blue-cloth boards with de-bossed Antarctic mountain scene and dog sledge in foreground, front cover image ruled in silver and title in silver; spine lettering in silver showing only slight wear to the silver and no fading. A Near Fine and complete copy. Rare. —Conrad p.166, Rosove 309.A1.a, Ross 1.5.1
Often called the "official account" of the Japanese Antarctic Expedition 1910-1912, this narrative was composed by the Antarctic Expedition Supporter Committee and… Read More

Tokyo: Hakubunka, 1984 – Expanded Memorial Edition. thick large 8vo, 22.5 cm. pp. 1, (9), 9, 468 text, 1 map, [1], 3. Publisher's dark blue cloth boards with de-bossed Antarctic mountain scene and dog sledge in foreground, front cover image ruled in silver and title in silver; spine lettering in silver. This Third edition's binding is identical to the First Edition, First Printing of December 1913; title page with tissue guard, 67 plate leaves including 6 full-page color plates, 1 double-page panorama and 60 full-page black-and-white photographic plates with several containing composite images; 51 captioned drawings in text, one full-page black-and-white drawing illustrating the plan and section of the 'Kainan-Maru'; one large folding color map containing three maps in one; one stiff paper page with facsimile card signed by General Maresuke Nogi; 5 Appendices at rear. Notables are numerous additional black-and-white photographic plates and 3 drawings in text not present in the 1913 editions. A fine… Read More

London: William Heinemann, 1919, First Edition, First Impression. Royal octavo, [ii], xxii, 376 pages with 6 sketch maps (one full-page) with colour frontispiece by Frank Hurley with publisher's captioned tissue-guard, a double-page panorama of South Georgia and 86 full-page plates, a large fold-out color map and publisher's tipped-in errata slip. Original silver-pictorial dark blue cloth with bright silver foil image of the. "Endurance" on front cover, sliver lettering on spine; acidic paper and to a lesser extent, the outer margins of the plates tanned and common with this first impression; short professionally closed tear to the map near the stub; a near fine copy of a very scarce first printing of this important narrative. Rosove 308.A.1.
The captivating narrative of Ernest Shackleton's famous Endurance Expedition, and probably the most evocative narrative of the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration, telling of the survival of Shackleton and his crew under the most extreme circumstances. "I think… Read More

London: Constable, Printed by R & R Clark, Edinburgh. 1922 — First Edition, First Printing. Large 8vo - 23cm. Quarter course tan linen on blue-gray papered boards, all edges uncut, blue-gray endpapers. A complete 2-volume set in its original publisher's First Printing state in Very Good condition with strong hinges, soiling to paper covered boards, clean internally with some intermittent foxing, no folds or tears; slight wear and fading to extremities of board covers; some small dark spotting of read boards, linen spines with some wear at extremities and with original paper spine labels, publisher's extras spine labels tipped in each volume; all tissue guards, plates and panoramic fold-outs in place. — Rosove 71.A1. Very Scarce.
Volume I: pp. lxiv, 300, 4; 30 plate leave including color front-piece with tissue guard, 2 folding panoramas, and 27 plate leaves (3 color; 36 sketch, paintings, and photographs), and 4 maps [3 folding]; Appendix.
Volume II: pp. viii, 301-585, (1), 28 plate leaves… Read More

Union Club dinner menu titled "In Honor of Captain Roald Amundsen"
Signed by Roald Amundsen, Sir Ernest Shackleton and Robert Peary on January 15, 1913.
Menu printed on stiff card stock, translucent stains (likely wine or coffee) with original nautical polar scene with watercolors (signed by the artist) in upper right; No chips, tears or folds; debossed bright gilt logo "Stand Fast" in the upper left; all menu lettering in bright gilt. Card dimensions: 5-1/2"w x 8-1/2"ht (32cm x 39.7cm), gilt frame dimensions: 12-5/8"w x 15-5/8"ht (13.8cm x 21.4cm). Signatures of the three explorers in graphite. In Near Fine Condition. Very Rare.
On January 15th, 1913, the Union Club in Philadelphia held a dinner in honor of Captain Roald Amundsen, the Norwegian explorer who led the expedition that conquered the South Pole by achieving that goal along with four expedition members on December 14, 1911.
Also at this event were Admiral Robert E. Peary, the American explorer who led the expedition and who claimed to first… Read More

Tokyo: Asahi Newspaper Publisher, August 1910 - November 1910. Documents assembled in 1955. 24.2cm. Printed soft covers with black cloth tape spine and paper label; frontispiece full-page sepia toned photograph of the "Kainan Maru" + 16pp table of contents, 300pp text, 9pp. tipped in corrigenda. Title label on spine; text in Japanese. Housed in a custom fold-out container covered in red silk with printed spine and cover labels. Very Rare and in Near Fine condition. Ross 5.3.A
A publication containing private internal documents and bound by the Asahi Newspaper, Tokyo. Marked (in Kanji) 'For Internal Use Only' and 'Not For Sale'. Tokyo Asahi Newspaper was a major sponsor of the Japanese Antarctic Expedition 1910-1912, so very likely few were produced as these were most likely meant to be used internally among the higher-ups at Asahi. The signifi­cance of this publication is the unique information provided by one of the primary sponsors of the Japanese Antarctic Expedition. The Content's titles indicate… Read More

Tokyo: Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha (東京, 実業之日本社), Volume 6.1, January 1, 1911. 21.9 cm; 128 pages, publisher's advertisement section. 3 full-page plates related to the Japanese Antarctic Expedition including one full-page plate showing Count Okuma and members of the Japanese Antarctic Support Committee, 1 plate featuring General Morsuki Nogi whose signed card is tipped into all copies of Nankyoku-ki, the official account of the JAE, and one full-page plate titled "Departure of the Antarctic Expedition" and containing four photographs related to Nobu Shirase and the day of departure for the Japanese Antarctic Expedition. Text in Japanese, Captions for the photographs state: (Top photo) The Lieutenant is about set sail with his party at twilight; (Bottom photo) The ship is rigged and waiting for the Lieutenant, young men see him off and exclaim "Banzai" enthusiastically; (center right: "Kainan-maru" is about to weigh anchor; (center left) speech by Count Okuma – Shirase's party at farewell… Read More