About Chet Ross Rare Books, ABAA

Chet Ross Rare Books specializes in rare books related to exploration and discovery with a special focus on Exploration of the Polar Regions — including first person narratives and scientific research. I sell to and purchase from collectors, book sellers, public and private institutions, museums and libraries. Also, upon evaluation, we accept books for consignment.

Chet Ross Rare Books is located in the Seattle, Washington area on Puget Sound, and I encourage interested parties to contact me to inquire about books and/or to arrange an appointment to view my stock.

Featured Books

Lieutenant Nobu Shirase and the Japanese Antarctic Expedition of 1910-1912 — A Bibliography

By Chet Ross

Adélie Books, Santa Monica, CA. 2010, First Edition, First Printing. 8vo — 23.5 cm, pp. (1), [xxviii], 122, (2). Illustrated end leaves front and back, frontis rendering of Kainan Maru with textured tissue guard. Over 160 high-resolution images in color and black-and-white including 9 maps in text and 2 fold-out entries. Quarter navy-blue leather with silver ruling and dark blue linen covered boards, front cover with de-bossed image of the Southern Cross constellation in silver foil, spine titles lettered in silver, back cover with Japanese kanji characters 白瀬矗 (translation: Nobu Shirase) de-bossed in silver. This First Edition is strictly limited to 290 numbered copies for sale.

Encompassing over five years of research, this is the first bibliography of works by and about Lt. Nobu Shirase and the Japanese Antarctic Expedition of 1910-1912. From the book’s Foreword written by Michael Rosove of Adélie Books: “What Chet has uncovered and given to us in this work is a revelation: more accounts, biographies, and analyses than most of us were aware existed; and he has supplemented the details of these publications with a thoughtful synopsis of the expedition’s history, a concise life story of Shirase, remarks on Zenya Taniguchi who is a direct tie to Shirase himself, and brief bios on many of the expedition members”.

Shipping date is expected to be no later than October 1, 2010. Advanced orders are currently being accepted with many copies already reserved. Please contact chet@chetrossrarebooks.com to reserve your copy.

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Bibliographie antarctique française, de Cook au Traité sur l'Antarctique (1772-1959). Bibliographie commentée

By Jean Pimentel

Signed by Jean Pimentel

France, Editions Paulsen, December 2009. 1st Edition, 1st Printing. Sm4to, 285pp, [1]. Publisher’s dark blue cloth with bright gilt lettering on front cover and spine. Numerous black and white and color illustrations.

The first Antarctic Bibliography initially conceived for French collectors with an extensive listing of French and Belgian publications about Antarctica.. A practical-minded Antarctic Bibliography with a selection of contemporary books both in French and in English.

Spanning the large time period of Antarctica exploration from 1772 to 1959, the bibliography includes general history of the poles, De Gerlache, Charcot,

etc… and with the French translations of all the different expeditions to include British, American, Russian, Norwegian, etc. An important section is devoted to the "Expeditions polaires françaises" led by Paul-Emile Victor (1947-1959). Finally a long chapter deals with fiction, philately and comics.

An excellent production and wealth of knowledge with a limited production of only 200 numbered unsigned copies. This copy is signed by the author, Jean Pimentel.

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South

By Sir Ernest Shackleton

Signed “F.A. Worsley, Captain of the S.Y. Endurance”

London, Heinemann, 1919. First Edition, First Impression. 8vo., [xxi], 358 pp., errata slip tipped in at title page, colour frontispiece, 5 maps (1 folding), 87 photographic plates (1 double-page) by Frank Hurley, 2 sketch plans in text, usual brown toning to paper owing to poor paper stock, original dark blue cloth lettered and decorated in silver. No prior ownership markings, silver on front cover and spine is in very good condition and unchipped, intermittent light spotting to blue cloth. A complete copy in very good and complete condition. Rare. —Taurus 105; Conrad p224; Rosove 308.A1.

The amazing story 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.

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A Negro Explorer at the North Pole

By Matthew A. Henson

New York, Frederick Stokes, 1912, 1st Edition. Sm 8vo. [xii], 200pp. Illustrated with seven full page black and white photographic plates including frontpiece with tissue guard of Matthew Henson, Appendix I & II. Publisher’s blue cloth with undamaged white lettering on front cover and spine. Black and white portrait of Henson inset on front cover. An unusually well preserved copy showing no chipping to white lettering or cover portrait which is common with this publication. A Near Fine copy with no folds, tears or prior ownership markings. Very Scarce.

Appendix I: Notes on the Esquimos

Appendix II: List of Smith Sound Esquimos

Not in Arctic Bibliography (possibly due to racism in the 1950’s ?). Matthew Henson was Robert Peary’s companion and assistant on all but his first trip to the Arctic. Henson was the only other member of Peary’s last expedition (other than Esquimos) that was allowed to go to the Pole. Henson later claimed in an interview that by leading the group, he was actually the first person to step foot on the North Pole.

This book was apparently quite unsuccessful, with few copies sold. Most likely this was a result that little attention was paid to a book by a black man in 1912. As a result, copies of this narrative are considered Very Scarce, and even more so in such well preserved condition inside and out.

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The Birds of Norfolk & Lord Howe Islands and the Australasian South Polar Quadrant

with additions to "The Birds of Australia”

By GREGORY M. MATHEWS

London, H.F. & G. Witherby. October 16th, 1928. First Edition. Folio (14’ x 10”), [xii], 139pp., Index. Publisher’s soft cover wraps in Very Good condition. " 45 plates of which 38 are hand-colored and are by H. Gronvold and F.W. Frohawk, 7 plates are full page black and white. Edges un-cut; internally a Fine copy with errata bound in at Preface. Collated complete; slight wear to top and bottom of spine. This Very Scarce publication was strictly limited to 225 numbered copies of which this is No. 2.

Well preserved in custom claim shell box with bright gilt titles on spine.