John Cromar (3 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Good. THERE ARE NO TARIFFS OR CUSTOMS DUTIES ON BOOKS. 'Jock of the Islands' is the early life of Jock, or John Cromar, up to the year 1889, when he was engaged in obtaining native labour from the South Sea Islands for work on the Queensland sugar plantations. The Islands were, at that time, in an entirely savage state and not yet under the jurisdiction of the various European governments which subsequently took them over.

1st Ed. X, 344 PP, plus 16 plates. Fp: Portrait of 'Jock' - John Cromar, 1934 - Seventy-Five years old. Red cloth cover, gilt title on spine. Small gift note on FFEP, 2 photos have faded annotations in margin, and one small marginal annotation on page 136. Light foxing on outside page edges, minimal foxing elsewhere and a near fine copy. Scarce. 20.7 x 14. . Sometime Recruiter and lately Trader of Marovo, British Solomon Islands Protectorate told by himself.

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. The sole UK printing published by Faber and Faber, London in 1935. 8vo., brick-red publisher's cloth, lettered in gilt to spine; in the original unclipped pictorial wrapper (8s. 6d. net), featuring a striking colourful design by John Farleigh; black and white frontis photograph of Jock (Cromar), and a further 15 black and white photographs throughout; folding map to rear showing the Pacific islands; The BOOK is in near Fine condition with just some slight pushing to the spine ends with some very light spotting to edges and endpapers; free from inscriptions ; The WRAPPER is in near Fine condition with just a couple of very small nicks but else exceptionally clean and bright; two very discrete internal tape repairs; a wonderful example. John Farleigh's wrapper artwork is striking in the removable Brodart archival cover. Cromar was born in Aberdeen in 1859 and began sailing from a young age. At 23, he joined the Schooner The Forest King, and began recruiting for sugar and cotton plantations in Queensland, Australia. Managing numerous plantations in the Solomon Islands for the majority of his life, he also captained several ships, and in his later years predominantly traded on Marovo island. Jock of the Islands tells of his experiences and adventures on the islands, and is credited with being one of the first works to provide first-hand accounts of Melanisia at the turn of the century, although it is not without some artistic licence; featuring murders, romantic encounters, and even an islander with an eight-inch tail . Extremely scarce in the wrapper, more-so being in such collectible condition. More images available on request. Ashton Rare Books welcomes direct contact.