My Secrete Log Boke (4 results)

Stiff boards. Condition: Fair. First Edition. ca. 10.5" x 7", this strange book was published around 1892 OCLC lists copies at 14 different libraries in the USA, and Europe. The entries describe this as a spurious work, more likely one might say , as a joke, as it is designed to look like a book that was thrown in the ocean by Columbus in the 1490's and some how survived the 400 years until is discovery. This copy is in fair condition. It is bound in parchment covered stiff card boards. It was made to look badly beaten, so it is difficult to put that aside and review the rest. The wrinkled parchment that makes up the front cover has large chips missing from the fore edge and the spine, and it remains fragile. The contents appear to be complete, but most of the leaves are loose from the binding. The parchment is somewhat brittle. There is a larger leaf inside that has a cloth and wax sealed string attached- the wax is mostly gone and the leaf is split in two along the fold, but it is still quite legible. The leaf is supposedly a letter giving permission for the voyage in 1492. There are 46 pages including a map plus the letter plus a note written on the front pastedown mentioning that this log book is being sealed in a cask and put in the sea west of the Azores, plus several blank pages at the back. The text is older English like it might have been written in the 15th century. There are many very nice illustrations on the pagess. A very interesting work, scarce, sold with all faults.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. First English edition. Ca. 1892 - "discovered" 400 years after 1492. Lithographically printed to imitate a hand-written manuscript on distressed parchment, including on front paste down with numerous initials, head and tail pieces, and illustrations within the text including a full page map; also loosely inserted are two lithographic "letters", one on parchment and one on paper. The parchment document with red and white silk thread and retaining remains of waxed seal, though seemingly missing the seal itself. Some light "faux" foxing throughout. In the original boards covered in crinkled and distressed parchment. Front cover printed in black and glued patches of "damp sand" and a scattering of small shells. Front hinge cracking with small patch of glue on title page. Upper joint cracked at head. A number of shells seemingly missing from front cover. Upper front corner worn with small loss, rear cover a little stained and soiled. More photos available upon request.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Original imitation vellum. An OCLC register says "decorated with small shells and seaweed pasted on". Chipped on extremities and spine, slight pouring on paper; several tapes used at the link of the pages to binding. Otherwise a good copy. Small 4to. (27 x 18 cm). In Middle English (15th century). The first leaf attached to front cover. At end, 6 blank leaves. [46] p. with [7] blank pages, many illustrations, 1 letter with its broken seal. Separately, a facsimile of a letter from Isabella (Dona Isabel por Gracia de Dios Reina de Castilla y Leon etc. etc. A Don Cristobal Colon de Genova) to Columbus, dated 'Granada a? trece de Abril de MCCCCXCII,' with a broken seal attached. Script on vellum as well. Two registers in OCLC (1029665801 and 60764823 -This one is New York Edition-). 'Düsseldorf Edition' says "A spurious work purporting to be the logbook of Christopher Columbus, which, according to legend, he threw into the sea during a storm, and which was found on the coast of Pembrokeshire 400 years later. Written in antiquated English, with paper and binding made to imitate in color and appearance a volume damaged by exposure to seawater. "S.A.S.X. MY XPO FERENS" from cover, variously interpreted, eg. Supples servus altissimi Salvatoris Xristi Mariae Josephi Xpoferens. Forgery attributed to Karl Maria Seyppel. Printed by lithographic process on imitation parchment paper. Text and illustrations printed to appear handwritten, with many decorated initials. Accompanied by: reproduction of a letter purported to be by the finder of the logbook dated "September forth 1890"; "Don?a Isabel por gracia de Dios Reina do Castilla y Leon, etc., etc. a? Don Cristo?bal Colon de Ge?nova," supposed letter on imitation parchment, authorizing his voyage, dated "Granada, a? trece de abril de mccccxcij," with an attached seal, laid in.". This is a fine hoax on Colombus' first travel into America. It includes a map containing Cuba, San Salvador, and unknown areas with a hand drawing of Columbus as well as other illustrations and decorative borders, etc. This Edition may be printed in memory of the 400th year of '1492'. "Columbus's log of the first voyage has not survived, although we do have an abstract of it, written in the 1530s by Bartolome de las Casas. However, that actually used the "Barcelona Copy" of Columbus's original log. The chart above shows the sources that exist today in green, and sources that have disappeared in red. The chart also shows where secondary souses got their original information. When he returned to Spain in 1493, Columbus gave his original log to the Sovereigns at the royal court in Barcelona. Queen Isabela ordered the log to be copied, resulting in the so-called Barcelona Copy. The original has not been seen since, however, the Barcelona Copy was returned to Columbus just before his second voyage later that year, and remained in his possession until his death in 1506. It then passed into the hands of son Fernando, who used it when he wrote a biography of Columbus in 1538. The Barcelona Copy too was lost sometime after 1554. Sometime around 1530, the Barcelona Copy was abstracted by Las Casas into the Diario. This abstract as part of his research that led to his massive work, the Historia de las Indias. So The Diario remains our best historical record of the first voyage of Columbus. On the westward passage, Columbus kept two sets of distance figures in the log. According to Las Casas, this was done to allay the fears of the crew that they had sailed too far from Spain. The abstract is mostly written in the third person, but there are a number of large direct quotes from the log written in Columbus's own first-person.". (Source: Christopher-Columbus Europe website).

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. Among the strangest books in the Bayliss Books collection is this water-stained diary, decorated with seashells. The book claims to be the long lost logbook of Christopher Columbus, thrown overboard in a nox during a storm, before being discovered off the coast of Pembrokeshire 400 years later, hence the sea shells, sand and aging. However it is instead a rather famous literary forgery! Written in antiquated English, with paper and binding made to imitate in colour and appearance a volume damaged by exposure to seawater First and only edition. Printed by lithographic process on imitation parchment paper. Text and illustrations printed to appear hand written, with many decorated initials. Small quarto, 47pp., plus loosely-inserted reproduction letter with remnants of wax seal.