Pinnacle Books ~ New Acquisitions
£ 20
CLICK FOR PICTURE
Thurbron, Colin.
SHADOW OF THE SILK ROAD.
Chatto & Windus.
2006
First edition.
Later impression. Numbers 4-10 showing on copyright page. 363pp with maps. Fine in fine unclipped dustwrapper which is now fitted in a loose protective sleeve. No inscriptions and free from blemishes.
£ 20
CLICK FOR PICTURE
Padget, Martin.
PHOTOGRAPHERS OF THE WESTERN ISLES.
John Donald.
2010
First edition.
A fine survey of the major photographers of the Western Isles.
294pp with 138 illus. No inscriptions. Fine in fine complete and unclipped dustwrapper which is now protected in a loose protective sleeve.
£ 55
CLICK FOR PICTURE
Perrin, Jim.
THE VILLAIN: The Life of Don Whillans.
Hutchison.
2005
First edition.
SIGNED BY AUTHOR directly onto title page - 'To xxxx with warmest good wishes'. Scarce as signed copy. Whillans has an iconic significance for generations of climbers. A working-class lad built like a pocket Atlas, who within a year of entering the climbing world in 1950, had acquired the reputation for skill and daring on the one hand and savage-tongued wit on the other.
Later impression. Numbers 5-10 showing on copyright page. 320pp with illus. Fine in fine unclipped dustwrapper which is now fitted in a loose protective sleeve. No other inscriptions and free from blemishes.
£ 65
CLICK FOR PICTURE
Gordon, Seton.
ISLANDS OF THE WEST.
Cassell.
1933
First edition.
Very good+ contents in very good+ dustwrapper which is now in a loose protective sleeve.
In original green cloth with gilt spine lettering. 211pp with 51 illus. Scattered spotting to page ends. No inscriptions. Complete with clean dustwrapper which has light wear to extremities.
£ 12
CLICK FOR PICTURE
Birtles, Geoff (ed.)
ALAN ROUSE: A Mountaineer’s Life.
Unwin Hyman.
1987
First edition.
Alan Rouse died on K2 in 1986 at the age of 34 after reaching the summit. The severe storm which claimed Rouse also killed four other climbers including Julie Tullis. This compilation includes contributions from Chris Bonington, Brian Hall, Paul Nunn, Doug Scott.
224pp with 8 colour plates. No inscriptions. Fine in fine price-clipped dustwrapper.
£ 12
CLICK FOR PICTURE
Bonington, Chris.
I CHOSE TO CLIMB.
Gollancz.
1969
Third impression.
A first volume of autobiography.
207pp with illus. No inscriptions. Clean bright copy with faded spine lettering as common. Near fine in very good+ price clipped dustwrapper.
£ 175
CLICK FOR PICTURE
Paquier, J-B.
LE PAMIR: Etude de Geographie Physique et Historique sur L’Asia Centralle.
Maisonneuve and Co.
1876
First edition.
Paris. 218pp with 5 double page maps. Original paper covered edition of this important geographic and historical study of Central Asia. Scarce.
Spine wear at top and foot of spine but binding still tight and secure with pages turning easily and covers attached. No inscriptions. Text in French.
£ 95
CLICK FOR PICTURE
Franco, Jean and Lionel Terray.
AT GRIPS WITH JANNU.
Gollancz.
1967
First edition.
Signed with detailed inscription by successful summit climber Jean Ravier on half title page. No other inscriptions. The French ascent of Jannu; a considerable Himalayan achievement in 1962. Page 121 has a picture of Jean Ravier and pages 131-132 provide an extended description of Ravier's qualities and why Lionel Terray wanted him on the expedition. Revier later summitted with Terray. Signed copies of this type are scarce.
192 pages with 48 plates and 5 maps. In original blue cloth with gilt spine lettering. General rubbing and darkening to page ends and pages 190-191 have been over opened and the seams stretched. Very good- in very good- unclipped dustwrapper. The dustwrapper is now in loose protective sleeve.
£ 55
CLICK FOR PICTURE
Shipton, Eric.
NANDA DEVI.
Hodder & Stoughton.
1936
First edition.
One of the classic mountaineering books to collect. Shipton and Tilman were the first to venture into the Nanda Devi sanctuary through penetrating the difficult Rishi Gorge.
310pp + frontis + 26 plates + illustrated front endpaper. Black cloth covers with blue lettering on spine and front board. Captioned tissue guard present for plates including frontis. No inscriptions. Hinges tight and square. Minor cloth rubbing and slight foxing to page ends. Not an ex-library copy, however there are light spine cloth marks where two stickers have been removed. Overall, very good- contents / cloth.
£ 40
CLICK FOR PICTURE
Huc, R.E. and Gabet, A.J.
TRAVELS IN TARTARY, THIBET AND CHINA.
Routledge.
1928
First edition.
Missionaries, Huc and Gabet travelled among the tribes of northern Mongolia and in north-eastern and central Tibet. The authors spent three months at the Kumbum monastery before heading for Lhasa, where they stayed for several weeks until deported to China.
Two volumes (387pp and 406pp. Part of The Broadway Travellers series. London. In original cloth but probably a mixed set. Volume 1 has one house label on front endpaper but there is a different owner stamp on second volume. Volumes in similar very good condition however.
£ 30
CLICK FOR PICTURE
Lattimore, Owen.
STUDIES IN FRONTIER HISTORY. Collected Papers 1928-1958.
Oxford University Press.
1962
First edition.
A collection of papers with a focus on Inner Asia, Sinkiang, Mongolia, Manchuria and China and national minorities and nomads.
In original green cloth with gilt lettering. No inscriptions. Text block tight and square. Ex Birbeck College Library. Small library marks to half and full title pages and rear endpaper plus signs of label removal on lower spine cloth.
£ 20
CLICK FOR PICTURE
Desmond, Ray.
SIR JOSEPH DALTON HOOKER: Traveller and Plant Collector. Antiques Collectors' Club.
Antiques Collectors' Club.
2006
Reprint.
Finely produced large size hardback. 286pp illustrated in colour and b&w and published in conjunction with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Includes Hooker’s own sketches and drawings.
Fine in fine dustwrapper. As New.
£ 18
CLICK FOR PICTURE
Kurz, Marcel.
BERGE DER WELT Das Buch der Forscher und Bergsteiger.
Buchergilde Gutenberg, Zurich.
1952
First edition.
Herausgegeben von der schweizerischen stifting fur alpine forschungen. Text in German. Mountain Climbing in Nepal, Kenya etc.
304pp with illus. No inscription. Near fine cloth in very good dustwrapper.
£ 20
CLICK FOR PICTURE
Kurz, Marcel.
BERGE DER WELT Schriftenreihe für Alpinismus Expeditionen Wissenschaft. Abi Gamin Annapurna Baffin Island. Sechster Band.
Buchergilde Gutenberg, Zurich.
1951
First edition.
Very good contents / cloth. No dustwrapper. Text in German.
288pp with many illus, 3 maps and 1 panorama. Inscriptions on front endpaper.
£ 45
CLICK FOR PICTURE
Kurz, Marcel.
BERGE DER WELT Himalaya Expedition Lohner-Sutter 1949. Schriftenreihe für Alpinismus, Expeditionen, Wissenschaft.
Buchverlag Verbandsdruckerei, Bern,
1950
First edition.
256pp with plates and maps. No inscriptions. Text in German. Near fine cloth in very good dustwrapper which is now in a loose protective sleeve. The wrapper has light creases and wear to extremities and minor loss in places.
256pp with plates and maps. No inscriptions. Text in German.
£ 30
CLICK FOR PICTURE
Kurz, Marcel.
BERGE DER WELT - Karakoum / Tibetsti. Schriftenreihe für Alpinismus, Expeditionen, Wissenschaft.
Buchverlag Verbandsdruckerei, Bern,
1949
First edition.
247pp with many illus. Missing front endpaper. Slightly faded cloth.
Near very good contents / cloth. No dustwrapper. Text in German.
£ 35
CLICK FOR PICTURE
Kurz, Marcel.
BERGE DER WELT Fremde Berge – Ferne Ziele. Schriftenreihe für Alpinismus, Expeditionen, Wissenschaft.
Buchverlag Verbandsdruckerei, Bern,
1948
First edition.
Near fine cloth in very good- dustwrapper which is now in a loose protective sleeve. The wrapper has light creases and wear to extremities and minor loss in places.
526pp with 96 plates. No inscriptions. Text in German.
£ 30
CLICK FOR PICTURE
Sircar, Joydeep.
HIMALAYAN HANDBOOK.
Calcutta.
1979
First edition.
The handbook lists every Himalayan peak over 20,000 ft and summarises every attempt and ascent with bibliographical references (Neate S79).
In original printed paper wraps. 168pp. No inscriptions. A very good+ copy.
£ 40
CLICK FOR PICTURE
Ippolito Desideri of Pistoia.
AN ACCOUNT OF TIBET. The Travels of Ippolito Desideri of Pistoia, S.J. 1712-1727.
Routledge.
1932
Reprint.
The book covers among other things the Jesuit Mission in Tibet (1625-1721) and how the Kingdom of Tibet fell into the hands of the Tartars and then to the Chinese.
Part of the Broadway Travellers series. 474pp with colour frontispiece tipped in, red and black title page, 17 illustrations and folding map at rear along with 4pp list of books. In faded maroon cloth with gilt titles to spine. Edited by Filippo de Filippi, Introduction by C. Wessels. Series editors Sir E. Denison Ross and Eileen Power. Generally rubbed cloth with slightly rubbed corners. Text block tight and square. Possible label removal to lower front cloth and to rear endpaper. Overall, Good contents only.
£ 45
CLICK FOR PICTURE
Beckwith, Christopher.
THE TIBETAN EMPIRE IN CENTRAL ASIA. A History of the Struggle for Great Power among Tibetans, Turks, Arabs and Chinese during the Early Middle Ages.
Princeton University Press.
1987
First edition.
This scholarly study details the narrative history of the Tibetan Empire in Central Asia from about A.D. 600 to 866 and depicts the struggles of the great Tibetan, Turkic, Arab, and Chinese powers for dominance over the Silk Road lands that connected Europe and East Asia. Challenging the commonly held belief that East and West were largely isolated from each other until the discovery of sea routes to India and China, the book emphasizes the importance of overland contacts in the Early Middle Ages and explains Tibet's role in the conflict over Central Asia.
New Jersey. Hardback. 269pp with appendices and 2 maps. In original black cloth with bright gilt titles. No inscriptions. Overall, fine in very good+ complete and unclipped dustwrapper, which has general light wear and is now in a loose protective sleeve.
 
All pictures are © of Pinnacle Books 2003-2011