A  collection of books by Captain Alan Villiers, an important  authority in the world of seamanship in sail and steam.  The books are quite remarkable for their sheer variety, and depth of research, with many illustrations and reminiscences from the author's own impressive life at sea.

All these books are cloth bound, hard cover, many on art paper, uncut.

A few are First Editions, rare and sought-after.

"Alan Villiers is one of those rare men of action who can write simply and compellingly".

BBC

"He is an enthusiast upon the subject and makes his readers feel that enthusiasm before half a dozen pages have been turned".


The Bounty Ships of France by Allan Villiers and Henri Picard 1st ed.

The story of the French Cape Horn sailing ships known as the Bounty Ships because of the subsidies their owner received from the Government, to encourage the growth of a strong French Merchant Marine.

The book describes in great detail the ships, their builders, owners and masters, copiously illustrated, with chapters giving personal anecdotes and events occurring at sea.

240 pp. over 20 photos all B&W diagrams, sail plans, maps, indexes.

 

Fine condition in plastic wrap which has left some marks on the dust cover and end papers

 

$38.00

  • 0.85 kg
  • Fewer than three in stock
  • Ships within 7 days1

Whaling in the Frozen South by AJ Villiers

The story of the 1923-24 Norwegian whaling expedition to the Antarctic. The book is well-illustrated,  the author being an enthusiastic and competent photographer.

Inscribed "Bob Stannard 1933"

295 pp. very good condition in clear wrapper some cracking of binding inside front cover and sunning of spine.

Heavy art paper, rough trimmed.

$30.00

  • 0.7 kg
  • Fewer than three in stock
  • Ships within 7 days1

Whalers of the Midnight Sun by Alan Villiers pub. 1934 USA 1st ed.

The tale of a motley band of Australians who get work on a Norwegian Whaling Expedition to the Antarctic.

Illustrated with woodcuts by Charles Pont.

Very Fine condition in clear wrapper. Uncut pages. As new with inevitable slight browning of paper.

Interestingly, impressed into the front endpaper is "Fred N Jeffers Windsor N.Y. "

$45.00

  • 0.65 kg
  • Fewer than three in stock
  • Ships within 7 days1

The War With Cape Horn by Alan Villiers 1st UK ed.

see image for precis

338 pp. over 40 photos 5 maps. drawings and facsimile Bills

 Fine condition.  plastic clear wrapper torn. Dust cover Very Good, some scuffing of top edge

 

 

$45.00

  • 1 kg
  • Fewer than three in stock
  • Ships within 7 days1

The Set of The Sails by Alan Villiers

The story of a Cape Horn Seaman.

Villiers' dedication to sailing in tall ships is matched by his skill in description.

278 pp. soft cover approx 12 fine photos, by the author.

Fair condition. Tight binding

$5.00

  • 0.16 kg
  • Fewer than three in stock
  • Ships within 7 days1

Grain Race by Alan Villiers 1st ed. 1933

see image for precis

We acknowledge Barberry Lane Books for this detailed info:

Teal buckram cloth on boards with bright stamped gilt lettering and design of waves on front and same to spine. Book is tight, square,  sharp-cornered and free of markings or flaws inside and out, other and gift inscription on FFEP, mild foxing to page edges. With Dust Jacket.  "A" on the copyright page identifying this as a First Edition, First Printing of this fantastic book about the four-masted barque Parma in the grain race of the last of the sailing ships from Australia to the English Channel. 

330 pp. over 35 photos by the author. 

Very fine condition. dust cover virtually as new. 

Produced on art paper, uncut

$65.00

  • 0.7 kg
  • Sold Out

The Making of a Sailor by Alan Villiers 1st ed.

192 pp. Hardback cloth bound A4 size 191 photos

A photo study of sailing ships and sailors learning the ropes, in dramatic pictorial form.

There are 50 pages of informative text and every photo all B&W,  has a caption.

Fine condition in clear wrapper

$55.00

  • 1 kg
  • Sold Out

Sailing Eagle by Alan Villiers 1st ed. 1955

see image for precis

A pictorial study of the US Coastguard training bark Eagle on which the author cruised around the Atlantic.

190 pp. 200 of the author's photos.

Fine condition in clear wrapper. some bruising of dust cover.

$45.00

  • 0.6 kg
  • Sold Out

Vanished Fleets by Alan Villiers. 1st edition 1931

Close to home: the ships of Van Diemens Land (Tasmania).

An art production on rough cut paper. 

300 pp. some photos.

Very Good condition in clear wrapper. Sunning of spine and hard cover borders.

$55.00

  • 0.7 kg
  • Sold Out

The Voyage of the Parma by AJ Villiers 1st ed.

The Great Grain Race of 1932. A beautifully-crafted story of one of the author's early voyages from  Port Lincoln carrying grain. A rollicking yarn told with great skill by a master mariner who happened to be a  polished writer.

260 pp. over 20 illustrations all B&W. List of the ship's voyages.

Fine condition in clear wrapper, dated 1934, naturally some sunning of paper.

$80.00

  • 1 kg
  • Sold Out

The Way of a Ship by Alan Villiers 1st edition

(Inscribed "$100-00 1st ed." inside front cover)

Hodder and Stoughton; 1954.. First UK Edition; Med. 8vo; ; map endpapers, illustrated frontispiece, list of illustrations, appendices, bibliography, index, bound in original blue cloth, title lettered in gilt on spine and upper board

286 pp. over 60 of the authors photos, some maps and approx 30 diagrams and drawings.

see image for precis.

Fine condition, with some ageing of paper, bruising of dust cover and deteriorated clear wrapper.

 

 

$90.00

  • 0.82 kg
  • Sold Out

Falmouth for Orders by AJ Villiers

see image for precis

262 pp. over 30 large photos by the author.

Fine condition, in clear wrapper,  some shading due to age (pub. 1947)

$35.00

  • 0.3 kg
  • Sold Out

The Sea in Ships by Alan J Villiers 1st ed.

A pictorial record of a sailing voyage around Cape Horn, with introductory text and captions.

112 photos all B&W

Good condition, some cracking of binding inside front cover. some sunning. Inscribed by the donor, recipient, date and "S.S. Larg's Bay.  Sydney NSW  5.12.32"

A collector's piece literally.

$45.00

  • 0.6 kg
  • Sold Out

Sea Dogs of Today by A J Villiers 1st edition 1932

284 pp. approx 30 photos all B&W.

Biographies of sailors, masters, ship owners and ships themselves.

Elegantly written, full of personal detail as is all Villiers' work.

Fine condition in clear wrapper, with some rubbing of the top edge of the spine and some foxing of paper

$45.00

  • 0.6 kg
  • Sold Out

By Way of Cape Horn by Alan Villiers

A most remarkable record of sea travel.

see image for precis

264 pp. 20 hotos by the author.. maps

Fine condition. clear wrapper deteriorating. slight tear rear base of dust cover.

$40.00

  • 0.35 kg
  • Sold Out

Cruise of the Conrad by Alan Villiers 1937 ed.

see image for precis

inscribed "$95-00" inside front cover; it is a rare book.  1st reprint 1937

Around Cape of Good Hope, the South Seas, the East Indies and Cape Horn, 1934-36,  illustrated with over 40 of the author's photos. 368 pp., maps, appendix and glossary of sailing terms.

 

This rare and collectable book is in Fine condition with only some bruising of dust cover in clear wrapper.

(note: another 1st edition copy in identical condition has been seen on line at $683 !)

$95.00

  • 1.1 kg
  • Sold Out

Last of the Wind Ships by Alan J Villiers

260 pp. over 200 spectacular photos by the author.

introductory text 60 pp. approx. Appendices, including a ships log 

Good condition apart from some separation of spine and front cover.  Clear wrapper.  first pub. 1934 reprinted 1935

$25.00

  • 1.03 kg
  • Sold Out

The Set of The Sails by Alan Villiers 1st edition

The story of a Cape Horn Seaman.

Villiers' dedication to sailing in tall ships is matched by his skill in description.

242 pp. approx 12 fine photos, sepia toned.

Fine condition in clear wrapper

$65.00

  • 0.55 kg
  • Sold Out