book-aesthete

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"May blessings be upon the head of Cadmus, the Phoenicians, or whoever it was that invented books." -Thomas Carlyle

Welcome to my virtual book collection. Since collecting actual books is somewhat cost-prohibitive, I've begun to amass all of the books I would love to have if I had the means. Some are new, lots are old, all are unique or beautiful or unusual or in some other way have captured my fancy. Enjoy browsing!

Special Collections: Fine Bindings ~ Fairies and Fairy Tales ~ Terror and Madness ~ Poetry ~ Food, Drink and Apothecary ~ Science Fiction ~ Illuminations, Lettering and Hand-Coloring ~ Magic ~ Supernatural and Occult ~ Alchemy ~ Science and Technical ~ Maritime ~ Costumes ~ Humor ~ Children's books ~ Legend of King Arthur ~ Americana ~ 18th Century ~ 19th Century

Authors and illustrators: Edgar Allan Poe ~ Jules Verne ~ Edmund Dulac ~ Kay Nielsen ~ Arthur Rackham ~ Edward Gorey ~ Charles Dickens ~ H.P. Lovecraft ~ William Hope Hodgson ~ Mark Twain ~ Lewis Carroll ~ Salvador Dali ~ George Cruikshank ~ Emily Dickinson ~ Geoffrey Chaucer ~ H.G. Wells

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Journael ofte gedenckwaerdige beschrijvinge van de Oost-Indische reyse
Willem Ysbrantsz Bontekoe.. Amsterdam, Joost Hartgers, 1648

One of the most compelling and entertaining travel accounts of Dutch literature. Bontekoe details his eventful 8-year voyage to the East Indies. The vivid description of his ship accidently exploding in the Sunda Strait, killing almost a third of the crew, no doubt made a huge impression on his readers.

With 2 title-pages, both with large woodcut title vignette with two ships on both titles, and double-page engraved plate with 6 views of the ship at fire and in a storm, the islands St. Mary, Samatra and Princes eyland, and an image of flying fishes