In the Scarce Dust Wrapper

Cromar, John ~ Jock of the Islands. Early days in the South Seas. The Adventures of John Cromar, sometime recruiter and lately trader of Marovo, British Solomon Islands Protectorate told by himself : With The John Farleigh Wrapper

Faber and Faber, London: 1935

8vo., brick-red publisher’s cloth, lettered in gilt to spine; in the original unclipped pictorial dust wrapper (8s. 6d. net), featuring a 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 a very good copy; slight pushing to spine ends with light spotting to edges and endpapers; THE WRAPPER near-fine, a couple of very small nicks, one or two dirt marks but else exceptionally clean and bright; two very discrete internal tape repairs; a wonderful example. The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. First UK edition, first printing. 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’. Scarce in the dust wrapper.

BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Very Good
JACKET: Near Fine