TOUCHING THE VOID by joe simpson - 1988

London: Longmans, Green, and Co. 1871, 2nd edition. (Leather binding) 475pp. Very good plus. Rebound in a later signed red morocco fine binding, with the spine in six compartments and raised bands, and with inner dentelles and fabric endpapers. Top edge gilt, ribbon page marker, 7 plates (including frontispiece), illustrations. A previous owner's bookplate and name in pencil inside. Illustrations by Edward Whymper. Binding by G.P. Putnam's Sons. Locale: Alps Mountains; Switzerland. (Travel, Mountain Climbing--Switzerland).

New York: Harper & Brothers, 1957. First Edition . Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. FIRST PRINTING of FIRST USA EDITION. SIGNED by Ernst Reiss on the photo opposite page 145 that shows Reiss, Luchsinger and von Gunten on the Lhotse face below the couloir that leads to the summit. Reiss along with Luchsinger made the first ascent of Lhotse described in this book. Original blue boards, silver lettering spine. Generally nice condition, clean covers, tight binding, complete with all pages & photo plates, no previous owner marks or writing on any page other than the signature of Reiss, no foxing. The dust jacket has edge wear, some soiling rear panel, 1cm chip upper rear corner. This book has 222 pages, 31 b/w photos, color frontispiece, 2 maps, 1 route diagram, index. The leader's account of the Swiss expedition that in 1956 made the 1st ascent of Lhotse (8511m by Ernst Reiss & Fritz Luchsinger via Geneva Spur & the Reiss Rinne) & made 2nd & 3rd ascents of Everest (2nd by… Read More

london: Heinemann, 1971. 1st Edition 1st Printing. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. FIRST PRINTING of First UK Edition. Loosely inserted is a postcard from the 1972 European Mt Everest Expedition where Whillans was one of the lead climbers. The card was mailed from Everest Base Camp and is signed by Whillans and 12 other climbers including Hamish MacInnes (renowned Scottish mountaineer & author & ropemate of Whillans), Felix Kuen (hard winter climbs in Alps, 2nd ascent Rupal Face Nanga Parbat), & the expedition leader Karl Herrligkoffer. The book is in nice condition with clean covers that are not spotted (many copies have spotting to covers), no previous owner marks or writing on pages, solid binding, foxing and browning to edges of text-block, faint foxing on a few pages but nearly all pages without foxing. The original dust jacket has minor edge and corner flecking, no chunks missing, no tears, price-clipped flap corner. The Everest expedition postcard has a bump at one corner with a… Read More

London: Nicholas Vane, 1965. First Edition 1st Printing. Original Wraps. Very Good/Very Good. 1965 FIRST PRINTING of FIrst UK Edition. INSCRIBED & SIGNED by Rebuffat on the short title page. The book has clean covers, rubbed lower outside corner tips, some browning to page edges, no foxing, solid binding, no owner marks or writing on pages (other than author's signed inscription). The original dust jacket has loss upper front edge, 3cm tear upper rear, flecked spine ends. The book measures 237mm tall x 182mm, and has 183 pages, 104 b/w plates (1 double fold-out), 7 color plates. PHOTOS ARE OF ACTUAL ITEM BEING OFFERED.

Seattle: Cloudcap, 1990. First Edition 1st Printing. Hardcover. As New/As New. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. FIRST PRINTING of First USA Edition. Original black cloth, silver lettering cover & spine. The book is in new condition: no rubbing, no fading, no foxing, no owner marks or writing on any pages, tight binding, never used. The dust jacket is in new condition with no chips, no fading, no tears, no soiling, original price still present on flap corner. This book was acquired directly from the publisher and kept in climate controlled storage for years. The book is large format and measures 37cm tall x 27cm, and has 192 pages, 101 fine color photos. Text in English. Probably the best photo album of Karakoram, Nanga Parbat, Hindu Raj, & Hindu Kush. Detailed captions are at the rear indexed by small versions of the big photos. The book includes a short essay by the author describing his several trips to obtain the photos in this book. PHOTOS ARE OF THE ACTUAL BOOK BEING OFFERED. Read More

New York: Lyons & Burford, 1990. First Edition . Hardcover. Fine/Fine. FIRST PRINTING of First Edition. SIGNED by author on the short title page. The book measures 234mm tall x 155mm, and has 180 pages. CONDITION: The book is in fine condition. Previous owner name penned to corner of first blank page, otherwise no previous owner marks or writing on any pages, no foxing, tight binding, clean. The dust jacket has some of the usual sunning to the spine, no chips, no tears, clean, complete with unclipped flap corners.

New York: Harper & Brothers, 1957. First Edition . Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. FIRST PRINTING of FIRST USA EDITION. SIGNED by Ernst Reiss on the photo opposite page 145 that shows Reiss, Luchsinger and von Gunten on the Lhotse face below the couloir that leads to the summit. Reiss along with Luchsinger made the first ascent of Lhotse described in this book. Original blue boards, silver lettering spine. Generally nice condition, clean covers, tight binding, complete with all pages & photo plates, no previous owner marks or writing on any page other than the signature of Reiss, no foxing. The dust jacket has edge wear, some soiling rear panel, 1cm chip upper rear corner. This book has 222 pages, 31 b/w photos, color frontispiece, 2 maps, 1 route diagram, index. The leader's account of the Swiss expedition that in 1956 made the 1st ascent of Lhotse (8511m by Ernst Reiss & Fritz Luchsinger via Geneva Spur & the Reiss Rinne) & made 2nd & 3rd ascents of Everest (2nd by… Read More

london: Heinemann, 1971. 1st Edition 1st Printing. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. FIRST PRINTING of First UK Edition. Loosely inserted is a postcard from the 1972 European Mt Everest Expedition where Whillans was one of the lead climbers. The card was mailed from Everest Base Camp and is signed by Whillans and 12 other climbers including Hamish MacInnes (renowned Scottish mountaineer & author & ropemate of Whillans), Felix Kuen (hard winter climbs in Alps, 2nd ascent Rupal Face Nanga Parbat), & the expedition leader Karl Herrligkoffer. The book is in nice condition with clean covers that are not spotted (many copies have spotting to covers), no previous owner marks or writing on pages, solid binding, foxing and browning to edges of text-block, faint foxing on a few pages but nearly all pages without foxing. The original dust jacket has minor edge and corner flecking, no chunks missing, no tears, price-clipped flap corner. The Everest expedition postcard has a bump at one corner with a… Read More

London: Hodder And Stoughton Limited, 1940. First Edition . Cloth. Very Good/Good. FIRST EDITION. 226mm tall x 143mm, 330pp, 24 b/w plates, engravings by Whymper, 2 fldg maps, index. Biographical portrait of Whymper who made the first ascents of Chimborazo, Cayambe, Antisana, Carihuairazo, Sara Urco, Cotocachi, Sincholagua. He was perhaps best known for his first ascent of the Matterhorn and the ensuing accident on the descent that killed half the party. At the end of his climbing career he travelled to the Canadian Rockies (1901 & 1903) to explore & climb in a publicity capacity for the C.P.R. (one chapter on this in the book). Most of the book is on climbs in the Alps, and very much is directly quoted from Whymper's letters & communications. original red cloth, gilt lettering spine. uncommon DJ is present but has chipping at corners and loss at top of spine (see photo), book has fading on spine where DJ is chipped (nearly all copies of this book that don't have DJs have faded… Read More

Wellington: Nova Pacifica, 1982. 1st Edition 1st Printing. Hardcover. As New/No Jacket Issued. 1982 FIRST EDITION deluxe binding in publisher's slipcase. New condition, straight from publisher's shipping box (still present), kept in climate controlled storage for years. Never used. With publisher's original packing & shipping review/delivery confirmation slip. No fading, no wear, no foxing, no owner marks, no bumps. New condition. Big volume: the book measures 320mm tall x 248mm and has 376 pages, b/w frontispiece portrait of Darwin, 27 color plates (1 is folding), many in-text illustrations, index. Complete as issued, nothing missing. Edition of 750 numbered copies with limitation page at end. Original black leather spine and corners, blue cloth boards, spine with 5 raised bands and gilt decorations, blue and black title patches lettered in gilt, marbled EPs, matching publisher's slipcase. PHOTOS ARE OF THE ACTUAL BOOK SET BEING OFFERED. Big, heavy set.