Connecticut River Book Auction
May 3rd, 2024
949 Main Street in South Glastonbury, CT 06073
www.ctriverbookauction.com

SOUTH GLASTONBURY, CONN. — Like a good travel story? Say, one written at the turn of the last century with pirates off the coast of Africa and natives at the tip of South America known to treat strangers unkindly? If the answer to that question is yes, then the Connecticut River Book Auction has the book for you in an auction at 6 pm at South Congregational Church, Friday, May 3.

In the genre of true sailing and travel literature Sailing Alone Around the World by Captain Joshua Slocum is an absolutely must read. The story begins in the late 1800s with Slocum acquiring an “antiquated sloop called the Spray,” that had been abandoned in a Massachusetts field. He then begins to rebuild this ship by hand with lumber he fells from nearby woodlands. Modest adjustments to its design are made and upon its completion he decides to embark on a journey, a solo voyage around the world. Over the course of the next three years, he crosses the Atlantic not once but three times, on one occasion outracing pirates off the coast of Africa.

Traveling down the coast of South America, the passage through the Strait of Magellan is challenging, not only because of the weather, which in one instance pushed the Spray after having nearly cleared the strait back to the Falkland Islands but also for the presence of outlaws and hostile natives. From discharging his firearm, to inventing imaginary crew and spreading tacks on deck, Slocum manages to clear unharmed the straits and enter the Pacific Ocean.

From the beginning of this journey, the public followed his progress with great fascination. Slocum notes many times of the kindness and generosity shown to him by the residents of the areas in which he docked the Spray. Indeed, their interest in his travels enabled him to deliver lectures that allowed him to earn badly needed cash as he had begun this adventure with hardly any money.

Perhaps, it was these opportunities to repeatedly describe his adventures whenever he dropped anchor that makes Sailing Alone Around the World such an enjoyable read. The copy that Connecticut River Book Auction has is a first edition with a partial dustjacket. The front free endpaper has an entry by Gust L. Green of Noank, Conn., stating that this book was given to him in 1900 by Slocum. Affixed to the fixed front endpaper is a photo of Green sailing the Eric Lief. Also on that page is a newspaper note of a visit by Slocum to Noank to visit D.P. Green in 1898, a New London visit in 1900 and the obituary of Mrs Slocum (Mayhew).

Why did Mrs Slocum die as Mrs. Mayhew? In 1908, Joshua Slocum departed on what was to be brief trip aboard his beloved Spray to be lost at sea. Neither he nor the Spray were ever found.

The South Congregational Church is at 949 Main Street. For information, 860-908-8067 or www.ctriverbookauction.com.

will hold a LIVE and IN-PERSON BOOK AUCTION on MAY 3RD, 2024 at the South Congregational Church located at 949 Main Street in South Glastonbury, CT 06073. Inspection begins at noon with the auction starting at 6 pm. ABSENTEE / PHONE BIDDERS call 860-908-8067 for Information
Our May book auction should delight readers of fiction, art, history and travel whether you attend in person, on the phone or by absentee bid.
If you happen to be a sailor, then you likely know the name Joshua Slocum. After rebuilding the sloop “Spray,” he spent from 1895 to 1898 aboard that vessel sailing around the world. The story of that amazing solo journey was published in 1900 as “Sailing Alone Around the World.” The copy we have is a 1st edition belonging to Gust L. Green of Noank, CT He writes on the front fep that this book was given to him by Slocum as he travelled from New London to Stonington. A period news clipping supports this claim.
South Congregational
For those with a historical interest in the hardships that confronted those who made their living by the sea, we offer a 1st edition of “The Fishermen’s Own Book comprising the List of Men and Vessels Lost from the Port of Gloucester, Mass, from 1874 to April 1, 1882.” If your historical interest leans towards the Indian Wars then consider a 1st edition of Cook’s “Journals of the Military Expedition of Major General John Sullivan against the Six Nations of Indians in 1779.”
Each of our auctions are rich in fiction and this auction is no different with signed 1st edition volumes by Michael Crichton “Prey,” Lilliam Hellman “The Autumn Garden,” Fowles “The Ebony Tower,” Hughes “A High Wind in Jamaica,” Irving “The Fourth Hand,” and Wilder’s “The Bridge of San Luis Rey,” which is also signed by Rockwell Kent. Then there are these unsigned 1st editions by Steinbeck “East of Eden'”‘The Moon is Down,” and the Pearl,” by Conroy “The Great Santini,” by Reynolds “Mocha Dick or the White Whale of the Pacific,” and
Church • 949 Main St, South Glastonbury, CT •
Faulkner’s “Father Abraham.”
If art is your calling, then consider these signed or limited 1st editions: Bailly “Dorothea Tanning,” Jinishian “Bound for Blue Water Contemporary American Marine Art,” Vachon “W. Bouguereau,” Walter Crane “Eight Illustrations to Shakespeare’s Tempest,” and Arthur Rackham’s “The King of the Golden River.”
Finally, there are sign photos of Ted Williams, Whitey Ford, Derek Jetter and signed material by Archie Moore, Gerald Ford, and Le Roy Neiman.
For more information on this 6 pm, Friday, May 3rd book auction to be held at the South Congregational Church,
949 Main Street, South Glastonbury, CT 06073 visit ctriverbookauction.com or call Tom at 1-860-908-8067.
www.ctriverbookauction.com • 860-908-8067