Rare copy of Allen & Unwin first edition published in 1961 in good condition. 4to, white canvas hardback with illustration in grey on the front cover and gold engravings on the front and on the spine; with damaged bottom spine and spotted front cover; without jacket; with coloured end papers, with ex libris on inside front cover; 320 pp., with several illustrations in black and in colours in the text, some of the signatures almost detached; top edge coloured in grey; yellowed pages. Printed on 115 gram wood-free offset paper from Lessebo AB, Sweden.

Translated by Michael Phillips.

Introduction by R. C. Anderson.

From the introduction: “The author of this book tells us in his preface that, after a long search for a really well illustrated account in any language of the development of ships from their beginnings to the present day, he found that he would have to write and illustrate the book himself. Fortunately, being a serious student of the subject, a deep-water yachtsman and, above all, an exceptionally good draughtsman with a knowledge of what is needed to make a drawing suitable for reproduction, he combines in himself all the qualities required to make the resulting book a success.

One feature is particularly welcome. Mr Landstrom has not been content to reproduce known representations of ships or to confine himself to a series of drawings of ships as he believes they must have been, but has given us, side by side, both the originals and his interpretations of them; so that we can judge for ourselves whether these interpretations are justified.”