Bidspirit auction | 3 Maritime History Reference Books

3 Maritime History Reference Books From Peter Benchley's Personal Library - Three maritime history and London landmark hardcover books. The group includes Port Royal Rediscovered, Trafalgar: The Nelson Touch, and The Tower of London, Vol. I. Port Royal Rediscovered is a stated first edition published by Doubleday & Company, 1973. Trafalgar: The Nelson Touch is a stated first American edition published by Atheneum, 1969. The Marx and Howarth volumes are octavo hardcovers presented in their original dust jackets. The Tower of London is a large octavo volume published by George Bell & Sons, 1901, featuring a half-leather binding in dark green with five raised bands and gilt floral motifs on the spine, complemented by marbled paper boards and matching marbled endpapers. Trafalgar: The Nelson Touch bears a handwritten association inscription on the front free endpaper from maritime artist John Chancellor to author Nathaniel Benchley, dated August 1979. The Tower of London volume includes a wedding gift inscription from 1903. Largest copy: 9 1/8” H x 7” W x 1 3/8” D. The books behind the books. Peter’s working library of marine biology, maritime history, underwater archaeology, exploration and shark science is where The Deep, Beast, Shark Trouble and his National Geographic articles began. He loved these books and read them thoroughly. From the personal collection of Peter Benchley (American, 1940–2006), acclaimed author of Jaws, accomplished diver, and prominent advocate for ocean and shark conservation.