For Sale: Martel - Ireland et Cavernes Anglaises, 1897

[OldPhartCaver]

We would love it for the British Caving Library but I think it would be too expensive for us. I will ask Jenny Potts what she thinks.
Mary

An excellent destination - perhaps we could raise funds through donation to buy , I would contribute if others want to do similar.

Mike

Me too

I'm very pleased to see this connection! I've had a number of people interested in the Martel but no-one has yet convinced me that they are the person to whom I would like the book to be sold. If the idea of the British Caving Library acquiring it is serious I'd be very happy and I'd work with people to achieve that outcome. It's the kind of thing I was hoping to uncover.

Can I suggest that we continue this correspondence by email so that we can see what we can achieve?

I just want to say again that a market price is not my priority (many people don't seem to get that), I'm not a bookseller except in this instance, I'm keen to see the item in a good home where it is accessible and secure and can remain as an artifact for future generations of cavers.

Please email me at seasmain.taylor@gmail.com - that's an email address I use for non-personal emails, but from there on we can work at the personal level.

 

[Ian Ball]

Please get in touch BCL

 

[Allan]

I also would be happy to donate for a BCL purchase

 

[yrammy]

I am waiting for Jenny Potts to reply as she is the BCL co-ordinator. I would love to see this book at the BCL - and even though I am the employed librarian - I would personally give ?10 to the fund. 
Mary 

 

[Jenny P]

I would love to see this in the British Caving Library.

We do have some extra funds acquired through donations to our Library Lucky Dips at past Hidden Earths and I can't think of a better use to put the money to.  Many thanks too for the offers to "chip in".

I'll have a chat to Mary tomorrow at the Library and we'll see what we can do.  I'll also email OldPhartCaver later today - in a rush at present.

 

[bograt]

I can afford a few quid to help put it in the BCL 

 

[scurve]

I'll chip in ?10 for the library.

 

[Jenny P]

So far BCL has had 8 offers from people wanting to chip in to help buy this for the Library - that's brilliant!  It also gives me confidence that it is something that people want to see in the Library so I can go ahead with negotiations.

I have emailed the seller on behalf of the British Caving Library as I think it would be great for us to have this book.  I haven't yet had a reply but have been able to quote to him the current prices for similar copies on sale so that I can get an idea of how much we would expect to pay.

 

[Tommy]

Someone start a BCA gofundme page.

Make it easy for people to chip in. 100 people chip in a tenner, anything left over after haggling goes on other library stuff.

Or should this come out of the general BCA tax revenue?

 

[rhychydwr1]

I believe that parts or all of this book have been translated into English.  Can anybody supply the references?

 

[Jenny P]

Someone start a BCA gofundme page.

Make it easy for people to chip in. 100 people chip in a tenner, anything left over after haggling goes on other library stuff.

Or should this come out of the general BCA tax revenue?

It doesn't seem necessary to do this for the moment as we now already have 9 offers of donations at various levels (some small and some more substantial) and, as yet, I am waiting to hear about a possible asking price from the seller, who is definitely sympathetic to BCL as a good place for the book to go.  He has promised to get back to me in a couple of days but is in the middle of moving house at present.

There are English translations available but that's not the point - this is the original book as first published. 

We also have other Martel items in the original French on their way to us from another source (others of his books, periodical articles, etc.) so this particular book would fit in well to give us a collection of related material by Martel, especially as this is the book about caves in Britain and Ireland.

If anyone else is willing to chip in towards buying this for the British Caving Library, however small the donation, please PM me.  As they say, "Every little helps!" 

Jenny Potts
BCRA Co-ordinator,
British Caving Library

 

[pwhole]

I believe that parts or all of this book have been translated into English.  Can anybody supply the references?

The Peak Cavern section of the book as a translation (in both modern and 'original' layouts) was published by BCRA last year in Cave & Karst Science 45/3. The original layout version was only published as an online supplement to the same issue. You'll need a temporary login code to download them if you're not a BCRA member:

http://bcra.org.uk/pub/candks/index.html?j=135