The Kon-Tiki Expedition: By Raft Across the South Seas.

HEYERDAHL, Thor.

Item Number: 111453

London: Theodore Brun Limited, 1950.

The limited de luxe edition of the explorer’s classic work. Number 156 of 350 numbered copies. Octavo, bound in leather, gilt titles to the spine, gilt topstain, ribbon bound-in, marbled endpapers, illustrated throughout. From the library of James Stephen “Steve” Fossett with his bookplate to the pastedown of each volume. American businessman and record-setting aviator Steve Fossett became the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in 2002 in his 10-story high balloon Spirit of Freedom. He completed the 2002 trip in 13 days, 8 hours, and 33 minutes and set records for both the Longest Distance Flown Solo in a Balloon and Fastest Balloon Flight Around the World. Fosset was also one of sailing’s most prolific distance record holders set the Absolute World Speed Record for airships with a Zeppelin NT in 2004. He received numerous awards and honors throughout his career including aviation’s highest award, the Gold Medal of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), which he was awarded in 2002. Fossett disappeared on September 3, 2007 while flying a light aircraft over the Great Basin Desert, between Nevada and California. Translated by F.H. Lyon. In near fine condition.

On April 28, 1947, Heyerdahl and five other adventurers sailed from Peru on a raft built from balsa wood, bamboo, and hemp. After three months and 4,300 nautical miles on the open sea they sighted land—the Polynesian island of Puka Puka.The Kon-Tiki has been translated into sixty-five languages and has sold millions of copies. It is the basis for the 2012 Norwegian film directed by Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg, and was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe.