David Abercrombie (1867-1931) - a former trapper, prospector and topographer who founded ...

one of the best of his time stores for hunters, guides, fishermen, explorers and trappers to find their outdoor goods.  In 1900, he opened with Ezra Fitch (a very wealthy lawyer) their famous store by the waterfront in lower Manhattan.

It was in  1917 they moved to the largest luxery sporting goods store in the world specializing in firearms and outdoor goods. A complete log cabin was build on the roof of this 12 story building. For the anglers was a casting pool so they could try out and test the fishing gear they had an interest in buying as well as a gun/rifle range in the basement of the building.

The store had everything related to the outdoors, including golfing, hot air ballooning, falconry, yachting, and fencing. ..

Unfortunately this store is long gone being the real thing for the outdoors man...

and gone are the customers of the era... Ernest Hemingway, Theodore Roosevelt,........

.........,............,..............,...

“Friendship is the shadow of the evening, which increases with the setting sun of life”

-Jean de la Fontaine

Sven Hedin (1865 – 1956), Swedish Explorer, Photographer, Author etc.

His life was pure adventure from his four expeditions and the Trans-Himalaya mountain range to his last days in Stockholm, Sweden.

As a young teenager he looked up to famous Swedish Arctic Explorer Adolf  E. Nordenskjold. He was like Sir Richard Francis Burton multilingual and spoke with ease Tatar, Mongolian, Turkish, Persian, Tibetan, Chinese to name a few of the more exotic languages.

He spent 20 years on the Asian continent. He studied under Baron Ferdinand v. Richthofen, a traveler, geographer, and scientist. During the years of 1893 to 1897 he explored the Pamir mountains and went to cross the Taklimakan desert and advanced further into Tibet. In 1899 to 1902 it was time for Tarim Basin, Tibet, Kashmir and Calcutta to be explored. 1905 to 1908 the deserts of Central Persia.

From 1927 to 1935 - Expedition leader of the Sino-Swedish expedition into the Gobi desert, Mongolia.

From the end of 1933 to 1934, Hedin led a Chinese expedition along the Silk road (its trade routes actually connects East, West, and South Asia) from Beijing to Xinjiang. He was the last person to receive a Swedish knighthood (in 1902).

The Trophy Room...

Morocco - Once More.....A few Pictures....

(All Photos in This Post by Tavarua)