Sim Comfort Associates

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Fine Books about Fighting Sail (1793 - 1815)

Sim Comfort Associates
127 Arthur Road, Wimbledon Park
London, SW19 7DR, England
Tel: 44 (0) 208 944 8747

Email: sim@simcomfort.demon.co.uk

Founded in 1974 by Mary and Sim Comfort, SCA has not grown very much, but has produced some rather special books. This was the object of the partnership in 1974 and is still our priority. We consider the paper, printing and binding of each title very carefully. Our object is not just to reprint a title, but to produce a book which will challenge the original in terms of craftsmanship and style. We want to produce reprints that will last as long as the original copies.

If you are interested in the golden age of Fighting Sail (1793 - 1815), then you have found the right site. Through our two titles by David Steel, you will have all you need to build, rig, sail and fight the ships of this period. In addition to this through James Jenkins's Naval Achievements, you will be able to visualise these great contests at sea by viewing the wonderful colour aquatints based on Thomas Whitcombe's watercolours, as well as read the victorious commander's dispatch to his commanding admiral.

In the words of Patrick O'Brian, "I think the reprint of Jenkins is a quite remarkably successful piece of book production and I send you my hearty congratulations on the quality of your paper, colour reproduction, letterpress and binding." Words to bring a glow to any publisher, however small!

With our latest title, Naval Swords and Dirks, you now have a two volume reference for officers' swords, hangers, cutlasses and dirks that makes you part of a boarding party! With over 1,750 colour images, you will find the details of each piece that are found nowhere else. This is the prefect companion to Boarders Away and Swords for Sea Service.

Forget Me Not is a study of folk art, maritime lore, tales of derring-do. The practice of engraving a coin as a sailor's promise of return is very old and certainly warrants a place alongside scrimshaw as an important addition to the mariner's art.

With the bicentennial of Trafalgar in 2005, Malcolm Appleby produced what in now termed the Appleby Trafalgar Medal which has received critical acclaim with Malcolm receiving the Gold Award for engraving and the Silver Award for modelling from the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. Have a look at the medal and do read the background information, as the medal captures a fair amount of new information.

Mary and I also like to travel and I like to write about our trips. With the cost of postage and photography these days, it has proved economical to produce our trip reports on this web site. Read them if you wish, but order a book or an Appleby Trafalgar Medal as well!