Some genuine treasures have come our way since we prepared our recent book fair catalogue: Strehlow's Songs of Central Australia (a superb copy); Kempe's Galtjintana-Pepa Kristianirberaka Mbontala (the first Aranda book of Christian instruction and worship, 1891); and Giles’s Australia Twice Traversed (Jimmy Andrews’s set – he was one of only three companions with Giles on his second expedition in 1873-74, on which Alfred Gibson lost his life).
Important Australian colonial art includes Mann’s Present Picture of New South Wales (1811, with the 1884 facsimile plates); Maclehose’s Picture of Sydney (1838); Gill’s Diggers & Diggings of Victoria as they are in 1855 (1856); and a series of four superb original watercolours depicting a kangaroo hunt, executed by John Eden Savill in 1876.
There are numerous signed items by a diverse range of important figures, including Laurence Sterne; Hallam, 2nd Baron Tennyson (Australia’s second Governor-General); D.H. Lawrence; Herbert Hoover; Birdwood of Anzac; Sir Ronald Storrs; Joe Darling; Ion Idriess; and Don Bradman.
Ornithology is well-represented this time: Broinowski’s Birds of Australia (1890-91); the facsimile edition of Gould’s Birds of Australia (1972-75); and numerous scholarly press publications of more recent vintage.
And there’s plenty more!
London, T. Fisher Unwin, 1893. 'The only names of Australians which are at all familiar to the general run of Englishmen are those of cricketers, rowers, and prize-fighters. If the individualities of merely the Australian public men who, like many of these others, have visited England, were half as familiar..... More
London, 'Published for the Translators by The Mining Magazine', 1912. The first edition 'of Agricola's "De Re Metallica" (On Metals), illustrated with over 270 woodcuts, embraced everything connected with Renaissance mining and metallurgical industries, including administration, the duties of companies and workers, prospecting, mechanical engineering, ore processing and the manufacture..... More
Adelaide, Hussey and Gillingham, 1915. More
Hawthorn East, Birds Australia (formerly Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union), 2003. More
Sydney, Angus and Robertson, 1936 (one volume), 1940 (seven volumes), 1941 (three volumes) and 1942 (one volume). The sixth volume is the first and only edition of 1942, the others are mixed editions ranging from the third (Volume 10) to the fourteenth (Volume 12). The Australian Government accepted Charles Bean's..... More
The letter (octavo, two pages on one leaf, dated '26 Oct. [1942], Coates, Cirencester, Glos.', on embossed House of Lords writing paper), is warm and effusive in its praise for Simopoulos and its expressions of sympathy for his widow. Apart from a single crease across the centre for posting, it..... More
South Melbourne, Macmillan, 1983. Signed on the half-title by Don Bradman (a very large signature using a thick black felt-tipped pen), and also by his wife Jessie (using a fine ball-point pen). More
Adelaide, Lutheran Publishing House, 1956. The editor's preface is instructive. Dr Brauer completed his manuscript in 1947, having spent over 25 years on it, but it remained unpublished on his death in 1949. Pastor Strelan was tasked with reducing the manuscript to one-third of its length; the complete original work..... More
Melbourne, Charles Stuart and Co., 1890 and 1891. The plate count per volume is, respectively, 52, 58, 48, 48, 50 and 47. Although it is complete, this set is sold as a collection of plates not subject to return. More
![Item #114950 The Birds of Africa [in seven volumes]. Leslie H. BROWN, Kenneth NEWMAN, Emil K. URBAN](https://treloars.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/114950.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1563245483)
London, Academic Press, and Princeton, Princeton University Press, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1992, 1997, 2000 and 2004. The colour illustrations in the series are principally by Martin Woodcock, with additional artwork by Ian Willis, Peter Hayman and C. Hilary Fry. More
The photographs are credited in the negatives to the Adelaide photographers Anson & Francis. One page features the front page for Number 75, 18 June 1865, containing the masthead and an illustrated article relating to the death of the bushranger John Gilbert (shot dead by police on 13 May 1865)..... More
Melbourne (Volume 1) and Canberra, Australian War Memorial, 1938 (second edition)/ 1930, 1940 and 1943. These volumes are the medical companion to the twelve-volume 'Official History of Australia in the War, 1914-1918'. All three volumes are scarce; the third volume must be deemed rare. Arthur Graham Butler (1872-1949) 'was appointed..... More
Victoria, BC, Royal British Columbia Museum, 1990. A fourth volume was later published. More
Adelaide, Rigby, 1973. The notorious rape-murder trial involving Rupert Maxwell Stuart (born on a cattle station near Alice Springs, the son of 'a full-blood Aranda tribesman ... and a girl who had one white grandparent'. He was sentenced to death, reprieved seven times before the sentence was commuted to life..... More
[Adelaide?], RAR Association (SA) Branch, [1990s]. 'Many of our mates gave their lives during these campaigns. This list is dedicated to them; a total of 639'. Not in Trove. More
Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1985. More
Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1994. Stanley Cramp is listed as editor despite having died in 1987; he saw the first four volumes of the series to press. More
The almost-Invincibles (they lost just two matches out of 39) are Darling (captain), Armstrong, Carter, Duff, Gregory, Hill, Hopkins, Howell, Jones, Kelly, Noble, Saunders, Trumble, Trumper, and the manager, Major Ben Wardill. Provenance: incredibly, from Joe Darling himself! - his bold ink signature is clearly visible on the verso of..... More
Adelaide, Wakefield Press/ SACA, 1984. One of 299 numbered copies of the deluxe edition, issued with a gilt-embossed leather cricket ball signed by Don Bradman (still present with this copy - many are no longer so!). The odd limitation number was chosen because it is the Test record for the..... More
The albumen paper photograph (58 × 91 mm), on the original plain card mount, is in excellent condition. We presume it to be 'somewhere in England', and some time in the 1860s. More
Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2002. The ninth book of the Bird Families of the World series. More
Melbourne, E. & D. Syme, 'The Leader' Office, and Adelaide, Frearson & Bro. [1874]. 'The following Papers are reprinted from "The Farm" section of the Melbourne "Leader".... The writer left Melbourne on 1st September, 1874, and returned on the 30th November. The early Papers were written during September, in which..... More
This albumen paper photograph (90 × 58 mm) is in excellent condition, on the original plain mount; details of the subjects are written in pencil on the verso. The Magri wedding took place on Easter Monday, 6 April 1885 at the Church of the Holy Trinity in New York City;..... More
London, John Souter, 1822. Provenance: the notable Australiana library of F.G. Coles, with his bookplate on the front pastedown. An important early work on Tasmania, with 'sections on the discovery and early exploration of the island, soil and agriculture, botany, zoology, mineralogy, roads, field sports, manufactures, commerce, law and much..... More
The photographs are numbered and captioned in the space between the two images; this collection comprises an unbroken run of 100 from '2597. Sentinelles avancées derrière un talus' to '2696. Pêche à la ligne'. There are numerous scenes depicting the misery of life in the trenches (especially when flooded); other..... More
Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1998. The sixth book of the Bird Families of the World series; with a foreword by Sir David Attenborough. More
![Item #115319 Ricordo di Genova [cover title]. Genoa](https://treloars.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/115319_01.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1563424671)
Genoa, Cartoleria e Legatoria Balbi Giuseppe, [circa 1880s]. A pictorial souvenir of Genoa comprising a leporello of 12 sepia-toned gelatin silver photographs (102 × 72 mm or the reverse) on card mounts with a printed red border, folding into gilt-lettered red cloth boards, decorated in blind and lettered in gilt..... More
London, Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, 1889. Provenance: James Andrews, one of just three men to accompany Giles on his second expedition in Central Australia in 1873-74. A silver fob watch owned by him and inscribed 'J. Andrews' accompanies the books. Later inscriptions in ink on the recto of..... More
Melbourne, James J. Blundell, 1856. The run contains 20 busy and entertaining original lithographs of the Victorian goldfields by Gill, as well as the very rare printed wrappers (also by Gill). These scenes of goldfields life are 'arguably still the most popular and most readily recognised representations of the Australian..... More
London, Golden Cockerel Press, 1934. Number 196 of 250 copies of this 'the Hundredth Book printed by the Golden Cockerel Press, and completed on the 15th day of October 1934'. Loosely inserted is the visiting card of Mrs R.J. Legoe, with her gift inscription on the verso: 'Alick, Happy Birthday..... More
Melbourne, Lansdowne Editions, 1979 (facsimile edition)/ 1837-38. Number 173 of 500 copies signed by Allan McEvey, Curator of Birds at the National Museum of Victoria. More
![Item #113464 Birds of Australia [the complete set of eight volumes]. John GOULD](https://treloars.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/113464_00.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1546931420)
Melbourne, Lansdowne Press, 1972 to 1975 (facsimile edition)/ 1848 to 1869. More
London, T. & W. Boone, 1841. Despite failing to achieve their stated objectives, Grey's two expeditions nevertheless resulted in important discoveries relating to the topography, natural history and Aboriginal people of the north-west of Australia. He was the first European to see the striking Wandjina rock art figures of the..... More
Toowoomba, Printed by Robertson & Provan Ltd. [for the Author? circa 1920]. More
Davis and Stanbury list William Hall at this address from 1890 to 1892. The substantial church may still be standing; its unusual spire would make it stand out to this day. What gives this image greater appeal though is its ephemeral content: the lone tree, the simple cottage, the expanse..... More
Perth, Imperial Printing Company, 1933. The author wrote from personal experience dating back to the 1860s. The frontispiece has inscribed beneath it 'Presented to Mrs D. Richardson by the Author. J.E. Hammond, 25-5-35'. This copy has the ownership details of three later owners, including the Western Australian authors Lyndall Hadow..... More
London, Longmans, Green and Co. (but 'Printed in the United States of America'), 1930 (first edition). A rarity in every edition and in any condition: Georgette Heyer grew to loathe this work and three other early works of contemporary fiction (as distinct from her crime novels and Regency romances), and..... More
Melbourne, Oxford University Press, 1999. More
Melbourne, Oxford University Press, 1990. More
Melbourne, Oxford University Press, 1990. More
Melbourne, Oxford University Press, 1993. More
Melbourne, Oxford University Press, 1996. More
Melbourne, Oxford University Press, 2006. More
Chipping Norton, Surrey Beatty, 1996. The book reviews the achievements and reassesses the significance of the expedition, with contributions from 'prehistorians, historians, anthropologists, biologists, ecologists, geologists, Aboriginal people and social commentators'. Not indicated, but limited to 1200 copies. More
London, Dulau, 1896. The set was withdrawn from the Public Library of New South Wales; the cancelled stamps are signed by Ida Emily Leeson (1885-1964), the second Mitchell Librarian (from 1932 until [officially] 1946). A pencilled note in each volume indicates the set entered the library on 16 March 1909..... More
Sydney, Angus and Robertson, 18 April 1932 (second impression)/ 15 April 1932. Idriess introduces this account of his service with the 5th Light Horse Regiment with these words: it 'is more than my diary. It is myself'. The foreword is by General Sir Harry Chauvel, 'Late Commanding the Desert Mounted..... More
Sydney, Angus and Robertson, 1933 [first edition]. The statement of limitation indicates this is 'One of 200 copies in art [artificial] leather, with jacket bound in. This is No. 125', numbered and signed by the author. The book is based on the life of Cecil John Levien (1874-1932), district officer..... More
Sydney, Angus and Robertson, 1933 (fourth edition)/ 1931. The first four editions each comprised 2000 copies. The lengthy chapter on prospecting for oil by Dr W.G. Woolnough was new to this fourth edition. The introduction indicates that other chapters added since the first edition were on 'Reefing, Battery Work, Amalgamation..... More
Adelaide, Sands and McDougall, fourth edition [circa 1919]. Inscribed and signed to E.J. Bowen by the author ('Mrs Wordsworth James, Febry 27th 1919'). A genuine oddity - a personal anthology in praise of the humble coo-ee, the 'Call of my Country' - featuring verse, art, crafts, limericks and yarns. Military..... More
