Products | Voyager Rare Books Maps & Prints

The Convict Probation System [Tasmania] – Ian Brand

Published Hobart by the Blubber Press I 1990. Large wide octavo, 284 pages, illustrated a particularly good fine copy.

Before 1839 convicts in Tasmania were systematically put into service in the hands of private individuals. Some had an even harder time than when incarcerated, others the opposite and were treated too leniently often leading to a return to crime.

In 1839 a new system of Probation was introduced where groups of convicts were progressively rehabilitated until released. It was an absolute failure with the “normal” population soon engulfed by past convicts who had not actually met the mark … society spiralled downwards on all fronts. The Governor was dismissed, and La Trobe came down from Melbourne as caretaker and reviewer.

This book contains his unexpurgated report to the British Parliament.

The author Ian Brand was a devoted student of the convict system and wrote many works on the subject.

Ill Planned Change in Convict Systems caused Mayhem

$80.00

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Queensland – Pugh’s Almanac 1886

The essential publication of the day … Pugh’s Almanac, Law Calendar, Coast Guide and Gazetteer and “Men of the Time” for 1886

536 pages followed by 94 pages of business advertisements to the rear and more at the front and the odd one inserted.

Carries the bookplate of Alan McKiness who was perhaps the greatest ever collector of all things Queensland on paper. Also, overlapped by Alan’s bookplate that of his father D.H. McInnes – an engraving of the Endeavour. Now protected in a sturdy red cloth covered solander case with label to spine. The almanac is in pretty good condition with a black rebind at an early date, Brisbane bookbinders ticket again partly obscured by Alan’s bookplate..

Always difficult to give justice to these incredible almanacs which contain so much information that to read from cover to cover would occupy the year. Essential information matted with trivia which we find illuminating. 8th June steamer “Victoria” chartered to take islanders home, left for Townsville with Government party under leadership of Lieut. Chester” – marks the end of blackbirding. On the 14th June Victoria sets off wit 405 illegally obtained islanders for the south Sea islands etc. 11th February – English cricketers left on the steamer Wentworth for Sydney- Reported that $10,000 has been offered by the Fenians for the Prince of Wales dead or alive. 3rd March England warn Russia on Afghanistan. 11th November – Massacre of Geographical Society Expedition on the Fly River. 23rd December – the New Guinea expedition reported to be massacred arrived at Cooktown in the “Benito” all well!

Large folding graphical chart of rainfall and wet days (67cm by 40cm).

Large folding map of Queensland (66cm by 56cm) showing the rainfall in 1884

Section on Statistics; Sailing Directions, colour fold out of signals in force, comprehensive and a good chapter on “Progress in the Colony”.

As you can imagine near 100 pages of period advertisements make good reading for those that are interested in the history of business in Queensland. Tow we would like to point out – John Lennon announcing the opening of his new Hotel in Queens Street … still going today and a full page add by John Petrie, obviously going quite well .. Queensland history buffs would understand the significance.

A good Almanac with map etc., nicely cased – 1886

$240.00

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Large Scale Copper Engraving of the Façade of Amsterdam Town Hall – Jacob van Campden – 1661

Original large folio copper engraving of the Amsterdam Town Hall. The western façade showing ground floor entrance and first, second and third floor windows divided into upper and lower sections. A fronton with a statue either end and in the middle Atlas carrying the world globe. The actual length of the building is 79 metres.

See National Library of Australia for an example reference 226808

Central fold – paper xxcm by xxcm. Apologies that it is too big to get a full image on our large scanner .. but almost. Sowing some age as you would expect but still a very worthy example and would make a superb architectural framed item .. if you are Dutch even better.

Represents plate E from Afbeelding van’t Stadt Huys van Amsterdam in darigh coopere Plaaten / geordineert door Jacob van Campden; en geteeckent door Jacob Vennekool. Tot Amsterdam: Bij Dancker Danckerets … 1661.

Price $120.00 unframed
One of a number of 17th century architectural engravings at Voyager.

$120.00

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Australian Explorers (from 1818 to 1876) In Rhyme – Eliza Berry 1892

Extremely scarce and unusual book of rhyme by Eliza berry who was the Head Teacher of the Girls School at Kangaroo Point Brisbane. Published by Gordan and Gotch, Melbourne in 1892.

Small octavo, 39 pages of verse after Preface and dedication. Bound as original in red cloth covered boards, simple indented line decoration to front and back and title in gilt to front.

All up 154 verses taking us through the history of Australian exploration in chronological order between 1818 and 1876.

Starts with a vague mention of the Dutch and then Dampier. Then really concentrating on land explorers … into Oxley, Hamilton Hume and Captain Hovell, Charles Sturt, Sir Thomas Mitchell, George Grey, Eyre, Sturt, Ludwig Leichhhardt, Kennedy, Gregory, Burke and Wills, Howitt, McDouall Stuart, Landsborough, Warburton, Forrest, Giles and Hodgkinson. Others get a mention but we kept our list to the main characters.

It is unusual, and the poetry is not Shakespeare, but one thing for sure Eiza displays a good knowledge of the explorations and often draws on a special point of interest associated with each.

Berry poetic summary of the Australian explorers 1892

SO SORRY SOLD

$160.00

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Matthew Flinders Private journal 1803-1814 – the Mitchell Library Manuscript

This is the deluxe edition by Genesis Publications in association with Hedley Australia printed in 1986. Originally published with another work here presented alone. Quarter leather bound with gilt Flinders to front, impressed title to spine which has faux raised bands, all page edges richly gilt … a quality expected from Genesis.

Fine condition. A heavy book unsuitable for Overseas purchase.

Folio, 365 pages of facsimile and useful index at the end … Geoffrey Ingleton’s useful introductory note helps one in to the manuscript. This is Flinders in Mauritius incarcerated by the French on his way black to England to complete his charts and publication which was to change the name of the lucky continent to Australia. Flinders hand surprisingly readable which is what makes for a good facsimile manuscript … still needs a little patience and the index helps you around

We say incarcerated, and he did have his freedom removed, but he had an easy time of it .. albeit rather lengthy and annoying.

Flinders in Mauritius beautifully presented.

$220.00

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Out with the Old Voyagers – Horace Groser – 1908

By Horace G Groser and published by Andrew Melrose, London a third edition with our preferred “gold theme” covers. The book that was the inspiration behind Voyager.

Octavo, 276 pages with 37 full page illustrations. Pictorial covers to die for with the super Voyager script … like modern day Vivaldi. Free endpaper excised and a little top of frontis – a name that was not to be left. Otherwise a super solid copy.

A solid history of early seafaring starting with Henry the Navigator, Vasco da Gama, Columbus, Magellan and the Cabots. Frobisher to the North and Sir John Hawkins out to the West Indies. Drake around the World … Davis to Greenland, Lancaster. And then Berents to Nova Zembla. The 16th Century just over and the four voyages of Henry Hudson to complete.

Voyager’s favourite inspirational Voyagers

$70.00

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All products

The Convict Probation System [Tasmania] – Ian Brand

Queensland – Pugh’s Almanac 1886

Large Scale Copper Engraving of the Façade of Amsterdam Town Hall – Jacob van Campden – 1661

Australian Explorers (from 1818 to 1876) In Rhyme – Eliza Berry 1892

Matthew Flinders Private journal 1803-1814 – the Mitchell Library Manuscript

Out with the Old Voyagers – Horace Groser – 1908

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