Products | Voyager Rare Books Maps & Prints

The Forces of Nature – A Popular Introduction to the Study of Physical Phenomena – Amedee Guillemin – Translated by Mrs Norman Lockyer – Edited and with Additions from J Norman Lockyer – 1873

Despite being a “Popular” edition, this substantial book is very scarce indeed, possibly because it would have been very expensive in the day. No expense was spared in producing the illustrations.

This copy housed in a rather flash full leather binding, albeit showing some sign of wear with leather scuffs etc. The binding reflects the provenance which was as a prize at the Hereford Cathedral College in England. At the front is the most elegant manuscript prize inscription in Latin, of course.

Large royal octavo, 679 pages, with over 150 illustrations, some in colour from chromolithographs.

A most enterprising book on physics which not only still holds some educational interest today but for anyone interested in the history of the development of the physical sciences then its hard to pass by. Starts with Gravity, Weight, and Universal Attraction … Falling Bodies … the Laws … Newton etc. then Hydrostatics, weights in liquids … Archimedes, Boyle etc Barometers, Pumps Mariotte’s Law. Sound, reflection, velocity, refraction, vibrations, strings, waves etc. Sources of light, photometry, reflection, refraction, colours, spectrum. Radiation, phosphorescence, nature of light, polarization. Heat, calorimetry, a species of motion. Magnets, electrical attraction and repulsion, electrical machines. Leyden Jars, induction, electrical lighting (remember 1873) and finally Atmospheric Meteors.

We have already indicated that there is so much to like about this book. At Voyager we have always had a fascination regarding electro induction devices such as the Wimshurst machine. Here we have several woodcuts of some of the more superior “electrical machines” of the day … just superb.

A super gift for anyone interested in early fundamental physics and or the history of the science.

$280.00

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Black Swan – George Shaw – 1808

An original copper engraving of the Australian Black Swan.

Engraved in copper by Eastgate and published by G Kearlsey of Fleet street, London on October 1st 1808 – dated in the plate. It was published as part of the great George Shaw’s Zoological Lectures which were performed at the Royal Institution the following year.

A good strong engraving, 210mm by 125 mm. paper showing a little age but really a very good example of this very early Black Swan image.

Proud Black Swan done well.

$120.00

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Narzinge and Ceylon Petrus Bertius – Published 1610

An original copper engraved miniature map of Southern India and Sri Lanka (Ceylon). One of the earliest maps of the region.

This map was originally drawn by Barent Langenes and published by him at Middleburg and as part of Petrus Bertius’ Caert-Thresoor in 1598.

Bertius continued to include this map in his most successful “Tabularum Geographicarum Contractarum Libri” published by Cornelis Claesz in Amsterdam. This example comes from the 1603 edition of “Tabularum”.

It is rather scarce. Here uncoloured, as it should be 85mm by 122mm. Very good condition, any darkening of the paper exaggerated by the scan.

Petrus Bertius (1565-1629) was born the son of a Flemish minister a Baveren, Flanders. He became a religious refugee and moved and settled in Amsterdam. In 1577. After finishing his studies he was appointed Professor of Mathematics at the University of Leiden. He became a prolific writer on mathematics, history and theology. He also gained renown as a geographer and publisher of magnificent atlases. Later in life, in 1618 he became cosmographer and historiographer to Louis XIII of France. He died in Paris in 1629

Price as unframed

$160.00

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Map of the Eastern Hemisphere – Allain Manesson Mallet – 1683

An unusual original copper engraved map of the Eastern Hemisphere or “Ancien Continent” by Mallet published in Paris in 1863.

This is an early depiction of the West Coast of Australia and the Southern extremity of Tasmania following the exploratory efforts of the Dutch.

A worn track of the printed area and deficiency way bottom left otherwise a good strong example

A massive hypothetical “Terra Incognues” appears in the south in order to “balance” the world.

Mallet (1630-1706) was a French cartographer and engineer. He started his career as a soldier in the army of Louis XIV became a Sergeant Major and an Inspector of Fortifications. His maps have a beautiful decorative and unique style.

Striking early map of the Eastern Hemisphere

$140.00

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Exchange of Letters between Sir Leslie Orme Wilson and the Maharaja of Gondal on the former’s appointment as the Governor of Bombay – 1923. Subsequently Wilson to become Governor of Queensland

An official exchange along with a corrected draft from the Maharaja so clearly from the files of his office.

Military man and parliamentarian Leslie Orme Wilson (1876- 1955) was appointed Governor of Bombay (1923-1926). His formal advice to His Highness Sir Bhagwatsinhji Sagramji – Thakor Saheb of Gondal ((1865-1944) was sent dated 13 December 1923 on the rather striking elaborately bordered paper of the day and regime. It is framed with a “Friendly disposition”.

The delightful response was not made until 5th February the following year and I have no doubt there may have been an underlying message despite the responses carefully crafted words “great pleasure to receive the assurance of the friendly disposition”. We also like the fact that the Maharaja’s similarly elaborate paper has retained far more gold over the years than his British counterpart.

There relationship did in indeed prove friendly and Wilson was “sent on” to Brisbane to become it’s longest serving Governor from 1932 through the war years to 1946. He was the head honcho in the Queensland masons and did a lot of tress planting including sone of the nice ones down around the beginning of Coronation drive – have they survived the continuous development?

An unusual and friendly piece of history with a Queensland connection

$80.00

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Madman’s Bend – Arthur Upfield – First Edition 1963

A very good copy of the first edition of the last completed novel of Australian writer Arthur Upfield.

Aurthur William Upfield (1890-1964) was born in England and came to Australia and made it his home in 1911. He served in WWI, carried out a number of inland excursions in Australia and became familiar with the bush and indigenous Australians. He wrote many novels and is famous particularly for his crime series featuring Detective Inspector Napoleon “Bony” Bonaparte of the Queensland Police Force, a mixed race indigenous Australian. This his last book in the series is set along the Darling River in NSW.

Published by Heinemann, London in 1963. Octavo, 232 pages, a little age along the top edge, but really as good a copy. Very clean internally. Solid jacket

One of “Bony’s” toughest mysteries. William Lush, sheep station owner and drunk beats his wife and goes to town in search of more grog. Returning he runs out of fuel and walks the remainder of the way home where he finds the door barred by his daughter who fires as shot from the other side. Lush disappears and his wife dies from her injuries … Bony is confronted with a dilemma is he searching for a murderer or a victim .. it all gets quite complicated.

Collectable and final Arthur Upfield Mystery

$70.00

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All products

The Forces of Nature – A Popular Introduction to the Study of Physical Phenomena – Amedee Guillemin – Translated by Mrs Norman Lockyer – Edited and with Additions from J Norman Lockyer – 1873

Black Swan – George Shaw – 1808

Narzinge and Ceylon Petrus Bertius – Published 1610

Map of the Eastern Hemisphere – Allain Manesson Mallet – 1683

Exchange of Letters between Sir Leslie Orme Wilson and the Maharaja of Gondal on the former’s appointment as the Governor of Bombay – 1923. Subsequently Wilson to become Governor of Queensland

Madman’s Bend – Arthur Upfield – First Edition 1963

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