Prestige Items

Kalgoorlie Golden Mile – Western Australia – Original Magic Lantern Slide – Newton & Co – c1910

Very good condition magic lantern slide from Newton & Co Fleet described in cursive writing.

We date the slide to around 1910. New & Co were at 43 Museum Street London. They were the world’s longest established suppliers of scientific instruments being formed by Sir Isaac Newton’s cousin J. Newton in 1704. At the time of this slide the proprietors were still from the Newton family. The British Museum have Newton & Co out of business at Museum Street in 1913, but other references have it continuing

A really broad view which magnifies to present incredible detail. Standard British size in fine condition. We believe this slide and image is pretty rare.

Kalgoorlie was discovered by Paddy Hannan and Tom Flanagan in 1893. There horse had thrown a shoe and when they stopped to sort it out they noticed gold …. Well … on the ground everywhere. Hannan staked a claim and the rush was on. By 1896 the rail had arrived and the area had taken over from Coolgardie as the primary WA goldfield.

As an aside the Newton & Co address is as you might suspect in sight of the British Museum in London and also opposite The Plough … a favourite Voyager pub.

Rare Australian Gold Mining Lantern Slide

$120.00

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The Final Hours [A Novel of the Night Life of Madrid] – Jose Suarez Carreno – First English Language Edition 1954– Typography, Binding and Jacket Design by Alvin Lustig.

Published by Alfred Knopf, New York 1954. Octavo, 273 pages printed by the Kingsport Press Tennessee under the art instructions of Alvin Lustig. It is interesting how the striking graphic jacket image has been repeated in blind on the front red cloth covered board. Very good if not better copy.

Translated from the original Spanish by Anthony Kerrigan.

The author Jose Suarez Carreno (1915-2002) was born in Guadalupe, Mexico but spent most of his adult life living in Madrid. He won several literary awards including the distinguished Nadal Prize in 1949 for this work … “Las Ultimas Horas”. At the time of printing few contemporary Spanish works were translated into English.

Recounting the events of one night only we see into the lives of a drifting street boy, a beautiful young prostitute, and a rich married man of unusual character … and the night life of Madrid.

A Night in Madrid – Carreno dressed in Lustig

$120.00

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Special Maritime Book: On the Wind of a Dream (The Saga of the Solace) – Commander Victor Clark – First Edition 1960

A first edition of this sought after and outstanding voyage account.

Commander Victor Clark found himself released from the Admiralty in London and decided to satisfy his adventurous spirit with a round the world voyage, which was to take six years.

The Solace was purchased, and his adventure began sailing south and west to take the route through the Panama Canal. Galapagos, Marquesas, Tuamotu, Society and Cook Islands. Then to Palmerston Island … a whole story must be written about this strange place … a form of English being the language of the day and many of the people descend from their Birmingham England forefather. Unfortunately, Solace was wrecked here which meant Clark had to undertake a full year stop over, but because of which we learn something special about Palmerston Island .

Published by Hutchinson in 1960 a first edition. Octavo, 308 pages, illustrations from photographs taken on the voyage, end paper maps a bit more informative than most. With the rare, un-clipped dust jacket albeit taped at some time along the top and bottom of spine.

This book commands significant prices around the world … apart from being hard to come by we feel the observations and writing, the events and adventures, the detail on the unusual Palmerston Island and its society make it special and therefore desired by those in the know.

Victor Clark RN in the Solace and what an adventure

$180.00

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Manuscript Letter – Italian Astronomer Giuseppe Armellini – Portorecanati – 19th August 1922

Returning proofs and with suggestions of a mathematical nature based on “derivate ordinaries” … ordinary derivatives. Our calculus a little rusty as also our Italian … appears to be connected to Maxwell’s Laws.

Giuseppe Armellini (1887-1958) was born and died in Rome. He was Professor of Physics and Astronomy at several Italian Universities and Director of the Rome Astronomical Observatory for over 30 years. It was in the year of this letter [1922] that he took up his position at the Observatory of the Campidoglio which in 1936 he transferred to Monte Mario. A fire destroyed the Observatory in 1957 … inconsolable Armellini died the following year.

Armellini published several works … the first, in 1911, based on Newtonian principles. Over his career he developed several theories and principles. He will be forever known for Armellini’s Law {in 1922 also] which determines mathematically the distances of the planets from the sun in our solar system. The key to this understanding is the Armellini constant “D” … which is 1.53 but you must start at minus 2 for Mercury. Curiosities exist in its application … from them Armellini is awarded the honour of having predicted the large asteroid/ minor planet Chiron which was not confirmed until well after his death.

Armellini explained the Solar System – Manuscript letter with Scientific content

$140.00

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Forty Fathoms Deep – Ion Idriess – Signed Annotated 1937 Edition

Signed, annotated third edition published February 1937, a month after the first edition.

A vivid and thrilling edition from Idriess on the pearling industry centred in Broome, in the Northern Territory of Australia.

Published by Angus & Robertson, Sydney. Octavo, 343 pages, 10 pages advertisements for other Idriess titles. Green cloth covered boards black titles to spine and front cover. Dust jacket designed by Edgar Alfred Holloway This is the orange variant (sometimes yellow or yellow and orange – see authority Feain and Aronry page 42). Map of northern Australia, Torres Strait and Papua New Guinea on front endpaper, rear blank. 19 pages of black and white illustrations.

Very good condition, very clean inside and a dust jacket with minor nibbles along the top and a part removed top of inside flap.

Annotated and signed boldly by Idriess on the title page … “Wishing Mrs Noah Van Cleef many happy memories on her trip to Australia. Ion L Idriess Sydney 1937” … a further note March 1, 1937 in Idriess hand bottom left of title.

Australian pearling essential early edition signed and annotated by author.

$180.00

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WWI Maritime and Travel Original Annotated Photograph Album – Over 180 Images

A most interesting collection spanning the years of WWI and shortly afterwards. Taken and compiled by a marine officer, over 180 original photographs, taken with some expertise, nicely presented in its original Morocco bound photograph album. The photographer has presented each photograph framing it within white borders and added very neatly in white a useful description.

The condition of the photographs is good overall, a few are faded or marked in some way from the passage of time, others are crisp and clean. A few have been removed or fallen out and few are loose inside …we have not studied where they could go … the album is robust and showing minor age wear, the whole package is very presentable and more or less complete. We wish we knew the photographer … he was clearly officer material on the Orontes and had a wife and child … we have included his image as the “thumbnail” … does anyone know who he was …?

The album can be split into two distinct periods. The first, before January 1919 being mainly onboard the HMT Orontes a vessel that plied the England – Australia route for the Orient line. With the outbreak of WWI, it became a troop carrier. The photographer appears to have also served on SS Derbyshire in a similar capacity. During this phase he took images of a number of famous vessels used in the war effort and numerous images of views, landmarks, architecture, and the people at various ports of call.

The second element post January 1919 is devoted to a circumnavigation on SS Cufic which head across the Atlantic to Nova Scotia, down to the Panama Canal and across the Pacific to New Zealand and Australia, Durban, Cape Town, and Home.

Photographs of vessels include … RMS Mauretania; Kaiseren Auguste Victoria [surrendered in 1919 and used to bring American troops home]; HMS Renown [in New York Harbour with the Prince of Wales on board]; HMS Carpathia [of Titanic rescue fame and later torpedoed and sunk]; RMS Pannonia; SS Explorer; SS Demosthenes [used to carry Australian troops]; HMS Sydney [in Colombo Harbour just after the sinking of the German Cruiser Emden]; SS Derbyshire [Colombo – Rangoon Line]; HMT Osterley; SS Cufic and HMT Orontes.

Examples of the touring images include …

The Flatiron (previously Fuller) skyscraper – New York
Washington Arch – New York
Statue of Liberty – New York
Top of Woolworth Tower – New York
5th Avenue – New York
A Glimpse of Wall Street – New York
Brooklyn Bridge and Williamsburg Bridge – New York
Boston views
The Citadel Quebec
Main Street Gibraltar
A “Blimp” convoying
A Glimpse of the US army
Panama Canal scenes
On route to Calcutta
Homeward bound in the Bay of Biscay
Cinnamon Gardens Colombo
Cape St Vincent – Portugal [Incorrectly described Spanish]
Hindu Temple South India
Colombo Harbour
Ox waggon Rangoon Burma
On the Temple steps – India
Native of South India
Children of North India
Hindu dockworker
The Pagoda Calcutta
Burmese Shrine to the God Dagan
The Schegadon Pagodas Rangoon
The lake Rangoon
A Burmese girl off to the well
Anzac Day 1918 some fancy costumes
Sierra Leone West Africa
Leaving Table Bay HMS Britannia escorting
South African troops on board – the first bugle call – “Cookhouse!”
Scene in Native Quarter Durban
Australian sheep Hamilton Victoria
Sydney Zoo
Wellington New Zealand
Tahiti South Sea Islands
Main Street Papeete
Tahitian Friends
Papeete from Crows Nest
A Harbour view Tahiti
A big dam Panama Canal
Electric Mule Panama Canal
Leaving Liverpool Jan 18, 1919 – “Bon Voyage” [a self portrait]
The first port Louisbourg – Cape Breton Island [Nova Scotia]
Snow scene St John Nova Scotia
Lock gates and numerous others – Panama Canal
“Star of Holland” mid -Pacific [a US Tall Ship]
New Zealand including memorial to Robert Scott
Melbourne – picking up the Pilot
Quarantine procedures in Melbourne
A number in Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane … and the way home via South Africa

Superb, interesting unique photographic record. Now over 100 years old.

$590.00

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Kalgoorlie Golden Mile – Western Australia – Original Magic Lantern Slide – Newton & Co – c1910

The Final Hours [A Novel of the Night Life of Madrid] – Jose Suarez Carreno – First English Language Edition 1954– Typography, Binding and Jacket Design by Alvin Lustig.

Special Maritime Book: On the Wind of a Dream (The Saga of the Solace) – Commander Victor Clark – First Edition 1960

Manuscript Letter – Italian Astronomer Giuseppe Armellini – Portorecanati – 19th August 1922

Forty Fathoms Deep – Ion Idriess – Signed Annotated 1937 Edition

WWI Maritime and Travel Original Annotated Photograph Album – Over 180 Images

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