Non-fiction

The War Between the Generals – Inside the Allied High Command – David Irving

Published by Allen Lane , London 1981. Thick octavo, 446 with many illustrations from period photographs, endpaper maps. Private bookplate on front paste down. Showing a little age, still a pretty good copy.

It was the biggest scrap that no one was to know about … Eisenhower versus Montgomery and some others thrown in the mix. Post war cover up exposed by David Irving.

Ego at the very top as often

$30.00

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The Voyage of Jacob Le Maire and William Schouten 1615-1616: Mirror of Australian Navigation. Originally translated by Alexander Dalrymple – A Beautiful Book

A special production published by Hordern House, Sydney 1999. Folio (30.5 x 20.2cm), quarter bound in quarter alum-tawed goat skin and quality marbled paper. Printed on Raleigh Oxford cream paper .. a fine copy as if new.

One of 950 copies thus, 96 page facsimile of the original Dutch printing followed by 65 page facsimile of the original Dalrymple translation. Illustrated with 5 black and white and 7 colour illustrations and 3 colour maps on double pages. Frontispiece double hemisphere world map as published in Amsterdam in 1618..

The objective of the voyage was further the lucrative trade in nutmeg and pepper by forging a new route to the East Indies via South America and the Pacific, influenced by the account of the voyage of de Quiros, the Portuguese navigator. In doing so it was hoped that the Great South Land would be encountered.

Forward by Justus Veeneklaas and Introductory Essay by Edward Duyker.

Rare Le maire – super production … quality book.

$130.00

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Mines and Minerals – Herbert Cox and Felix Ratte – Sydney 1885

First edition of this extremely scarce book for the mining industry. Printed by John Woods of Bridge Street, Sydney and published in 1885 as part of the “Technical Education Series. The principal author Cox was Instructor of the Department of Geology, Mineralogy and Mining at the Sydney Technical College [advertisements to his course appear at the rear] – his co-author held a similar position at the Ballarat School of Mines.

Octavo, 342 pages, plus index and numerous trade related advertisements at the back and the front. Some adverts of the key machinery providers of the period – Dunn, Babcock etc., relevant booksellers lists which include Geike’s volumes and the odd amusing elements such as the Waterproof Riding or Driving Toga which doubles as a bush bed covering. Original brown cloth covered boards with gilt tiles and embellishments to front, back and spine. The condition is still good to better we think for such a rarity which no doubt has been quite well used. The binding is a little loose but not that bad. Find another one!

Super information starting with chapters on geology, stratified deposits, Mineral veins and lodes, irregular and alluvial deposits. Moving to the Physical Properties of Minerals and their composition and determination. Noble metals and silver and lead, mercury, copper, tin, tungsten, titanium, and molybdenum. Leading to haloids, salts, quartz, opal, silicates, and precious stones.

Near the end we have two chapters which drew our attention – Assays and the use of the Blowpipe and Special Assays for Gold and Silver. The use of the carbon block and the blowpipe …

Special Australian book on Geology and Mineralogy – 1885

$240.00

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The Moth Hunters – Aboriginal Prehistory of the Australian Alps – Josephine Flood.

First edition of this important work – the very first history of the Aboriginal people who inhabited a large area of south-eastern Australia.

Published by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, Canberra in 1980. Large sized soft cover [no equivalent hardback] 388 pages after preface and helpful guides. Well illustrated with diagrams, images from photographs [50 plates] and sketches [60 figures, maps, tables etc.

Chapters include – archaeological background; geographical setting; ethnohistorical evidence; demography; material culture; of Moths and Men; tribal territories; rock art; settlement patterns; - Canberra, Alps, southern uplands; stone assemblages of open campsites etc etc.

Near the end we have commentary on the excavation of nine rocks shelters.

Followed by numerous appendices re specific understandings and discoveries – a wealth of information and a most rewarding book.

Readable most comprehensive work of Australian Aboriginal pre-history.

$240.00

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Reminiscences of an Australian Pioneer – Robert Barton [Uncle of Banjo Patterson] – 1917

Barton’s reminiscences – a “squatter of the olden days”. Born in 1842 in the central West belonging to the first generation to follow the original land-takers in the west.

Barton, was an uncle to Banjo Patterson and spent his life in New south Wales and Queensland. His portrait as frontispiece is rather dull but his life was not.

By 1840 the squattocracy was firmly ‘landed’ and well-to-do. Barton looks back positively to the convict origins of his family’s assigned men. As a young man in his twenties the bushrangers Frank Gardiner and Ben Hall bushranging gangs were part of his life. Later he is confronted by the trade union movement and striking shearers.

First edition published by Tyrrells, Sydney in 1917. Octavo, vii, 288 pages with portrait of author. Original purple cloth rather standard binding, spine faded as usual with the plum coloured dye. Pages toned but clean and some age to ends, ownership details on front ends and the odd helpful annotation from an informed early owner – likely first. Scarce and worthwhile copy.

One on the best Australian Pioneering stories

$140.00

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The Yellow Joss [Coral Sea, Cape York, Torres Strait] – Ion Idriess – 1942

Selection of tales from Cape York, Coral Sea and Torres Strait based on fact. Great photographs.

An early edition published in 1942 by Angus and Robertson, Sydney. Octavo, 266 pages, some age, the odd spot but overall a very good pre-war edition with a nice dust jacket – we love the design. Illustrated throughout from relevant period photographs

Idriess tales of adventure in the very North

$60.00

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The War Between the Generals – Inside the Allied High Command – David Irving

The Voyage of Jacob Le Maire and William Schouten 1615-1616: Mirror of Australian Navigation. Originally translated by Alexander Dalrymple – A Beautiful Book

Mines and Minerals – Herbert Cox and Felix Ratte – Sydney 1885

The Moth Hunters – Aboriginal Prehistory of the Australian Alps – Josephine Flood.

Reminiscences of an Australian Pioneer – Robert Barton [Uncle of Banjo Patterson] – 1917

The Yellow Joss [Coral Sea, Cape York, Torres Strait] – Ion Idriess – 1942

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