Tasmania

Tasmanian Ground Parrot – Greene – 1884

Original wood cut hand finished engraving of the shy Tasmanian Ground Parrot or Green Ground Parrot from Parrots in Captivity published in London in 1884.

A beautifully patterned Ground Parrot of medium size, bright green with black and yellow markings and a pale yellow wing bar. It has a small red band on the lower forehead.

A secretive bird found in the west of Tasmania, where it prefers buttongrass and open heathlands.Not usually seen unless flushed out from cover. Although it also occurs on mainland Australia, it is now only found there in fragmented populations due to disturbed habitats. the bird constructs a shallow nest of fine sticks and grass hidden under low shrubs. The female incubates the eggs and broods the young. She is fed by the male who also feeds the young when they hatch.

Greene’s delightful work comprising wood-engraved plates printed by Benjamin Fawcett after drawings by A.F. Lydon. The prints are hand finished with delicate highlighting in gum arabic to accentuate the bright colouring.

Benjamin Fawcett was one of the great colour printers of the 19th century. He pioneered a system of wood block engraving from multiple blocks that resulted in vivid finely coloured works. Fawcett had an association of some 50 years with Francis Orpen Morris to produce many beautiful works on birds. The engravings are the finest illustrations of parrots from the period.

Pricing structure … the prints alone $120.00, matted as shown $135.00 or framed in gilt $290.00 ready to hang. Just let us know which option … default is matted only

Rare 19th Century print of the Tasmanian Ground Parrot

$120.00

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The Convict Ship – Colin Browning M.D. R.N. – First US Edition 1855

Extended title …. The Convict Ship. A Narrative of the Results of Scriptural Instruction and Moral Discipline on Board the “Earl Grey”” [to Tasmanian].

This is the first US edition published by Robert Craighead, New York in 1855, having previously been published in London. Octavo, 263 pages, bound in original embossed slate blue cloth covered boards. Title to spine fairly faded and end papers aged with original owners name and gift inscription to front free end paper. The odd mark and crease internally but really rather clean and bright overall.

Colin Arrott Browning MD was appointed Surgeon on HMS earl Grey carrying 264 male prisoners to the penal colony of Van Diemen’s Land in 1842. He had undertaken that position a number of times … in the Surrey (1831); the Arab (1834); the Elphinstone (1840). He was certainly a confident man and the book mainly deals with the subject of the longer title … scriptural instruction and discipline. Along with this are observations on prisoners and crew along the way … a storm is encountered and they reactive words of the loss of the Waterloo and all of the prisoners who sailed in her … which made them very nervous. On arrival in Hobart they are inspected by Sir John Franklin who is impressed by their condition and mental state … a positive for scriptural instruction. Testimonies follow which make for interesting reading.

Fundamental record of practices onboard convict ships bound for Van Diemen’s Land

$180.00

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Michael Howe: The Last and Worst of the Bush rangers of Van Diemen’s Land

A nice facsimile production by The Folio Society, London, published in 1977. With useful introduction by Ian Atkins

Three copies of the original book are known to exist, one in the Bodleian (from which this facsimile is produced), one in the British Museum and the other in the National Collection, Canberra from which was bought from Maggs in 1946 having been purchased by them at Sotheby’s.

This original account was the first book of general literature published in Australia, in Hobart Town, in December 1818.

Nostalgic and interesting in many ways

$25.00

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Spore Coal – Tasmania – Microscope Slide

A very good prepared slide of spore coal (Pelionite) labelled as from Tasmania. Late 19th or early 20th century in preparation we do not know by who but we recognise their handwriting!

The most likely location for spore coal is around Barn Bluff and walkers on the Overland track may encounter outcrops. Joseph Will operated a mine in the area in the 1890’s. Seemingly, the coal type is loaded with oil a fact that was hotly debated in the technical press around the 1920’s.

Rare slide preparation subject – Tasmanian

$50.00

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Tasmanian Vision – The art of nineteenth century Tasmania

Published by the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery in 1988. Oblong Landscape soft wrapper production of 115 pages with over 200 hundred illustrations, the more important works in scale and colour. A little ageing to the covers but really a very good copy for a softcover.

From page 94 onwards are excellent biographies of the artists selected including … Mary Allport, Ludwig Becker, Thomas Bock, Boyes, Louis Breton, Brownrigg, Knut Bull, Chapman, Costantini, Robert Dowling, William Duke, Frank Dunnett, Benjamin Duterrau, Augustus Earle, G.F. Evans, Sarah Fogg. Haughton Forrest, George Frankland ….. through to John Webber. An impressive list and nicely described with sufficient worthwhile commentary. Further back we have a useful bibliography for a lifetime of further reading on this important topic.

A possible bonus is two postcard included (if you remember what they are for!) … Thomas Buck’s beautiful portraits of Woureddy a Native of Bruny Island and Mathinna.

Tasmanian 19th century art … well done and nicely illustrated

$30.00

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Prints and Print Makers of Australia (1788-1850) – the Antipodes Observed – Cedric Flower.

This is the hard back version of the very good compilation of key prints and their makers in the years up to 1850. Published by MacMillan, Melbourne in 1975. Landscape quarto, 139 pages heavily illustrated, obviously! Pretty good condition in a complete protected dust jacket.

And what an extraordinary record they are … where would we be with only the narrative? Every State and subject is covered selecting the very best items.

The images that go with the story!

$40.00

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Tasmanian Ground Parrot – Greene – 1884

The Convict Ship – Colin Browning M.D. R.N. – First US Edition 1855

Michael Howe: The Last and Worst of the Bush rangers of Van Diemen’s Land

Spore Coal – Tasmania – Microscope Slide

Tasmanian Vision – The art of nineteenth century Tasmania

Prints and Print Makers of Australia (1788-1850) – the Antipodes Observed – Cedric Flower.

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