Tasmania

Mortmain – Van Diemen’s Land – Eustace Fitz-Symonds – Limited No 90 of 500

Published by Sullivans Cove, 1977 title continues … A Collection of choice petitions, memorials and letters of protest and request from the convict colony of Van Diemen’s Land; written by divers person’s both eminent and lowly.

A fine copy of a folio edition limited to 500 (this being no 90) carrying the bookplate of collector Harold Royle. Dust jacket now protected in fine condition. Mortmain (Dead Hand)

A veritable potpourri of historical documents of interest and humour. A goldmine of stories, both grave and gay, of those early days in the history of Tasmania when men and women practised terrible savageries on each other.

Members of the convict community had to obtain permission to marry. When Norah Corbett petitioned Governor Arthur for permission to marry Jorgen Jorgensen, the police magistrate of the Oatlands District, R. Anstey, warned Jorgensen his ruin was inevitable if he married the woman, as the woman was much addicted to liquor and had a propensity to beat and scratch the back of her lover when she was intoxicated. Arthur allowed them to marry on the condition they exchange vows that they would love and cherish each other from that day forward to the exclusion of all others.

As a contrast – a letter from John Gould listing the marsupial specimens he would like (including the Thylacine in male and female form) and that he would pay for the effort involved.

And many, many more

Real history in fine condition

A heavy book that will require an overseas freight supplement … please enquire

$80.00

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Tasmanian Invention – 1909 Patent – Fred Dando (of Beaconsfield) Game of Skill

British Patent no 19,390 by Fred Dando of Beaconsfield, Tasmania. Lodged 1908 and accepted ‘as patented” in 1909 – four pages of text and one double page with excleent drawings showing how the invention is constructed.

The invention relates to an improved game of skill and apparatus for playing same the game being played preferably by two persons one against the other, from each end of a race or box whereat is located a compound lever designed when quickly depressed to project a marble or ball to the desired distance and height to strike and, if possible, displace one of a series of marbles or balls of similar size arranged centrally one each on a tier located transversely at about midway of the said race or box [Long sentences patented also!]

The compound lever near each end of the box is designed to be struck by the players finger and thus cause its inner part upon which the marble is placed to project it forward with the object of striking on the before mentioned shelves and which latter are numbered 1 to 5 representing the players count when a marble is struck or displaced

The apparatus is made in the form of a two part box hinged together under the tier of shelves and capable of being folded together while also pockets or recesses are provided at each end for the players marbles and further the edges of the box are perforated and numbered to receive count pins etc etc…

Voyager considering making this device although probably not meet modern safety standard (hum) or have many digital application (ho hum) … but good marble chucking fun!

Games ingenuity in Beaconsfield in 1909

$70.00

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Tasmanian Tiger – Extinct or Merely Elusive – Andy Park – Australian Geographic 1986

Dick Smith’s Journal the “Australian Geographic” was something special in the early editions. Here in Vol 1 No 3 of 1986 we have one of the great sources of Thylacine information in an special 18 page segment written by Andy Park and illustrated (so well) by Rod Scott.

Great images of “Benjamin” the last tiger in captivity, sad images of early reward posters, turn of the century “Tiger Hunters” and an assessment of the Nullarbor mummy ( surely mis-dated). The then “Tiger Searchers” including Dr Eric Guiler and of course Peter Wright with his expedition headquarters near Lake Adelaide. And the sightings, and not just in Tassie. A nice chronology ends the piece to bring historical perspective to the article. Dr Bob Brown given credit for his contribution and well deserved.

Just a Journal but no better Tassie Tiger

$40.00

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Tasmanian Thylacine – Lydekker – 1896

Original wood cut print of the Tasmanian Thylacine from Richard Lydekker’s superb work on Marsupials.

Lydekker identified the need for a reassessment of Australian Marsupials given that Gould’s magnificent work was even by then extremely rare and costly and that a number of “new” marsupials had since been dicovered.

One of a few collectable 19th Century Thylacine images. The poor creature was already very scarce by the time this work was published.

Framed in gilt within cream mat with black inner core.

Voyager also have a good copy of the entire Lydekker work … search Lydekker ….

$180.00

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Poor Souls They Perished – Lemon & Morgan

Published by Hargreenin 1986 a well researched and thoughtfully illustrated account in very good condition.

In 1845 the Cataraqui went down in the Bass Strait with the loss of 400 souls – only 9 survived (saved by an ex-convict) despite the wreck being stranded just 150 yards from King Island.

Worst Australian Wreck

$50.00

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Mortmain – Van Diemen’s Land – Eustace Fitz-Symonds – Limited No 90 of 500

Tasmanian Invention – 1909 Patent – Fred Dando (of Beaconsfield) Game of Skill

Tasmanian Tiger – Extinct or Merely Elusive – Andy Park – Australian Geographic 1986

Tasmanian Thylacine – Lydekker – 1896

Poor Souls They Perished – Lemon & Morgan

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