Curiosities

Tasmanian Period Photograph – Dover Beach and Adamson’s Peak – J.C. Breaden

A nice image of the Adamson’s Peak, in the Hartz Mountains, over the beach at Dover Southern Tasmania c1930, by J.C. Breaden carrying his studio stamp at rear. Size 22 x 16.5 cm. Overall in good condition.

J.C. Breaden is recorded as having been a gifted Hobart amateur photographer who was active from 1920. He died in 1947. The rear of the photograph carries his stamp of Agent General of Tasmania and various notes.

An overcast day at Dover beach looking south to Adamson’s Peak.

$40.00

Updating cart…

Photograph from Burrow’s Studios Launceston North End of Great Lake

An original photograph from Burrow’s Photo Studios, Quadrant, Launceston. The North End of Great Lake, Tasmania. Size 21 x 16.5cm the image filling the whole of the photograph. Overall in good condition. The rear of the photograph carries the Burrow’s Photo Studios stamp and address at the Quadrant and, that of the Agent General for Tasmania, London and various notes.

There was a Burrows photographic business at the Quadrant, Launceston as early as the 1850′s. The business continued and was style “Photo Studios” in the 1920′s.

Pleasure craft on the Great Lake

$50.00

Updating cart…

The Badge of the Artists Rifles (Special Air Service)

The Artists Rifles was formed in 1860. The idea of the Artists occurred to Edward Sterling, an art student and ward of Thomas Carlyle, who convened a meeting of fellow students in the life class of Carey’s School of Art, Charlotte Street, Bloomsbury – from this the Corps of Artists was formed consisting of painters, sculptors, engravers, musicians, architects and actors. The badge was designed by Wyon, the Queen’s medallist –consisting of two heads: Mars – God of War and Minerva – Goddess of Wisdom. The badge carries the motto “Cum Marte Minerva” also the title of the regimental march. A regimental rhyme of note is “Mars, he was the God of war, and didn’t stop at trifles, Minerva was a bloody whore. So hence The Artists’ Rifles”.

Light weight pressed metal 9cm by 6cm. strong deep relief.

The Artists have an outstanding war record; the Victoria Cross being awarded on eight occasions. Whilst disbanded in 1945 they were reformed in 1947 as the 21st Special Air service Regiment (Artists Rifles).

Notable members of The Artists included Ford Madox Brown, Edward Burne-Jones, Noel Coward, Frank Dobson, Sir Ranulph Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes OBE, Frederic Leighton, William Morris, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Barnes Wallis

$80.00

Updating cart…

A Complete Treatise of Mines Etc – Henry Manningham – First Edition 1756

An extremely rare work from a period when mining expertise was as much a military endeavour as for the extraction of resources.

Lengthy title continues … extracted from the Memoires d’Artilliere. To which is prefixed, by way of Introduction, Professor Belidor’s Dissertation on the Force and Physical Effects of Gunpowder. Illustrated by a Variety of Copper Plates.

A first English language edition of this work translated and compiled by mining engineer Henry Manningham. The original French by P Surirey de Saint Remy (1660-1716). Benard Forest de Belidor (1698-1761) was a hydraulics and ballistics expert. Born into a military family he later became Professor of Artillery at Aisne. He became an early expert on the calculus and its use in solving technical problems.

Published by Millar, the Strand, London 1756. Octavo, xxix,168 pages with 21 folding copper engraved plates, elaborate engraved vignette on Dedication. Ex John Crerar Library with the odd stamp, later half leather binding somewhat worn, top edge gilt. Toned and pages a bit brittle still a useful copy of an extremely scarce item.

Early Mining and the Use of Gunpowder Carefully Explained.

$390.00

Updating cart…

Victorian Microscope Slide – Horse Ant … Whole Insect Specimen – Mounted and dated 1880.

Nice condition, quality mount of a whole insect specimen of the Horse Ant, also known as the Red Wood and Southern Wood Ant. Classified by Linnaeus in 1761. Earlier, in 1648 the English Chemist John Ray distilled thousands of these ants to discover formic acid.

Mounted in gum arabic, with minimal oxidation a super example dated 1880.

Horse Ant in all its glory over 140 years old.

$40.00

Updating cart…

Vintage Microscope Slide – Pollen from the Antarctic

Nice condition, quality mount of an unusual subject – Pollen from the Coast of the Antarctic.

Nice deep mount with well preserved coloured mount rings. We are unsure who the preparer was but would suggest they must have been a professional given the mount is in such good shape. The hand written label looks familiar to us but we still cannot pick the preparer.

The location likely in the area immediately south of South America … as these pollen samples would have started life in warmer climes.

Unusual Antarctic Microscope Slide

$40.00

Updating cart…

Tasmanian Period Photograph – Dover Beach and Adamson’s Peak – J.C. Breaden

Photograph from Burrow’s Studios Launceston North End of Great Lake

The Badge of the Artists Rifles (Special Air Service)

A Complete Treatise of Mines Etc – Henry Manningham – First Edition 1756

Victorian Microscope Slide – Horse Ant … Whole Insect Specimen – Mounted and dated 1880.

Vintage Microscope Slide – Pollen from the Antarctic

Product Categories