Non-fiction

Tasmania’s Strange Story – 1929

A history of Tasmania published under the auspices of the “Come to Tasmania” Organisation by Lelsie Norman Sec.

Soft cover, 100 pages, losses at front edge and across spine, otherwise a good copy of a fragile item approaching 100 years old.

Stacked with period advertisements at front and back. We particularly like to see the Springs Hotel up Mt wellington, which burned down in the big fire; Beattie’s photography studio, and lots of beer and chocolates.

The history is a good one and when it comes to the bad treatment of the aboriginals does not from excuses and is pretty sympathetic with their plight.

We like this one …

Interesting History of Tasmania – succinct but fairly full and frank.

$30.00

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Spring on an Antarctic Island (Bylot Island) – Katherine Scherman

First edition published by Victor Gollancz, London in 1956. The author and a group of naturalists and scientists visit remote Bylot Island, north of Baffin Island well within the Arctic Circle.

Octavo, 329 pages, end paper maps, illustrated from photographs taken on the expedition. A small chip top of dust jacket, otherwise a fine copy.

The party flew by light aircraft to Pond Inlet a remote Hudson Bay Company outpost on the northern shores of Baffin Island. Some explorations in the locale and then off further north to Bylot with Eskimo guide Idlouk. They set up camp near the Aktineg glacier. Bylot sparsely populated with a few friendly Eskimo group is a cold mountainous place with its own unique flora and fauna. Image the Arctic Willow which last eight years but never gets higher than five inches.

Bylot a unique environment – an authentic account.

$35.00

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Complete Set – The London Aphrodite – Literary Periodical (in Six Parts) – Ed. Jack Lindsay and P.R. Stephensen.

Six original publications of Jack Lindsay’s London based Franfrolico Press, published in 1929. Banned in the USA for alleged obscenity … quite tame and very artistic really.

Nearly 500 pages in total. A pot-pourri of Australian and European literary and artistic talent. Norman Lindsay contributed with his unusual imagery. Octavo, card covered, some age but generally a good and importantly complete set. Occasionally black and white plates and scattered vignettes by Norman Lindsay. Literary contributions from Aldous Huxley, Norma Douglas, Liam O’Flaherty, Sacheverell Sitwell and other icons of the pen.

Aphrodite – all of them and a wonderful read.

$190.00

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The Mount Bischoff Tin Field [Tasmania] Geological Survey Bulletin No 34 – A McIntosh Reid – 1923

Appears to be a very scarce item. Comprehensive report by the then Government Geologist.

Printed in Hobart by John Vale. Card covered perfect bound vii, 171 pages then 5 folding coloured plates of maps, plans etc other illustrations in the text some from period photographs. Complete and in very good condition.

Carries the huge personal bookplate of Tasmanian tragic R H Green – we say that from the super Thylacine incorporated therein. Likely the well known author of numerous books on the fauna etc of Tasmania.

After a good Introduction and set of preliminary papers we have an excellent History in precis. Then the usual professional sequence – Geography, Geology, Economic Geology, Mining Properties – numerous and taking up the bulk of the report before summary descriptions of photographs, photomicrographs (minerals) and the list of plates.

The plates comprise … Geological Sketch Maps of the Waratah District and the Mt Bischoff Area, Plan of Underground Workings at Mt Bischoff, Geological Sketch Sections of same and a Flow Sheet of the Mill.

Special Report on the Mighty Mt Bischoff – Great Maps etc

$120.00

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Together Alone (In the Pacific) – Ron Falconer.

Published by Bantam in 2004, an only softcover. A super story about a great man and his family.

Ron Falconer born in Scotland joined the RAF, became an architectural draftsman and then designed and built his one boat. A special yacht he named Fleur d’Ecosse. He went sailing, alone, perhaps, we are told, 50,000 miles. He met the beautiful Anne and he took her to the Caroline Atoll in the northern reaches of French Polynesia. There they had a family, built their Robinson Crusoe style house and lived the life we all dream of.

Octavo, 255 pages, with maps and a handful of nice images from photographs taken in their heavenly Paradise.

We think Ron now lives in France but until recently lived at Moorea … and could be heard singing at the Kareka Bar … he has a super voice in the Simon and Garfunkel sort of style … check him out on Youtube,

A Scotsman in Paradise with the voice of an Angel.

$25.00

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The Narrative of the Jeannette Arctic Expedition – First Edition 1882

True first edition published by subscription only. With maps, portraits, engravings and the splendid decorated cloth covers which make the book a treasure. A hint of even toning, inner hinges tender, otherwise a very good copy in bright and clean decorated boards.

Longer title … “Our Lost Explorers: The Narrative of the Jeannette Arctic Expedition as related by the Survivors, and in the Records and last Journals of Lieutenant De Long, Revised by Raymond Lee Necomb, Naturalist of the Expedition. Also, an Account of the Jeannette Search Expeditions etc.”

Set out from San Francisco in July 1879 with supplies for three years sponsored by the owner of the New York “Herald” who also sponsored Stanley to search for Livingstone. The objective was to approach the North Pole through the Bering Straits.

She was lost for two years caught in ice near Wrangel Island and eventually crushed. The crew escaped but 13 survived out of 33.

Three new islands were discovered and named although they have always been regarded as Russian territory.

The Janette lost in the Arctic in the 1880’s

$190.00

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Tasmania’s Strange Story – 1929

Spring on an Antarctic Island (Bylot Island) – Katherine Scherman

Complete Set – The London Aphrodite – Literary Periodical (in Six Parts) – Ed. Jack Lindsay and P.R. Stephensen.

The Mount Bischoff Tin Field [Tasmania] Geological Survey Bulletin No 34 – A McIntosh Reid – 1923

Together Alone (In the Pacific) – Ron Falconer.

The Narrative of the Jeannette Arctic Expedition – First Edition 1882

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