Natural History

Hunting and Shooting in Ceylon – Harry Storey

A facsimile of another colonial hunting book – not for the faint-hearted.

Originally published by Longmans, London in 1907; this by Asian Educational of Delhi etc in 1998.

Octavo, 366 pages, illustrations as in the original. Faux leather binding, gilt embellishment, some occasional marks, still a pretty good copy.

Lots of contributions from his gunpowder loving friends and the whole gambit of Ceylonese wildlife put at risk. Forgive our implied – actually a very good book of its type – honest and fulsome. Nicely written with an “in the moment” narrative and images couldn’t be better chosen – some coverage of ancient ruins – such as the impressive Polonnaruwa.

Banging on in Ceylon with Harry.

$30.00

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The Hunter Sketchbook. Birds & Flowers of New South Wales drawn on The Spot in 1788 89 & 90 By Captain John Hunter of the First Fleet.

A really rather beautiful and slightly strangely titled work.

We say strangely titled because we do not have to read far about the original sketchbook, (once owned by the great Rex Nan Kivell and now housed in the Australian National Library) to find that the sketches include fishes and people … and of New South Wales and also Norfolk and Lord Howe islands. Peeking at the reproductions of the sketches we can also see a kangaroo and a dolphin. What is really surprising is the rarity now of some of the birds he drew e.g. the Swift Parrot and we wonder where he saw that bird …

Captain Hunter, to be Governor Hunter, known as a skilled sketch artist through the illustrations in his sought after First Fleet journal .. but these images take one’s understanding and admiration to a whole new level.

No expense spared production limited to 500 copies and with a further 50 sets of unbound plates. Edited by John Calaby with assistance. Published in 1989. Quarto, x, 252 pages with 100 full page colour plates and other illustrations in the lengthy introductions. Bound in quarter calf, raised bands to spine, separate green leather title label, exotic marble paper covered boards, original removable glassine protector, silk ribbon release from original open slip cover. A fine copy.

A special edition from a unique work of historical significance – an Australian National Treasure.

$190.00

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The Natural History of Ceylon – J Emerson Tennant

A good facsimile of this scarce book by the man who knew Ceylon so well. First published by Longman, London in 1861.

Longer title … Sketches of the Natural History of Ceylon with Narratives and Anecdotes illustrative of the Habits and Instincts of the Mammalia, Birds, Reptiles, Fishes etc including a Monograph of The Elephant and a description of the Modes of Capturing and Training It- with engravings from original drawings.

Re-published by Asian Educational Services, Delhi, Madras in 1999. Octavo, 500 pages, embossed faux leather binding, gilt a touch worn, a little age but a good faithful facsimile of an important work of the period.

Ceylon and its Natural History, more than a “sketch” by Tennent

$60.00

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Kauri Gum Hair Pieces – Late 19thC early 20thC

Rare and unusual outside museums. See example only at the Kauri Museum, Metakohe, New Zealand.

The Kauri Pine associated with New Zealand and Northern Australia and Papua New Guinea. The trees were harvested in North Island New Zealand for boat building and along with that its unusual gum was collected. At one time Kauri gum was Aukland’s biggest export. Over harvesting almost killed them off and now they are protected.

One of the oddest uses was the making of blonde simulated hair. This was dome by placing a piece of gum onto a heated plate. After a few second it was slowly lifted off. Fine strands formed as the gum was taken away. While still warm this could be arranged or plaited into this mock hair style. If become fragile another reason why examples are hard to come across.

Several groups in a shed made display cabinet approximately 44cm wide.

A postage supplement may be required dependent of any buyers location … don’t be shy ask us to quote best rates.

One of the most unusual curiosities we have ever sold – Kauri Gum Hair

$340.00

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The Tasmanian Tiger in Pictures – Dr Eric Guiler

A scarce item by the unchallengeable Thylacine expert Dr Eric Guiller.

Published in 1993. Soft wrapper, landscape, 28 pages with numerous illustrations from old photographs and contemporary photographs from the authors expeditions and field studies – he followed the Thylacine for over 40 years. Also, maps showing sightings and “unfortunately” earlier killings, sketches of Tiger tracks identified by Guiler etc.

Very good if not better condition.

Guiler about and searching for the Thylacine – convincing.

$80.00

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Australian Antarctic Science – The First Fifty Years of ANARE – Marchant, Lugg and Quilty

Published in 2002 by the Australian Antarctic Division, Kingston, Tasmania. Large octavo, 622 pages after preliminaries. Illustrated boards (never had a dust jacket). A substantial quality production. A fine copy – heavy book probably not suitable for Overseas postage alone.

Edited by Harvey Marchant (leader of the Biology program), Desmond Lugg (Chief, Medicine of Extreme Environments at NASA) and Patrick Quilty (Retired Chief Scientist).

A wealth of knowledge brought together and condensed into a fine work on the Antarctic.

Born out of the 1997 Jubilee Science Symposium the work begins with an address from the Governor of Tasmania.

The scope and process of developing research programs is reviewed and the then stimulus of new technologies. An exciting lengthy chapter on Cosmic-ray physics and astronomy. Antarctic operational metrology by Neil Streten and the automatic weather stations.

Our favourite, the History of the Southern Ocean and Antarctic Continental Shelf followed by its companion the Geological Evolution of the East Antarctic Shield. Terrestrial biology, aquatic microbiology …. Krill, fish, birds and mammals. And the physics of the atmosphere, climate and other environmental issues.

The whole well illustrated with charts, diagrams and images and as expected cross referenced to wealth of published research.

ANARE a lasting scientific record.

$70.00

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Hunting and Shooting in Ceylon – Harry Storey

The Hunter Sketchbook. Birds & Flowers of New South Wales drawn on The Spot in 1788 89 & 90 By Captain John Hunter of the First Fleet.

The Natural History of Ceylon – J Emerson Tennant

Kauri Gum Hair Pieces – Late 19thC early 20thC

The Tasmanian Tiger in Pictures – Dr Eric Guiler

Australian Antarctic Science – The First Fifty Years of ANARE – Marchant, Lugg and Quilty

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