Non-fiction

The Dawn of Time – Australian Aboriginal Myths in Paintings – Roberts and Mountford.

A first edition of this “sequel” to Dreamtime. Another wonderful book by ethnologist Charles Mountford and artist Ainslie Roberts.

Published in 1969 again by Rugby, Adelaide. Same small quarto format 79 pages with a beautiful image for each of the myths recounted by Mountford received from Elders and Storytellers.

Includes some from the coast such as Kondole the Whale; Pipinyawari the Queen Fish … the Fighting Cloud Women; the Black Kangaroo; and our favourite Brolga the Dancing Girl .. albeit a little sad.

Remember this story when you see a Brolga.

$30.00

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A Living Voice of the Living Bush – William Ricketts – Wonderfully Annotated and Signed.

First and only edition published by the Victorian Forestry Commission in 1965 celebrating the incredible art of William Ricketts. Larger format soft cover, 24 pages with sixteen colour illustrations. A bit marked and aged on the cover, clean inside, forgive any deficiencies for his manuscript additions.

The annotation on the first blank page reads as follows … “From my Mountain of Remembrance where we remember with love everything that was created … [followed by his creation symbol underscored with his signature] … The Prayer of the Mountain – The Prayer of the Forest – My prayer – all are one Prayer … “

Added in different hand the name of the receiver.

William Ricketts (1898-1993) misunderstood and maybe he misunderstood … regardless he made beautiful objects. If it offends, well then that’s a bit sad. He was a religious man and felt the earth and whether he misrepresented and misplaced .. well that gives a job for the academic critics. Just enjoy them. They were badly damaged in a massive storm a couple of years ago … we hope they have been resurrected.

In the 1950’s he spent quite some time with the Pitjantjatjara and Arrente people in Central Australia … they inspired his work among the trees in the Dandenong Mountains.

William Ricketts – A rare annotation we believe.

$60.00

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Richer than All His Tribe – Nicholas Monsarrat – First Edition 1968

A fine copy of the first edition published by Cassell, London in 1968. Octavo, 369 pages, map of The Island of Pharamaul. A really fresh copy.

Despite fame from “the Cruel Sea” it is widely accepted that amongst his large body of work The Tribe That Lost its Head (published 1956) and this later development of the themes therein Richer Than All His Tribe were his best works.

Monsarrat had spent some time in South Africa as a diplomat and he draws on his experience to write about the obscure colonial island of Pharamual set in the South Atlantic some 500 miles from the South West Coast of Africa. It all starts with Independence Day …

Monsarrat back at Pharamaul.

$30.00

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The Dreamtime – Australian Aboriginal Myths in Paintings – Ainslie Roberts and Charles Mountford.

A interesting book published by Rigby of Adelaide who have done some good work. Small quarto, 79 pages, well illustrated with colour images of the aforesaid paintings – and they are beauties.

All up 32 aboriginal stores recounted and illustrated including .. The banishment of the Cuckoos; Mangowa and the Round Lakes; The Creation of the eagle and the Crow; The Mopaditis and the Black Cockatoos; Tirlta and the Flowers of Blood ..

Special images, beautiful meaningful stories.

$30.00

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Colonel William Light – Founder of a City (Adelaide) – Dutton and Elder.

A very good book about the industrious and complex character that was William Light who did much to create the City of Adelaide, South Australia.

Published by Melbourne University in 1991. This is the second issue of the work, significantly updated with new content. Octavo, 313 pages, illustrated. A very good if not better copy.

Light switched on Adelaide.

$25.00

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Islands of South-West Tasmania – Gary White

A very helpful book by the thorough Gary White. Not much else is written about the islands of the South West of Tasmania and this fills the gap.

Published by the author in 1980. Softcover, 63 pages and more content than the pages suggest. Some images from photographs .. the islands from a distance quite worthwhile.

In case you are unfamiliar covers .. De Witt island; Maatsuyker .. where you can still put your hand up to be Lighthouse Keeper; Flat (Mutton Bird) Island; Louisa; Fiat Witch and other lesser ones as a group.

South of Tasmania there are some cold islands but they are special.

$30.00

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The Dawn of Time – Australian Aboriginal Myths in Paintings – Roberts and Mountford.

A Living Voice of the Living Bush – William Ricketts – Wonderfully Annotated and Signed.

Richer than All His Tribe – Nicholas Monsarrat – First Edition 1968

The Dreamtime – Australian Aboriginal Myths in Paintings – Ainslie Roberts and Charles Mountford.

Colonel William Light – Founder of a City (Adelaide) – Dutton and Elder.

Islands of South-West Tasmania – Gary White

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