Non-fiction

Polar Exploration Cards – John Player – First Series Complete – Issued 1916

A complete set of 25 cards of the sought after First Series of Polar Exploration cards issued by John Player & Sons. Good bright condition front and back.

Includes – Lieut. Sir E.H. Shackleton C.V.O.; The Northern Party at the South Magnetic Pole; The Aurora Borealis; The Aurora Australis; The British Antarctic Expedition 1910; Dr Fridjof Nansen; The “Nimrod” Picking up the Northern Party; A Remarkable Fumarole in the Old Crater of Mount Erebus etc

First series Complete and getting scarce

$90.00

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Malory’s – Chronicles of King Arthur – 3 Volumes Complete

Published by the Folio Society in 1982. Three volumes in original slipcase. Octavo, 292,348 and 262 pages. Blue cloth covered bindings decorated in red and gold. A super looking production.

Introductions and explanations by experts Sue Bradbury and Kevin Crossley-Holand and nice lino-cuts by Edward Bawden.

The Chronicles comprise … The Tale of King Arthur; Sir Tristam de Lyonesse and The Morte D’Arthur.

The legendary tales were first put down in one place by George of Monmouth in the early thirteen century. In the fifteenth century Sir Thomas Malory produced the definitive work completed in 1470, This was at the time Caxton really got going with his printing press so Malory’s work was destined to be promoted and preserved. Naturally, the language and expression of Malory’s writing reflects the period and “modern” writers have edited the text to be readable nowadays.

What would King Arthur think of a boxed set?

$90.00

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Wooden Hookers of Hobart Town & Whalers out of Van Diemen’s Land [Two Works] – Harry O’May

Published by the author a fine copy of the second impression 1978.

Octavo, 137 pages plus 101 pages indices not paginated. Very clean superb dust jacket.

Harry O’May’s compilation of two books packed with historic detail about the Tasmanian early whalers – superb photographic record nowhere else seen.

One of the best Tasmanian Maritime

$35.00

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Huxley – Evolution’s High Priest – Adrian Desmond.

Author Adrian Desmond a distinguished scientist, University College London and the font of knowledge on the history of the forming and influence of the evolutionary theory. Written several books on the subject and its main promoters …. Darwin, Huxley et al. This monument about Huxley’s later years … and exhaustive biography drawn on, but not only on, five thousand manuscript letters [seems a lot].

Published by Michael Joseph, London in 1997. Thick octavo, 370 pages, illustrated – some great period images – a very good copy.

Thomas H Huxley – more that someone’s bulldog …

PS – Does anyone agree that Michael Palin would make a good Huxley?

$35.00

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Solo to Sydney [From London in a Single Engine Aircraft] – Francis Chichester.

This edition published by Conway Maritime Press, Greenwich in 1982. Octavo, 208 pages, loads of illustrations, map, table of flight times / distance per sector. Very good condition, excuse the gift inscription front ends.

This book was originally published in 1930 immediately after Chichester had flown solo from London to Sydney in a single engine aircraft.

A thoroughly readable account and twenty-three sectors leads to a lot of adventure and colour along the way.

Francis Chichester in the air before the sea …

$30.00

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Original 19thC Watercolour – Australian Squadron, HMS Opal off the New Hebrides [Vanuatu] 1886 – D. F. Gillett

D.F. Gillett was an active British naïve marine artist in the late 19th early 20th Century. This painting is of an event in 1888, and we take that to be the year of the painting.

A nice size, 38cm by 22cm in frame 65cm by 88cm. the wooden frame of unusual and pleasing design. The painting in very good condition, strong colours no fading or foxing.

HMS Opal was an Emerald Class Corvette. Despite having steam power, she was fully rigged Barque. Built in Sunderland, England in 1875 she made her way to the Australian fleet and served between 1885-1890, mainly in the Pacific.

Price $890.00 framed as in image

A rare subject, HMS Opal in the Pacific off the New Hebrides [Vanuatu].

$890.00

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Polar Exploration Cards – John Player – First Series Complete – Issued 1916

Malory’s – Chronicles of King Arthur – 3 Volumes Complete

Wooden Hookers of Hobart Town & Whalers out of Van Diemen’s Land [Two Works] – Harry O’May

Huxley – Evolution’s High Priest – Adrian Desmond.

Solo to Sydney [From London in a Single Engine Aircraft] – Francis Chichester.

Original 19thC Watercolour – Australian Squadron, HMS Opal off the New Hebrides [Vanuatu] 1886 – D. F. Gillett

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