Crime of the True Variety

Outlaws of the Leopolds – Ion Idriess

One of the more difficult to find Idriess books – about Sandamara, also known as Pigeon, a native tracker who set about to drive out the white settlers from the Kimberley’s and King Leopold Range in northern Western Australia.

Published by Angus and Robertson in 1955. Tall octavo, 244 pages, nicely illustrated from period photographs, end paper maps, very good dust jacket. Overall, a very good and worthy copy.

Idriess with important history of the north-west.

$60.00

Updating cart…

Reminiscences of an Australian Pioneer – Robert Barton [Uncle of Banjo Patterson] – 1917

Barton’s reminiscences – a “squatter of the olden days”. Born in 1842 in the central West belonging to the first generation to follow the original land-takers in the west.

Barton, was an uncle to Banjo Patterson and spent his life in New south Wales and Queensland. His portrait as frontispiece is rather dull but his life was not.

By 1840 the squattocracy was firmly ‘landed’ and well-to-do. Barton looks back positively to the convict origins of his family’s assigned men. As a young man in his twenties the bushrangers Frank Gardiner and Ben Hall bushranging gangs were part of his life. Later he is confronted by the trade union movement and striking shearers.

First edition published by Tyrrells, Sydney in 1917. Octavo, vii, 288 pages with portrait of author. Original purple cloth rather standard binding, spine faded as usual with the plum coloured dye. Pages toned but clean and some age to ends, ownership details on front ends and the odd helpful annotation from an informed early owner – likely first. Scarce and worthwhile copy.

One on the best Australian Pioneering stories

$140.00

Updating cart…

Nemarluk – King of the Wilds

Nermarluk (1911-1940) was an aboriginal warrior who lived near Darwin at Moyle Plain. He was a fighting man well over six foot tall. He was the head man of the Chul-a-mar.

In 1930 he was imprisoned at the Fannie Bay jail but escaped swimming the eight km across the Darwin Harbour to Cox Peninsula. This account represents the last three years of his life when he was tracked by Bul-Bul, who had been brought in by the Northern Territory police to finally capture him.

1951 Edition Published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney. Octavo, 213 pages, evenly toned, still war paper and some age in ends, very good dust jacket … all up a good copy of one of the harder to find Idriess reality based books.

Rare Idriess in the Northern Territory and the brave but dangerous Nermaluk

$40.00

Updating cart…

Gold Escort Robbery Trails – Noel Thurgood.

Hard to find published by the special Kangaroo Press in 1988. The author passed away before the press.

Octavo, 192 pages, simple map of the region of the criminal goings on re the gold escort. Interesting group of illustrations including images of the main players

The Eugowra gold escort robbery likely the most sensational event in Australian bushranging history. In the year 1862, Frank Gardiner and his band od trusted bushrangers shot it out with the police escort and made off with a King’s ransom of gold and notes. The Forward and Prologue set the scene – the event and the capture. The main game “the trial” makes riveting reading for the colonial historian, gold buff or curious legal mind – theatre

The Biggest gold heist and subsequent trial …

$30.00

Updating cart…

Man Tracks – With the Mounted Police in the Australian Wilds – Ion Idriess – 1935

Published by Angus & Robertson 1935, a fifth edition same year as the first.

Octavo, 330 pages, illustrations from authors and contemporary photographs. Without dust jacket – red cloth covered boards clean – a better than good overall copy. End paper maps.

An impressive Idriess book about the Australian mounted Police up through the Red Centre, the North and North West. Many lively accounts recounted in the normal Idriess way. The photography in this book is special with a number of unique aboriginal images.

Real Crime solved by Police on Horseback

$35.00

Updating cart…

No Image Available

Spy Catcher – Peter Wright – Former Assistant Director MI5

The greatest real expose of the activities of MI5 from technically adept Peter wright. There was Philby and the “thing” the secret of all secret devices hidden within the American Great Seal. The bugging of the Egyptian cypher room. His greatest claim however was that Sir Roger Hollis was the “Fifth Man”.

Wright retired to Cygnet, Tasmania were he and his wife had a few acres and Arabian horses.

The struggle to get published and the various political heaviness are well understood.

Published by Heinemann in Australia in 1987, a first edition. Octavo, 392 pages, illustrated from photographs. Original owner name on end paper, closed tear top dust jacket otherwise a nice copy of this important book.

Spy Catcher – They couldn’t stop him

$35.00

Updating cart…

Outlaws of the Leopolds – Ion Idriess

Reminiscences of an Australian Pioneer – Robert Barton [Uncle of Banjo Patterson] – 1917

Nemarluk – King of the Wilds

Gold Escort Robbery Trails – Noel Thurgood.

Man Tracks – With the Mounted Police in the Australian Wilds – Ion Idriess – 1935

Spy Catcher – Peter Wright – Former Assistant Director MI5

Product Categories