Prestige Items

The Invention of Terra Nullius – Historical and Legal Fictions on the Foundation of Australia. – Michael Connor

Hobart author Michael Connor has a varied career including teaching in North Africa and management at the famous Sadler’s Wells Theatre. Then he decided to broaden his education in Colonial History at James Cook University and then a PhD in Colonial History at the University of Tasmania.

Published by Macleay Press Sydney in 2005. Octavo, 361 pages, a super fine copy. Very hard to find must have had a very small print run.

This book explores the concept of Terra Nullius “Land belonging to no-one” a principal applied not only in Australia but in many parts of the World subject to colonisation. This is not intended, we believe, to be a provoking works … its sets out the facts and issues comprehensively and there are clues to its direction from the first paragraph.

A special book about an important and now in our faces subject. Worth reading with an open and inquisitive mind.

The defining principal [or was it] now struggling to get support albeit rather late

$60.00

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G.T.W.B. Boyes – Diaries and Letters (Vol 1 1820-1832) – edited by Peter Chapman

A very solid and sought after book. Published by the Melbourne University Press in 1985. Stand alone volume we cannot find anywhere Chapman producing a Vol 2.

A substantial work. Thick octavo, 687 pages, endpaper maps, illustrations from period artwork. Another super fine copy.

George Boyes was a veteran of the Peninsula War – he became auditor of Van Diemens Land in 1826 – the depth of his letters is remarkable and we see those early years through his words with immense clarity – his talents as an artist were superb with much of his work reproduced here

Boyes left a superb legacy

$90.00

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Mrs Isabella Beeton’s – The Book of Household Management comprising information for the Mistress, Housekeeper, Cook, Kitchen-Maid, Butler, Footman … Published 1892 [First with Australian Recipes]

Published 1892, Ward Lock, London 1892 … with Several Hundred new recipes.

Importantly, this is the new edition introducing recipes from Australia including Soup from Kangaroo Tails, (Whole and sitting) Wallaby Roast and Parrot Pie (at least a dozen parrots required).

With 13 full coloured plates of which two folding and steel engravings in the text. A very sound copy that has been expertly re-backed by Roger Perry Quality Bookbinders with new headbands and original end papers.

Mrs Beeton with Australian Treats

$260.00

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Seven Pillars of Wisdom – a triumph – T.E. Lawrence (Of Arabia) – August 1935

Published by Jonathan Cape London 1935 – Seven Pillars of Wisdom a triumph – “The Sword also means Clean-ness + Death”. First trade edition second impression August after the July first.

The Trade Edition preceded by the incomplete “Oxford” edition of 1922 (8 copies only were printed) and the very rare privately printed “Subscribers Edition” of 1927 (170 copies).

Thick quarto, 672 pages, original brown cloth covered binding with gilt titles to spine and device to front. Carries the bookplate of Eric Ambrose on front paste down and his discrete personal label on the end papers. Eric Ambrose was a distinguished British architect and a Fellow of his Professional Body. Avery good copy

Frontispiece portrait of a bust of Lawrence, 4 folding maps as called for, 2 facsimiles and a total of 54 illustrations – 46 of which are dramatic portraits of men who appear in the book. Albeit without the rare dust jacket this is the cleanest we have seen of this edition. The boards clean and unmarked and only the slightest bit of foxing limited to the rough cut paper edges.

Lawrence “took pains to bring objects and artists together”. A classic book written by Lawrence after a very successful war leading

the Arabs against the Turks, considered one of the most important books on war especially political and guerrilla warfare.

Churchill called it “One of the greatest books ever written in the English language”

Lawrence of Arabia’s great book. First trade great condition – 1935

We simply have to give you some of Chapter 1 … “The everlasting battle stripped from us care of our own lives or of others’. We had ropes about our necks, on or heads prices which showed that the enemy intended hideous tortures for us if we were caught. Each day some of us passed; and the living knew themselves just sentient puppets on God’s stage: indeed, our taskmaster was merciless, merciless, so long as our bruised feet could stagger forward on the road. The weak envied those tired enough to die; for success looked so remote, and failure a near and certain, if sharp, release from toil. We lived always in the stretch or sag of nerves, either on the crest or in the trough of waves of feeling ..

$290.00

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Easter Island – Reports on Archaeological Field Work Conducted by William Mulloy at Easter Island for the Easter Island Committee – 5 Volumes [Complete]

Very scarce outside institutional libraries these reports represent the high point in archaeological research and conservation at Easter Island by the island’s foremost authority William Mulloy.

William Mulloy was with Thor Heyerdahl during his expedition to Easter Island and contributed to the important publication resulting. Mulloy went on to take greater interest resulting in a lengthy extensive series of work. He was Professor of Anthropology at the University of Wyoming at the time.

Five reports all published by the Easter Island Committee, funded by the international Fund for Monuments Inc of Washington DC.

Comprising – Bulletin One published 1968 reprinted 1975. Large format soft flesh coloured card wrapper, pages vii 24 ii and 43 including 24 illustrations from photographs and 6 figures including maps etc. Comprising Archaeological Field Work conducted February to July 1968 relating among other things to the restoration of Ahu Ko te Riku and Ahu Tahai.

Bulletin Two of December 1970 reprinted 1979 regarding the restoration of Ahu Vai Uri. Same format, binding, and condition. Pages vii and 43, including 20 illustrations from photographs.

Bulletin Three (although not printed so on cover – this is Bulletin 3) of December 1970 reprinted 1979, on the restoration of Ahu Huri a Urenga and two unnamed Ahu at Hanga Kio’e. Same format, binding, and condition. Pages xi, 47 with 20 illustrations from photographs, maps, and plans.

Bulletin Four published 1975 regrading the Ceremonial Center of Orongo part 1 (we think all published). Same format, binding, and condition. Pages viii and 40 pages with 18 illustrations from photographs, maps, and plans.

Bulletin Five published in 1975 by Patrick Carlton McCoy under instruction from William Mulloy – Easter Island settlement Patterns in the Late Prehistoric and Protohistoric Periods [A Survey]. Same format, binding, and condition. Pages x and 164 with 18 Tables; 61 Illustrations including images from photographs, superb maps, plans, diagrams etc – a most extensive body of work.

Original Reports by William Mulloy for the Easter Island Committee – Complete Set

$290.00

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High Latitudes – A History of Swedish Polar Travels and Research – Gosta Liljequist

Published in 1993 a monumental book by Polar Participant Professor Gosta Liljequist who was metrologist in the Norwegian-British-Swedish expedition to the Antarctic in 1949-52 and also leader of the 1957-58 expedition to Svalbard … so he is in here.

Weighting nearly 3 kgs so pricey to mail Overseas, cannot be found elsewhere in Australia. Largo quarto, 606 pages, with many illustrations from expedition photographs, maps, charts etc a worthy production. Very good copy in a very good dust jacket.

Hard to summarise but we start with the Pioneers 1758-1863 including Anton Martin, the first scientist to go truly North. Involvement with the French Le Recherche Expedition; then Otto Torell and Spitzbergen and his later expeditions to the Aeolus Group north of Svalbard. Quennerstedt’s zoological studies in the west Ice in 1863.

Then we have the Nordenskiold Epoch between 1863-1883 and here for sure too much to write about at both ends of the World. If you haven’t got the book on the Vega this covers it with many other ventures.

We move through some interesting low budget expeditions that did much for the dollar spent and on to Andree and the ill-fated balloon attempt … the searching for him and his companions was a lengthy event and a good Noir movie was made out of it.

We are only a third through and too many highlights to record here. Interesting side stories – the Arctic flight of the German Graf Zeppelin in 1931 – then the attempt from Stockholm to New York.

The Many Swedish Polar Achievements all in one place. Never again.

$280.00

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The Invention of Terra Nullius – Historical and Legal Fictions on the Foundation of Australia. – Michael Connor

G.T.W.B. Boyes – Diaries and Letters (Vol 1 1820-1832) – edited by Peter Chapman

Mrs Isabella Beeton’s – The Book of Household Management comprising information for the Mistress, Housekeeper, Cook, Kitchen-Maid, Butler, Footman … Published 1892 [First with Australian Recipes]

Seven Pillars of Wisdom – a triumph – T.E. Lawrence (Of Arabia) – August 1935

Easter Island – Reports on Archaeological Field Work Conducted by William Mulloy at Easter Island for the Easter Island Committee – 5 Volumes [Complete]

High Latitudes – A History of Swedish Polar Travels and Research – Gosta Liljequist

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