Curiosities

Precognition and Human Survival – Drayton Thomas.

Published by the Psychic Press, High Holborn London. No date but we suspect late 1940’s.

We cannot find any earlier versions of this work by the late 19thC Reverend Drayton Thomas who penned a number of intriguing books through Fowler and Wells such as Human Magnetism and the simply put Brain and Mind.

Octavo, 115 pages, super deep red dust jacket over lime green cloth covered boards, titling on jacket repeated on boards. A very good if not better copy.

“If a man should die shall he live again”. We are told that the book is the outcome of thirty years extensive research into the study of trance mediumship with the gifted sensitive Mrs Osborne Leonard. No effort is spared to provide satisfactory evidence … of many kinds. A stenographer was employed … well the expense spared.

Drayton Thomas – Precognition Proven.

$40.00

Updating cart…

Researches in The Phenomena of Spiritualism – William Crookes FRS. [Additions Sir Arthur Conan Doyle] – 1926

Title continues – Together with a portion of his Presidential address given before the British Association, 1898; and An Appendix by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Published both Manchester – the Two Worlds Publishing Co and London – The Psychic Bookshop, Victoria Street in 1926.

Octavo, 144 pages plus index and publishers catalogue. Frontispiece image of Crookes, numerous illustrations throughout explaining the scientific goings on. Some foxing [spongy paper] and age marks to plain covers – but a scarce extremely interesting work by one of the greatest scientific minds of all time.

Impossible to summarise Crookes’ achievements as an experimental chemist and physicist. Pioneered modern spectroscopy through his invention of the Crookes tube, discovered the element Thallium, contributed to the filling out [reorganisation] of the Periodic Table re the inert gases. A wealthy man who had a great business brain and combined these talents to fund his own research. In later years a whole, very large, floor of his Kensington Residence was a series of private laboratories and scientific library. Received the Nobel Prize in 1907 and many others achieved theirs through his work.

So, Crookes was interested in forces and formed the concept of plasma being the fourth state of nature. His interest in spiritualism and spiritual forces was a serious matter – he was President of the relevant Society at one time. This book summarises earlier publications of his views and experiments – and includes a chapter from his friend and fellow spiritualist Sir Arthur Conan Doyle on an “Independent Testimony as to the mediumship of Florence Cook”.

Crookes’ chapter headings are a useful guide … Spiritualism Viewed by the Light of Modern Science; Experimental Investigation of a New Force; Some Further Experiments on Psychic Force; Miss Florence Cooks Mediumship; Spirit-Forms; the Last of Katie King etc.

Sir William Crookes one of the worlds great experimental scientists and the Spirit Forces.

$70.00

Updating cart…

The Passenger Pigeon – by Joseph Quinn.

No date comb bound copied item published circa 1990, see below. This was its original form – self published by the author.

Subtitled “A Boys Story” but not a story for Boys, in fact a compilation of the writings of the author, many of them, published in Bird World … and all about the demise of the Passenger Pigeon.

We learn that the last pigeon a female was given the name of Martha, after George Washington’s wife … the second last Passenger Pigeon, her brother, named George … naturally. We like this unusual work not just for its obvious rarity but the love of the writer for his subject. The Boys story is a reference to him finding his childhood scribbles about the subject matter.

96 pages in all, some images from the magazine that have not copied too well. Cream card covers.

A total of 20 separate articles, all of some length, published variously between 1982 and 1987.

Inserted on posh faux vellum paper is a poem written by the author in honour of the sadly retired bird; rather well penned and definitely moving.

Joseph Quinn – his life’s work on the Passenger Pigeon all in one place.

$40.00

Updating cart…

Winners Medal – Agricultural Society of New South Wales – 1878

The Agricultural Society of New South Wales issued these sumptuous medals to class winners. This one was issued for the 1878 show.

9.0 cm in diameter cast in bronze and makes quite a statement. Made by Hardy Brothers of London and Sydney. A few bumps around the edge and a hint of compression, still beautifully defined and imposing.

Features the female form depicting “New South Wales” standing and looking forward holding alighted torch and holding the wreath of a victor. Around her are four children representing the four seasons with harvest wheat, grapes and sheep to tend. Below in three small panels the arts, agriculture and industry are represented.

On the obverse the victor’s wreath circling the engraved winners details under the slogan of the event “Practice with Science”.

“Sydney Jam Preserving Coy for best Collection of Fruits in Syrup – Sydney 1878”

A good and early example of this grand Agricultural Winners Medal.

$125.00

Updating cart…

Tasmania to the Letter – Mike Jenkinson

An unusual alphabetically arranged potpourri of all things about and relating to Tasmania [Over 700 items]. Starts with abalone and ends with Zinc and is much more interesting in between. The paragraph on irascible talented and sadly gone artist Geoff Dyer and his Archibald winning portrait of Richard Flanigan is a good example of its honed quality.

Softcover, perfect bound 317 pages, heavily illustrated throughout. An educational entertainment – a great way into Tasmania for the occasional visitor.

Published in 2006 by J.C.P.L. effectively self published.

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

$20.00

Updating cart…

Australian Eastern Shovelnose Ray – by Shaw & Nodder – 1791

Very early copper engraved hand coloured engraving of the Australian Eastern Shovelnose Ray (Aptychoterma Rostrata) which you can find along the coast from Newcastle in NSW to the Far North in Queensland, more prevalent around the Barrier Reef. Very good condition original 18thC colouring.

A medium sized ray with a long flattened triangular snout, wedge shaped disk and shark like tail. Sexually dimorphic dentition – the males have elongated carps on their anterior teeth that allow them to grip the female during mating … ouch.

George Shaw oversaw the Natural History Department at the British Museum. Nodder was a natural history artist and worked for Banks on his Florilegium.

Price unframed $90.00 or $190.00 framed in Voyager Natural History style.

Very early Australian Fish Engraving

$90.00

Updating cart…

Precognition and Human Survival – Drayton Thomas.

Researches in The Phenomena of Spiritualism – William Crookes FRS. [Additions Sir Arthur Conan Doyle] – 1926

The Passenger Pigeon – by Joseph Quinn.

Winners Medal – Agricultural Society of New South Wales – 1878

Tasmania to the Letter – Mike Jenkinson

Australian Eastern Shovelnose Ray – by Shaw & Nodder – 1791

Product Categories