Australian Rare

Australian Private Press: The Dying Stockman – A Ballad … with Notes by Hugh Anderson and Lino Cuts by Ronald Edwards – No 1 of The Black Bull Chapbooks from The Ram’s Skull Press – Signed Limited No 50 of 75.

This is quite a story. Ron Edwards would eventually be given an OAM for his lifetime of work preserving Australian bush heritage. The Rams Skull Press still exists and is run by Ron’s son out of the Brisbane Valley. Ron himself moved from Ferntree, Victoria to equally beautiful Kuranda behind Cairns before he packed his bags.

This first of firsts printed in hand set Baskerville on Tudor Antique paper by R.G. Edwards at the sign of the Rams Skull Press … Lording Street, Lower Ferntree Fully, Victoria … limitation .. February, 1954.

Comprising music score, illustrated with woodcuts, hand sewn with leather ties, preserved inside original goatskin covers. A few insect nibbles to goatskin, otherwise all in excellent condition.

The verses are The Dying Stockman; Rosin the Beau; The Tarpaulin Jack and The Dying Digger … a bit of dying but they seemed to have had a good life and needed few possessions.

Scarce wondrous Australian bush verses printed on a flat bed everything by hand – dressed in goat skin.

$190.00

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Norman Lindsay – Redheap – ABC Script to the 1972 Production – part of a theme “Norman Lindsay Theatre” broadcast in that year.

A distinguished cast was assembled including Kate Fitzpatrick as Hetty, Peter Flett as Robert Piper, John Waters, June Salter etc many who went on to have long television careers and also Pamela Stephenson (now Lady Pamela) as the raunchy Millie Kneebone.

Typescript foolscap – 138 pages, normal wear through use but in perfectly acceptable condition for its type. The odd note and doodle on the back of some pages …. Waiting in television can be a drain.

Adapted from Norman Lindsay’s famous novel Redheap. Famous for being banned in Australia – published in 1930 by Faber in London it was not allowed in Australia until 1958! A bit naughty seemingly but more so because Readheap is really the town of Creswick and the characters were well real people displaying their real lives and inhibitions. Seemingly, Norman used his bothers diaries for research – the family could well have been involved in the ban.

The “rehearsal script” here for sale makes for a good read with all the extra colour that is added from the flat novel. Front page described as EP 2 but content flips back and forward with scenes from episodes 1,2 and 3 maybe predominantly 2 – not sure. Makes for a lively reading with accidental flash back and forward – if you understand that process.

A most interesting and scarce piece of Lindsay ephemera that you are likely to come across.

Readheap – not for the town of Creswick – Lindsay at his most provocative.

$390.00

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Jack Maggs – Peter Carey – First edition

A first edition published by the University of Queensland Press in 1997. Large octavo, 392 pages, a little evenly toned we think, otherwise unblemished in a super dust jacket.

Carey’s Jack Maggs is straight out of Dickens and the characters and homage are clear to the end. Much admired for that literary daring.

Jack Maggs returns to London from Australia in 1837. He needs to be careful as his departure from London had not been at his own pleasure. He has a clear and honourable objective … but its not that simple.

Peter Carey in the manner of C.D. with Maggs

$35.00

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My Life as a Fake – Peter Carey – First edition

Peter Carey had already won the Booker Prize twice, and other literary awards before he released “My Life as A Fake”.

Published by Knopf, Sydney in 2003. A first edition in great condition. Octavo, 280 pages, rough cut edges (trendy) as published. Unusual endpapers one half Kuala Lumpur image [as with the dust jacket] other stark pink.

Whilst given an international mystic flavour this book is partly based on the real life faking of the poet Ern Malley by the promotors of the superb Angry Penguins. Not only was the poet Ern Malley a fake he was also considered a bit rude which got the inventors into a little bit of trouble and consequently financial difficulty.

Back to Carey and we have the works of Bob McCorkie entirely the invention of Christopher Chubb who wants to teach the pretentious a lesson. There is a twist though and it has something to do with the phrase Voyager has some difficulty truly understanding … “be careful what you wish for”. When we say twist – it is Peter Carey so more to it that that.

Peter Carey First edition – maybe our favourite.

$60.00

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War Crimes – Peter Carey – First Edition 1979

A very good copy of the first edition of Peter Carey’s provocative short story collection published by the University of Queensland Press in 1979.

Octavo, 281 pages, with thirteen short stories of varying lengths. Titles include … the Journey of a Lifetime, Fragrance of Roses, Ultra- Violet Light, Exotic Pleasures, The Last Days of a Famous Mime, the title taker war Crimes and our favourite “The Uses of Williamson Wood”. Very good condition accepting ownership signature on end papers.

Peter Carey argued by many as Australia’s best modern era writer. Born in Bacchus Marsh in the 1940’s, living at various placed throughout Australia the New York, London etc. Married a number of times such relationships feeding his unusual story lines. Before becoming a literary success he worked for many years in the advertising industry writing pretty good copy.

To put this issue in perspective … Carey’s fist published work The Fat Man in History had been a roaring success … and this equally delicious collection was published before his first novel.

Carey went on to win the Miles Franklin award three times and is one of only five authors to have won the Booker Prize twice.

A First Edition of Peter Carey’s War Crimes

$80.00

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Flannel Flowers – May Gibbs c1920

Published Sydney: Angus Robertson no date but an early printing circa 1920, printer Penfold noted at the rear.

Original wrappers, unpaginated but 28 pages in total. Bound with original green cord. Colour pictorial overlay to front of several pretty flannel babies. Illustrated with coloured frontispiece and 11 full page sepia illustrations. Nice condition, apart from a couple of marks to the front and a a name papered over inside front. Otherwise pretty clean inside, free of children’s often found markings. A scarce one in early form for some reason; although later reproduced. Reference authority Muir 2742.

As well as the Flannel Babies we have the Christmas Bell Babies; Bracken Babies; Pea-flower Babies; Mushroom Babies; Fuschia Babies and Tea-tree Babies.

May Gibbs – harder to find early Flannel Babies.

$50.00

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Australian Private Press: The Dying Stockman – A Ballad … with Notes by Hugh Anderson and Lino Cuts by Ronald Edwards – No 1 of The Black Bull Chapbooks from The Ram’s Skull Press – Signed Limited No 50 of 75.

Norman Lindsay – Redheap – ABC Script to the 1972 Production – part of a theme “Norman Lindsay Theatre” broadcast in that year.

Jack Maggs – Peter Carey – First edition

My Life as a Fake – Peter Carey – First edition

War Crimes – Peter Carey – First Edition 1979

Flannel Flowers – May Gibbs c1920

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