Tasmania and Van Diemens Land

Clay Pipes from Port Arthur 1830-1877 – Maureen Byrne’s 1977-1978 Excavations at Port Arthur – Descriptive Account by Alexandra Dane and Richard Morrison.

Maureen Byrne was emerging as one of Australia’s best archaeologists before she tragically died from a terrible asthma attack in 1978, she was only 24-year-old. [See also our copy of her work on the Ross Bridge]

The massive collection of clay pipe fragments she found are held at Port Arthur. Dane and Morrison produced this thorough analysis. Published by the Department of Prehistory at the ANU, Canberra – Technical Bulletin No 2 – issued in 1979.

Large sized, original wrappers, spiral bound fifty-five pages with eleven pages of plates covering a multitude of examples.

Port Arthur established as a convict settlement in 1830 and remained so for a quarter of a century, after that it was a home for the poor and those with metal health issues. This work identifies that at some time it was likely a home for a number of military officers.

The pipes [over a thousand of them] were mainly made in Scotland which in the Victorian era was the centre of such pipe making in the World. Makers are identified – Mc Dougall, Murray, Coghill, Burns etc and the many decorative bowls that followed such lines as heraldic, heads, botanicals etc.

An unusual subject the detail of which could make you the star of the next dinner party – do people still have dinner parties?

Port Arthur its history through the pipes left behind.

$40.00

Updating cart…

Kaleidoscope – E.R. Jim Henry

A solid humorous memoir by Tasmanian legal identity and raconteur Eric Rutherford “Jim” Henry. A funny man – author of self described best seller “Revelations of a Retired Lawyer” –

The first page of this book proves he had not lost his wit – a man that definitely wore his heart on his sleeve. Not quite the Dubliner’s but there is also some gossip in here. Not only good with the law and the pen he could hold a tennis racket with some style and success.

Self published in 1981 and signed, soft cover, perfect bound, 242 pages, lots of images from photographs. If you went to Hutchins then this should be on your shelf.

Call me “Jim” Henry and his life and observations with fun and information thrown in.

$30.00

Updating cart…

The Struggle of the Penguin Tramway and the Tasmanian Iron Mines at Penguin 1897-1910 – Ron Parnell.

Well this is one of the best local histories we have put eyes on – not only because of the unusual mining connection, but the rivalry between the two major players .. Parnell has done a wonderful job bringing the story to life. There is a movie in this.

Soft covers, 59 pages, illustrated well throughout with maps, diagrams, images etc, effectively self published, no date but 1986 and scarce.

If you get this before you read it skim the chronology on page 52 as it gives you a heads up on what is to come and joins the while together nicely. There is also and extensive bibliography and it’s no surprise to us that Fenton’s “Bush Life in Tasmania” starts the list.

Scarce mining, tramway, Penguin collectable packed with information.

$40.00

Updating cart…

Tasmania – d’Entrecasteaux Waterways

A super guide to the waterways of the d’Entrecasteaux Channel and its tributaries.

Compiled by the Cruising Yacht Club of Tasmania – no date but considered 1990’s.

78 large pages with black and white illustrations, drawings by Neil Lamont, general overview location maps and 27 excellent maps/ charts. Inside back cover a coloured illustration of common channel fish. Spiral bound as issued. Good nick

What we like about this rather unique offering is the relaxed commentary that goes with each of the excellent maps/ charts. We say excellent because they have many of the features that male up the history of the region which link to the narrative. If you are a lover of the region this is better than any travel book.

The beautiful d’Entrecasteaux waterways nicely described – can you tell – we like it!

$35.00

Updating cart…

Ships in Tasmanian Waters – G W Cox

Published by Fullers when they were in the Cat & Fiddle, Hobart in 1971.

Largish octavo, 224 pages, illustrated throughout from period photographs. Dust jacket a little tired top edge, otherwise an very good copy.

Good start with the river steamers on the Derwent, then the Bruny Island Ferry … Derwent Ferries generally … the Silver Crown what magnificent way to travel. Steamer racing – what a sight that must have been – hoot hoot.

A special section on the “floating arch” bridge and its super graceful curve. Various appendices contain some technical data for those that want a better understanding of the power involved …

Maritime activity around the waters of Tasmania with a focus on the Derwent.

$30.00

Updating cart…

Fossil Tree Fern “Osmundacaulis pruchnikki” – Lune River Tasmania – Rare and unusual Early Jurassic Forest circa 182 Million years old.

A significant piece in terms of size and quality of petrified tree fern “Osmundacaulis pruchnikki” from the Lune River area deep in the southern reaches of Tasmania.

The dating of this location to the middle of the early Jurassic Period (182 Ma) was by isotopic measurements on zircons found in the volcanic sandstone hosting the fossils (Bromfield et al 2007). Also refer the excellent recently updated guide by P. Manchester.

A substantial example weighing 362gm length circa 11cm – by 5cm by 5cm. The extremity is cleaved in the centre of the oval plant core and the core can be seen clearly on top and running down the side.

This region is the area of the world where these plants developed. Twelve tree paratypes (arborescent) ferns and one bracken-like (rhizomatous) fern have been studied in the region. All of the tree ferns belong to the genus Osmundacaulis. This paratype exhbits numerous clear and tight trachioles

The species evolved in this region, the Australian portion of Pangea, which was on the cusp of breaking up circa 200 million years ago. Gradually osmundacaaulis have spread elsewhere, but are limited in the Northern Hemisphere; they appear in North West USA .. whilst examples were only discovered in Eurasia in the year 2000 in northern China.

Significant fossil tree fern from Jurassic Tasmania.

$290.00

Updating cart…

Clay Pipes from Port Arthur 1830-1877 – Maureen Byrne’s 1977-1978 Excavations at Port Arthur – Descriptive Account by Alexandra Dane and Richard Morrison.

Kaleidoscope – E.R. Jim Henry

The Struggle of the Penguin Tramway and the Tasmanian Iron Mines at Penguin 1897-1910 – Ron Parnell.

Tasmania – d’Entrecasteaux Waterways

Ships in Tasmanian Waters – G W Cox

Fossil Tree Fern “Osmundacaulis pruchnikki” – Lune River Tasmania – Rare and unusual Early Jurassic Forest circa 182 Million years old.

Product Categories