Curiosities

The Evil Shadow – A Johnny Nero Adventure – 1967

Published by Fleetway in 1967 as part of the Secret Agent Series … this number 19. Card covers, perfect bound, 122 pages plus end fill cartoons.

Quiet scarce, particularly in this condition. An upmarket, more adult, cartoon book. The Evil Shadow is set in Egypt, starts with a bomb at the Aswam dam under construction. A gold finger is found with links to valuable art work thought to be taken by the retreating German army in WWII.

High profile businessman Johnny Nero has a side line as a secret agent … and is recruited to solve the mystery along with his formidable secretary Jenny Bird they have a busy time …

Johnny Nero dealing with the “Evil Shadow” and statuesque Jenny Bird never a hair out of place.

$30.00

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Illustrated Games of Patience – Lady Adelaide Cadogan – 1880

Card games of all sorts were all the rage in Victorian times among all classes. Here we have none other than Lady Cadogan the leading expert on the many many variations of a card game generally known as Patience.

This is fourth more glamorous edition published by Sampson Low, London in 1880. Quarto, strangely paginated around the description both in narrative and pictorially of each game. The images are truly delightful a feature that is carried over to the decorated green cloth binding. A very good copy of a scarce form.

The names of the various game forms points to the French derivations .. La Belle Lucie; Le Cadran; La Quinzaine; La Loi Salique; Les Quatre Coins; Le Moulin; Le Shah etc although ending with the rather drearily named “the British Constitution”

Patience is a blessing .. let’s have more of it!

$80.00

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Ross Bridge Tasmania – Studies in Historical Archaeology – Maureen Byrne

Maureen Byrne was a professional archaeologist which makes this “local history” rather more honed and full of well researched fact.

Anyone who loves Tasmania either as a local or a visitor cannot help fall in love with the town of Ross and its magnificent convict built bridge.

Published in 1969 by the Australian Society of Historical Archaeology in conjunction with the Ross Council and its then appointed Bridge Restoration Committee .. now there’s a worthwhile cause.

Squarish perfect bound card covered, 51 pages with folding plans at rear. Extensively illustrated from photographs taken by the author. A very good copy.

The bridge was to undergo restoration with the removal of badly laid thick tarmacadam … this was the chance to call in the expert Byrne. A special record was made … the best part being something that could have received better treatment earlier .. 186 carvings, 31 over the top of each arch. Among the carvings along with those involved in the creation of the bridge we have … Jorgen Jorgensen the Danish adventurer then part of life in Van Diemens Land; Governor George Arthur resplendent in his top hat; John Headlam a hated school master in his mortar board; William Kermode a local grazier .. along with horned goods and wild beasts.

Comparison with Italian bridge architecture add interest.

The Ross Bridge rivals European Bridge Architecture with its numerous carvings.

$50.00

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The Horse Tramways of Adelaide 1875-1907 – L.S. Kingsborough

Now this is a local history of special interest. The intensity and variety of horse drawn trams in the city of Adelaide and its suburbs was special by any standards.

A card covered perfect bound publication of the Adelaide Libraries Board so done to a good standard with photographic images, diagrams etc that really enhance the understanding.

Squarish octavo, 86 pages plus a5 pages of appendices. Published in 1965 a rare and very good condition copy.

The number of enterprises paints a picture in itself .. Adelaide and Suburban Tramway Co; Unley and Mitcham Tramway Co; Adelaide and Hindmarah Tramway Co; Port Adelaide, Queenstown, Alberton and Portland Estate Tramway Co … and many more

Horse drawn trams … everywhere … what fun .. and green?

$50.00

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Port Arthur Railway Across Tasman Peninsula – Australia’s First Railway – Bayley

Published in the early 1970’s this is an interesting historical account of what was the first railway in Australia, albeit convict powered.

The author William Bayley self published a number of well researched historical documents. Octavo, 64 pages, illustrated heavily and well throughout. Fine copy.

Much about Booth and his plans, the Port Arthur settlement and discovery of coal on the other side of the peninsula. The need for the railway, its construction and the manpower. The visit of Trollope and other incidentals.

The first railway – no mean feat for anyone.

$25.00

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The Shot Tower [Hobart] and its Builder Joseph Moir – Richard Lord

A special local history item by Richard Lord who also authored the respected book on St David’s graveyard and the Isle of the Dead at Port Arthur.

More than a local history is the shot tower is the only stone and brick built circular shot tower in the Southern hemisphere.

Anyone coming to Hobart may not have a visit here on the agenda … after reading this thorough account I doubt you will neglect the tower.

First Printing 1980, self published, printed by Specialty Press, Hobart. Perfect bound, ninety-one pages, nicely illustrated mainly from historical photographs.

The builder of the shot tower Joseph Moir was an incredibly enterprising individual. Already successful in business. He went to England and came back with a shipload of hardware and set up the Economy House at 49 Murray Street. It did very well.

In the 1860’s his mind turned to making shot … a quite complex process fundamental to which is the action of gravity hence the tower. His careful planning led him to select the perfect site some seven miles form the centre of Hobart. The author goes through the considerations regarding the location, the structure, the outhouses for arsenic, powder etc and the incredible feat in erecting the tower in eight months with the help of only two stonemasons. The process for making shot was designed by William watts of Bristol in the 1700’s. A bit of experimentation was required at Hobart, but Moir eventually cracked the technique … which he guarded for year to come.

The Shot Tower – Tasmania’s finest industrial structure.

$25.00

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The Evil Shadow – A Johnny Nero Adventure – 1967

Illustrated Games of Patience – Lady Adelaide Cadogan – 1880

Ross Bridge Tasmania – Studies in Historical Archaeology – Maureen Byrne

The Horse Tramways of Adelaide 1875-1907 – L.S. Kingsborough

Port Arthur Railway Across Tasman Peninsula – Australia’s First Railway – Bayley

The Shot Tower [Hobart] and its Builder Joseph Moir – Richard Lord

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