Tasmania and Van Diemens Land

Captain James Kelly of Hobart Town – K.M. Bowden

Published by the Melbourne University Press in 1964, a first edition in very good if not fine condition condition.

Octavo, 126 pages, nicely illustrated, perfect dust jacket.

James Kelly was born in Parramatta in 1791 the son of a convict Irishwoman. He took to the seas as soon as able – was the first man to sail round Van Diemen’s Land in a small boat, survived shipwreck at Macquarie Island and had battles with the natives in New Zealand and back in Tasmania.

Kelly rose to be Master of a successful whaling and sealing fleet … and then to legend.

James Kelly was Hobart

$50.00

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Australia Trade Cards – Set of Six – Liebig – Over 100 Years Old

A group of six decorative trade cards by Liebig advertising their tasty Bouillon Oxo. Printed and issued around 1910. In French with a very good description the rear of the card … a good language lesson.

Delightful chromolithographs depicting scenes from around Australia including a nice one of Hobart, Tasmania with Storm Bay (not quite technically correct as we are now in the Derwent proper) and Mount Wellington covered in snow in the background. Also, we have the Murray River and its vegetation; the Kimberleys; Rundall Creek in the MacDonald Range; the Blue Mountains west of Sydney and Coolgardie and its Gold. Images of indigenous people from various parts of Australia given the French romantic treatment in terms of their clothing. Each 10cms x 7.3cms.

Scarce six card set rarely found together.

$50.00

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Lady Nelson (Tasmania) Ship’s Manual.

Published by the Tasmanian Sail Training Association in 2003 a first printing.

A Training Manual and guide to the operating systems aboard the Sail Training Vessel Lady Nelson.

Anyone who has been to Hobart has heard of the Lady Nelson a magnificent working replica of her 1799 namesake which had such an important place in Australian maritime history … more so Tasmania.

The original vessel a unique sliding keel design was built at Deptford, London. She sailed for Australia under the command of Grant and was the first vessel to pass west to east through the Bass Strait. Grant completed significant coastal charts of the southern mainland regions … the advantage of the sliding keel was the vessel could get in close in shallow water. Later the Lady Nelson was to play an important part in the history of Tasmania or Van Diemen’s Land as it was then known … including being part of relocation of convicts from Norfolk Island.

The replica is a beauty and the manual does it justice. Just under 200 pages, octavo, spiral bound. It starts proper with a useful history of the original vessel and, the replica which was launched in 1988 having taken two year to build.

The manual comprises sections … Basic re rigging, mooring lines, heaving, helming, knots, lookout duties. Then intermediate … preparing for sea, sails and handling, anchoring, bells etc, closing down, man overboard! fires. The advanced section … emergency steering, fuels systems, freshwater systems, sullage and bilge, alarms etc. Safety includes first aid and “abandon ship!” … and a final catch-all includes a glossary of terms and a useful “where is it” for those on the find.

An interesting book for anyone interested in the maritime and especially anyone coming to Hobart who wants to achieve a greater experience of the grand Lady herself

A scarce and interesting item the Lady Nelson Manual

$40.00

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George Bass – Discovery of the Bass Strait – Commemorative Bronze Medal – 1968

George Bass, Surgeon and Explorer carried out two voyages to confirm the Bass Strait and the separation of Tasmania (then Van Diemen’s Land) from mainland Australia – known affectionately in Tasmania as “The Other Island”.

First, in 1797 he set off in an open whaleboat with a crew of six. They sailed to Cape Howe at the farthest point of South-east Australia and, from there sailed west along the Gippsland coast to Western Point, at the entrance to Port Phillip. Observations of the rapid tide and long south-western swell supported his view that a large Strait lay in front of him.

In 1798 he set out again, with Matthew Flinders in the sloop Norfolk and circumnavigated Van Diemen’s Land. They visited the Derwent River which had previously been named by Captain John Hayes. On return to Sydney, Flinders promoted the naming of the Strait after Bass … the then Governor, John Hunter agreed.

Bass’s later life was adventurous and possibly … likely … tragic, making the date of his death noted on the medal questionable.

The medal was struck in 1968. It was produced by K.G. Luke & Sons, Melbourne for the Numismatic Association of Victoria. 160 examples were produced in this bronze form and a similar number in silver. 50mm in diameter, 48gms weight, with a high relief bust of Bass facing right, carrying his spyglass. On the reverse a delightful image of the whaleboat, the sloop Norfolk and the chart and route of the vessels, appropriately dated.

Unusual medal to celebrate the achievements of George Bass

$140.00

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Lachlan Macquarie – His Life, Adventures and Times – Ellis – First Edition 1947

The definitive work on Australia’s early Scottish Governor. The man that brought civilisation to the country from paved streets to the arts – also pushed harder for inland exploration and a greater understanding of the vast outback.

First edition 1947, quarto, 697 pages, differing end paper maps and eight full page colour plates. Dust jacket a bit tired but scarce and has protected the boards well, flecking to page edges and some age near the ends, otherwise bright and clean internally. Previous ownership name and stamp at front. A pretty good copy priced accordingly. A heavy book which mat require a tad more postage dependent on buyer location.

The author Malcolm Henry Ellis (1890-1969) … Queensland born journalist and historian. An avid ant-communist … he dislike Manning Clark and his historical work believing Clark inclined to leftist’s views in his writing and inclined to via away from historical fact when it suited his point of view.

Lengthy but written in an easily read style, we can see why this has become the go to text on Macquarie. The format is set out as if five separate books covering distinctive periods in his life … the titles of which give little away as to content Needless to say we cover his early years as a dashing lieutenant, time in India, his loves, Egypt and to Australia and his early successes … a period that would stretch from 1810 to 1821. He pioneered the development of commerce, inland exploration and urban development. A patron of the arts and literature.

Macquarie much more than a flash Bank

$50.00

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Narrative of Some Passages in the History of Van Diemen’s Land, during the Last Three Years of Sir John Franklin’s Administration of its Government

A special facsimile of a very unusual book. The original only issued privately “Not Published” and each of those few issued were annotated by Franklin himself giving some further control we expect over their authenticity.

A work essentially about the long and vigorous dispute Franklin had towards the end of his time in Tasmania with his Colonial Secretary, John Montagu.

A young doctor named Coverdale had been dismissed for negligence (a man had died) … Montagu supported this action. Franklin found out further information that suggested Coverdale had been hard done by and re-instated him. Monatagu was not happy, and the way he expressed his feelings verbally and in writing and his later in-actions made his relationship with Franklin unworkable. Lady Jane Franklin was dragged into it … not something that happened lightly in those days.

Montagu was dismissed back to England. However, in England Montagu pleaded his case very well and gained the support of Lord Stanley, Secretary of State for the Colonies, who essentially reprimanded Franklin who was soon to see his tenure in Tasmania over.

This personal compilation of evidence by Franklin was completed just as he was off on his Arctic expedition from which he never returned.

There is a movie in this episode alone.

This facsimile produced from the copy given by Sir John Franklin to R.I. Murchison. Presumably Roderick Impey Murchison author of Siluria and then President of the Royal Geographical Society. Franklin would have been very close to Murchison at the time due to the Arctic plans.

Published by Platypus Publications, Hobart in 1967. Octavo, 157 pages, original cloth covered boards (there was no dust jacket). Limited to 750 copies this one numbered 489. A very good copy.

Sir John Franklin puts his case re Montagu.

$30.00

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Captain James Kelly of Hobart Town – K.M. Bowden

Australia Trade Cards – Set of Six – Liebig – Over 100 Years Old

Lady Nelson (Tasmania) Ship’s Manual.

George Bass – Discovery of the Bass Strait – Commemorative Bronze Medal – 1968

Lachlan Macquarie – His Life, Adventures and Times – Ellis – First Edition 1947

Narrative of Some Passages in the History of Van Diemen’s Land, during the Last Three Years of Sir John Franklin’s Administration of its Government

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