Australiana

Australia’s Shipwreck Coast (and Other Stories) – Jack Loney

Square octavo,soft cover 103 pages including the index. Some signs of use but still in very good condition.

Jack Loney published this soft cover in 1986 focusing on the many wrecks along the coast of Victoria. As always with his work well researched and magnificently illustrated.

Victorian Coast littered with wrecks.

$20.00

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Kangaroo Island Shipwrecks – Gifford Chapman

An excellent Roebuck production (No 6) published in 1973 a second printing updated with the story of the Amber Star. Very good near fine condition.

Large octavo, 109 pages with soft covers. Heavily illustrated with great end paper maps of the Island with the positions of the many wrecks. Good photographic images and well researched

Kangaroo Island more than its fair share

$35.00

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The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society London – April 1925 – The Great Barrier Reef

Complete edition April 1925 in original blue wrappers. Pages 281-376 after adverts, preliminaries etc with folding map at rear.

The Great Barrier Reef by Colonel Sir Gerald Lenox-Conyngham and F.A. Potts the latter talking about “Life of the Reef”. Irish born Conyngham (1866-1956) was a surveyor and geodesist of some note. He was trained at the Royal Military Academy Woolwich and at Chatham. His study partly emphasises how little was known about the Great Barrier Reef at the time and his remarks and the report of Potts resulted in some lengthy discussion afterwards with interesting references back to Bramble, Stokes, Owen Stanley etc again emphasising the importance of the knowledge gained during those early 19thC voyages.

Further of interest is a lengthy report on Nepal by Brig-General C.G. Bruce and Major Northey with a nice map and excellent photographs.

And, a good study of the North-West extensions of the Jubaland Plain and the drainage of the Upper Nile by John Parkinson

Great Barrier Reef – 1925 Perspective

$90.00

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Australian Rare Books 1788-1900 – Jonathan Wantrup.

Published by Hordern House a first edition in 1987. Five years work by Wantrup.

Thick royal octavo, 468 pages with occasional illustrations and tipped in coloured frontispiece of Sturt leaving Adelaide. Occasional foxing and priced accordingly.

A first edition of Jonathan Wantrup’s book which was predicted to become and has become an essential reference for those collecting Australian Rare books. More than that it is a great potted … to read this book from cover to cover is an education in itself … it should be on the curriculum.

Unlike the rather unwieldy and at time questionable Ferguson bibliography this book provides an excellent reference to the nuances and issues of edition and the like which makes book collecting that much more rewarding. Who would not seek out the Burke & Wills with the “garish” endpapers … “No such copy should be passed by” says the author.

“Wantrup” matured to be an essential reference and a solid read in its own right.

$90.00

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Charlotte Barton: Australia’s First Children’s Author – Marcie Muir

A nice piece of work by Marcie Muir, font of all knowledge regarding Australian Children’s Books.

A 35-page octavo card covered pamphlet published by Wentworth Books, 1980. A limited edition of 500 copies this one not numbered or signed so we are not sure if that is correct. A very nice copy.

It was originally thought, an recorded by Ferguson, that the author of the first Australian children’s book “A Mother’s Offering to her Children” published Sydney 1841 was Lady Gordan Bremer. This work by Marcie proves beyond doubt that it was in fact Charlotte Barton. Drawing on a number of sources including Mrs Mins and Mrs Fanning both who wrote to Marcie the author pieces together the evidence and presents it in a very readable, entertaining and informative way. We like it!

Charlotte Barton proven as first Australian children’s author.

Postage will be reduced to cost appropriately on this light weight item.

$20.00

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The Journey of Burke and Wills – Max Colwell

Published by Paul Hamlyn, Sydney in 1971 a first edition. Quarto, 152 pages a very good if not fine copy.

A surprisingly good book on the Burke and Wills expedition. A large format heavily illustrated almost coffee table book style … but it’s the images and the nuances that make this book different and a good fill in regarding the personalities and interactions of all involved. We particularly like the letter written after Landell’s resignation … “sheer cowardice”

Burke and Wills another perspective

$30.00

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Australia’s Shipwreck Coast (and Other Stories) – Jack Loney

Kangaroo Island Shipwrecks – Gifford Chapman

The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society London – April 1925 – The Great Barrier Reef

Australian Rare Books 1788-1900 – Jonathan Wantrup.

Charlotte Barton: Australia’s First Children’s Author – Marcie Muir

The Journey of Burke and Wills – Max Colwell

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