Australian Rare

Womba – and Aboriginal Stockboy (in the Cattle Country in the Heart of Australia) – F.J. McLeod – First edition 1952.

Published by Georgian House, Melbourne, a first edition generally in very good clean condition with the super period wrap around dust jacket art.

The writer of the story of Womba had been a mounted policeman. The story centres on Dericka Station which is in the MacDonnell Ranges.

Super depiction of station life where Womba learns to break in wild colts and the mustering of cattle over the vast expanses of the station. Interactions with the local Myall tribesmen are a little mysterious.

An acceptable treatment of the subject matter especially for the period.

Womba in the MacDonnell Ranges.

$25.00

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Pilot Pete [An Antarctic Adventure] – Alan Villiers

Published by Angus and Robertson a 1963 edition of Villiers’s delightful book with a “save the whales message” and he saved some ships as well .

Drawing of maritime adventurer Villiers’s experience whaling in the Antarctic and the knowledge and superstitions that surround encounters with a porpoise. Porpoise Pete lived around Perseverance Harbour, Campbell Island .. which is south-east of the Enderby Islands, in turn south of New Zealand.

Nicely illustrated by H.T. Cauldwell. Octavo, 64 pages. A very good gift worthy copy.

Villiers could write for all ages about the coldest of seas. .

$25.00

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Simon Black in Space – Ivan Southall.

An early sought after Space Classic published in 1953 an year after the first.

Published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney and London. Octavo, 223 pages, some line drawn illustration, very clean internally albeit light toning, super dust jacket, making the book gift worthy.

The author was a distinguished pilot in the R.A.A.F in WWII awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (D.F.C). After the war he was co-opted to write about the R.A.A.F in Europe. He still had time to write about the adventures of Simon Black.

Black in the special aircraft “Firefly 3”, the only aircraft in the World capable of pursuing the flying saucers into space. Accompanied by Rex the Alsatian (it’s a dog’s life).

Collectable Early Space Adventure penned by Australian Hero.

$60.00

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The Dawn of Time – Australian Aboriginal Myths in Paintings – Roberts and Mountford.

A first edition of this “sequel” to Dreamtime. Another wonderful book by ethnologist Charles Mountford and artist Ainslie Roberts.

Published in 1969 again by Rugby, Adelaide. Same small quarto format 79 pages with a beautiful image for each of the myths recounted by Mountford received from Elders and Storytellers.

Includes some from the coast such as Kondole the Whale; Pipinyawari the Queen Fish … the Fighting Cloud Women; the Black Kangaroo; and our favourite Brolga the Dancing Girl .. albeit a little sad.

Remember this story when you see a Brolga.

$30.00

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The Dreamtime – Australian Aboriginal Myths in Paintings – Ainslie Roberts and Charles Mountford.

A interesting book published by Rigby of Adelaide who have done some good work. Small quarto, 79 pages, well illustrated with colour images of the aforesaid paintings – and they are beauties.

All up 32 aboriginal stores recounted and illustrated including .. The banishment of the Cuckoos; Mangowa and the Round Lakes; The Creation of the eagle and the Crow; The Mopaditis and the Black Cockatoos; Tirlta and the Flowers of Blood ..

Special images, beautiful meaningful stories.

$30.00

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Kangaroo – Sylvie Selig – Jonathan Cape 1980

Possibly our favourite kangaroo book.

Picture book published by Jonathan Cape in 1980. Landscape 44 pages and an unusual construction in that every second page is a half page which creates a new image against the full pages … an interesting and amusing device. A pretty good copy.

Our little kangaroo has an idyllic home life but is carried away by a bird of prey … not for long he is rescued and looked after and soon recovered to his grateful family. Every page a vibrant image. Not said but clearly based in the more tropical parts of Australia.

Sylvie Selig was born in 1941 in France … her art cover a broad range of styles and her premium work is highly collectable … at the core is her vibrant imagination subtly bordering ion the surreal.

Collectable kangaroo with striking colourful illustrations.

$25.00

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Womba – and Aboriginal Stockboy (in the Cattle Country in the Heart of Australia) – F.J. McLeod – First edition 1952.

Pilot Pete [An Antarctic Adventure] – Alan Villiers

Simon Black in Space – Ivan Southall.

The Dawn of Time – Australian Aboriginal Myths in Paintings – Roberts and Mountford.

The Dreamtime – Australian Aboriginal Myths in Paintings – Ainslie Roberts and Charles Mountford.

Kangaroo – Sylvie Selig – Jonathan Cape 1980

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