Australiana

Proud Intrepid Heart – Leichhardt’s First Attempt to the Swan River 1846-1847 – Dan Sprod – Signed, Limited Numbered Edition

Published by Blubber Press, Hobart in 1989. Quarto, 334 pages, well illustrated and printed on quality paper (Teton Warm White) by Griffin Press. A very good if not fine copy. Limited signed edition number 169 of 600.

This is Liechhardt’s second expedition after the successful mammoth exploration from the Darling Downs to Port Essington. This, an even more adventurous plan, was a failure and later members of his team were to write negatively about Leichhardt’s leadership.

This book contains his journals, published for the first time and presented so well by Dan Sprod. Drawing also on other unpublished accounts he attempts to set the record straight.

Leichhardt’s second … the real story … put so well

$60.00

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The Hunter Sketchbook. Birds & Flowers of New South Wales drawn on The Spot in 1788 89 & 90 By Captain John Hunter of the First Fleet.

A really rather beautiful and slightly strangely titled work.

We say strangely titled because we do not have to read far about the original sketchbook, (once owned by the great Rex Nan Kivell and now housed in the Australian National Library) to find that the sketches include fishes and people … and of New South Wales and also Norfolk and Lord Howe islands. Peeking at the reproductions of the sketches we can also see a kangaroo and a dolphin. What is really surprising is the rarity now of some of the birds he drew e.g. the Swift Parrot and we wonder where he saw that bird …

Captain Hunter, to be Governor Hunter, known as a skilled sketch artist through the illustrations in his sought after First Fleet journal .. but these images take one’s understanding and admiration to a whole new level.

No expense spared production limited to 500 copies and with a further 50 sets of unbound plates. Edited by John Calaby with assistance. Published in 1989. Quarto, x, 252 pages with 100 full page colour plates and other illustrations in the lengthy introductions. Bound in quarter calf, raised bands to spine, separate green leather title label, exotic marble paper covered boards, original removable glassine protector, silk ribbon release from original open slip cover. A fine copy.

A special edition from a unique work of historical significance – an Australian National Treasure.

$190.00

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Call to the Winds – P.G. (Bill) Taylor – First Edition 1939

Important and scarce aviation book. “Bill” Taylor’s heroic flight with Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm.

First edition Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1939. Octavo, 227 pages, with period photographs of the aircraft “Southern Cross” including the damaged engine and propeller and the life saving thermos flask. Signature on front paste down. Very good copy with an almost impossible to find dust jacket.

Patrick Gordan Taylor (1891-1966) later knighted one of Australia’s greatest aviators. Participated in several major flight firsts with Sir Charles Kingsford, Charlie Ulm and later Richard Archbold. Known affectionately as “Bill” … Taylor joined the British Royal Flying Corps in 1916 with No 66 Squadron. After the war he returned to Australia and the start of commercial aviation activities.

The core of this book is about a 1935 flight, in the Southern Cross, with Kingsford Smith and Ulm from Australia to New Zealand with the view to establishing a mail service between the two countries. Mid Tasman the starboard engine failed. They decided to return to Sydney but encountered high winds. The port engine began to overheat and was running out of cooling oil. Bill Taylor climbed outside the aircraft along the wire below the wind strut, with a thermos flask, drained oil from the broken starboard engine and transferred it to the port engine. He did this six times before they made a safe landing back in Sydney.

Aviation Heroics – Bill Taylor with Kingsford Smith and Ulm – outside the Southern Cross over the Tasman

$180.00

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Strahan and Macquarie Harbour – Tasmania’s Eldorado

Subtitled … The Commercial Port for the Western Mineral Fields and … the Gem of the States for Tourists and Travellers. Unsurpassed for Scenic Grandeur and as a Health Resort.

Originally published by John Ware of Strahan in 1908 and nigh impossible to get. This like for like facsimile was produced by the western Pioneers’ memorial Museum in 1981. Printed by Walch, Hobart.

Small format, staple bound card covered. Altogether 84 pages, heavily illustrated from period photographs. The last 24 pages with period advertisement as per the original – amazing in themselves.

Well what a vibrant area it was and Strahan was full steam go ahead just after the turn of the previous century. In those days the Union Line brought two stack steamers to Strahan from Hobart, Launceston and the Mainland … they also embarked on voyages connecting New Zealand the South Sea Islands and Vancouver, via Fiji. The Macquarie Harbour Hotel had sixty rooms available.

Mining booming … the previous years returns had show 20,548 oz gold, 1,810,559 oz of silver, 7,682 tons copper, 7,400 tons lead, 5,158 tons galena and zinc, tin etc

It was all go on the West Coast in 1908.

$40.00

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A Tour of Old Tasmania – Tatlow, Wooley and Mercer

This tour guide is not dated and what would you expect from the three rogues Tatlow, Wooley and Mercer.

Self published in 2008. Softcover, 232 pages, extensively illustrated. Ownership signature at front, otherwise a very good copy.

The three claim the book to be “Your official guide and ripper true tales of the past” … Overseas buyers to translate “ripper” to can’t be beaten etc.

We have a map near the front that plots the referenced route – all tow thousand plus kilometres of it – often to out of the way off the beaten track places.

Really a special guide all the more readable because of the muted eccentricity of the writers – true Tasmanian boys.

A Tasmanian guide book to start and finish with.

$30.00

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The Women of the 1790 Neptune [Convict Ship] – Anne Needham et al – 1992

Self published by the principal author in 1992. The work follows a further four years research by Anne Needham after she first published on the subject.

Perfect bound large format, card cover, 187 pages illustrated nicely throughout. Scarce and sought after – a very good copy

The seventy-six convict woman are listed on the front cover and the list of free female passengers are listed on the title.

The convict women came from all parts of England. At the end of a good Introduction we see a map with the locations and names. The extraordinary history behind many, if not all, is set out incredibly well in the first 120 pages. Then the voyage out then the goings on at Norfolk Island and New South Wales.

Needham’s well researched history of the women from the Neptune.

$90.00

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Proud Intrepid Heart – Leichhardt’s First Attempt to the Swan River 1846-1847 – Dan Sprod – Signed, Limited Numbered Edition

The Hunter Sketchbook. Birds & Flowers of New South Wales drawn on The Spot in 1788 89 & 90 By Captain John Hunter of the First Fleet.

Call to the Winds – P.G. (Bill) Taylor – First Edition 1939

Strahan and Macquarie Harbour – Tasmania’s Eldorado

A Tour of Old Tasmania – Tatlow, Wooley and Mercer

The Women of the 1790 Neptune [Convict Ship] – Anne Needham et al – 1992

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