Curiosities

Orange Parson – Salmon Fly

The Orange Parson is a sure thing for catching a lovely silvery Salmon. Not to be confused with a slightly irate priest!

Wear it in your lapel for the full “country effect”. Click on me to see all my parson!

$20.00

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Author’s Letter and Book – C.A. Wendell – Author of “Out of the Fog”

An unusual letter and again a nice turn of phrase to his Doctor following a “refund check”

“Here is a copy of my latest book: “Out of the Fog”. It’s pure fiction, but fiction with a purpose. You may not have time or the inclination for fiction, but the story contains a few pages which may interest you – and your wife too maybe – in case you care to find them” etc etc

Amusing letter and advice and we found the pages … a Voyager secret!

$30.00

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The Damon Runyon Omnibus – 1944

The man behind Guy’s and Dolls and much more on Broadway here are three of his first published in this form -including the aforementioned all-time hit.

“When you see a sport and his cash has run short
Make a bet that he’s banking it with some doll
When a guy wears tails with front gleaming white
Who the hell do you think he’s tickling pink
… on Saturday night?”

A rarity that takes you back

$50.00

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Telepathy Mental Telegraphic Communication: What it is, and How it is Done – Stocker – 1904

Published 1904 by Fowler in London. Bound in original grey thick boards, 73 pages plus publishers catalogue. Illustrated with there unusual plates. Very good condition and a rare item.

The author Dimsdale Stocker refers to Bennett of the Society for Psychical Research “The conclusion seems to be irresistible, that the five senses do not exhaust the means by which knowledge may enter the mind. In other words, the investigator seems to be driven to the conclusion that thought transference must now be included among scientifically proved facts”

Use your mind on a different level.

$60.00

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Tasmanian Invention – 1909 Patent – Fred Dando (of Beaconsfield) Game of Skill

British Patent no 19,390 by Fred Dando of Beaconsfield, Tasmania. Lodged 1908 and accepted ‘as patented” in 1909 – four pages of text and one double page with excleent drawings showing how the invention is constructed.

The invention relates to an improved game of skill and apparatus for playing same the game being played preferably by two persons one against the other, from each end of a race or box whereat is located a compound lever designed when quickly depressed to project a marble or ball to the desired distance and height to strike and, if possible, displace one of a series of marbles or balls of similar size arranged centrally one each on a tier located transversely at about midway of the said race or box [Long sentences patented also!]

The compound lever near each end of the box is designed to be struck by the players finger and thus cause its inner part upon which the marble is placed to project it forward with the object of striking on the before mentioned shelves and which latter are numbered 1 to 5 representing the players count when a marble is struck or displaced

The apparatus is made in the form of a two part box hinged together under the tier of shelves and capable of being folded together while also pockets or recesses are provided at each end for the players marbles and further the edges of the box are perforated and numbered to receive count pins etc etc…

Voyager considering making this device although probably not meet modern safety standard (hum) or have many digital application (ho hum) … but good marble chucking fun!

Games ingenuity in Beaconsfield in 1909

$70.00

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Massive Ducretet Gas Discharge Tube – Paris c1890

This massive discharge tube was made by Eugene Ducretet (1844-1915) a leading French scientific instrument maker who opened his first shop retailing unusual scientific instruments in Paris in 1864. This instrument is engraved with his name E Ducretet A Paris to the top tap.

It is one of the largest, heaviest and most unconventional discharge tubes we have seen. Standing 60 cms high an in pretty good condition for its age – we have left the brass work as we found it – the threads to the vacuum inlet work albeit stiff and the thread to the to mount are in very good condition. The extremely thick glass tube is at a slight angle but the seals appear intact. A very rare scientific collectable from the early days of gas discharge experiments.

Flash Gas Tube from 19thC Paris

$340.00

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Orange Parson – Salmon Fly

Author’s Letter and Book – C.A. Wendell – Author of “Out of the Fog”

The Damon Runyon Omnibus – 1944

Telepathy Mental Telegraphic Communication: What it is, and How it is Done – Stocker – 1904

Tasmanian Invention – 1909 Patent – Fred Dando (of Beaconsfield) Game of Skill

Massive Ducretet Gas Discharge Tube – Paris c1890

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