Prestige Items

The Life of John Ledyard the American Traveller; comprising Selections from His Journals and Correspondence. – Jared Sparks – First edition 1828

First edition of this scarce work published by Henry Colburn, London in 1828.

Octavo, 428 pages, bound in green cloth binding with gilt titles and library call no to spine. New ends but front free endpaper retained – manuscript ownership note George Stokes, Hean Castle – August 31, 1842. Despite the binding the interior is as clean and crisp, the odd spot but really very good if not better.

America’s first true explorer who was with James Cook on his third fateful voyage to the Pacific, Northwest Coast of America, Alaska and Hawaii. Ledyard subsequently attempted to reach America by traversing Russia. He died whilst exploring the Nile.

Ledyard did not publish during is foreshortened life. After his death, his journals and papers and other materials were collected by his relative Dr Isaac Ledyard. That was a far as he got, and it was down to Jared Sparks to edit and arrange the narrative for publication. Little is changed in the journals etc the words are those of the traveller explorer.

Over fifty pages are devoted to Cook’s voyage. Of particular interest is that Ledyard was in the landing party with Cook at Kearakekua [Kealakekua] Bay, Hawaii “and was near his person’ when Cook was slain. His narrative of the events and his views on Cook’s approach to the encounter with the natives are unique. Many other interesting elements … such as organising a party to climb Hawaii’s highest mountain (near 14,000 feet) Mouna Roa … give a clue to the explorer he became.

His travels in Siberia were extensive, completing some lengthy stretches by canoe … eventually politics and confusion came into play, and he was arrested by order of the Empress Catherine the Great. He survived … but not the Nile … the plans for which he part formulated with Joseph Banks in London. He died in Cairo after having taken too much vitriolic (sulphuric) acid seemingly to deal with heartburn!

Ledyard’s Travels Important Cook Content and More

$390.00

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Rare Image of Australia’s Rarest Bird – Rawnsley’s Satin Bower Bird [Ptilonorhynchus Rawnsleyi] – Silvester Diggles – c1870

Rare original hand-coloured image lithographed on stone by Queensland naturalist Silvester Diggles. Highlighted with gum Arabic. Published as part of his magnificent work “The Ornithology of Australia” between 1866 and 1870 in twenty-one parts by Pugh of Brisbane, in a very limited edition. By the time part sixteen was published there were only ninety-two subscribers. The original plates were executed by Diggles and his niece, Rowena Birkett.

The bird specimen from which this lithograph was derived was found by H.C. Rawnsley in the scrub behind his house in Witton [Indooroopilly] on the Brisbane River in Julu 1867. Diggles dedicated and named the bird after him. The narrative that accompanies the plate goes on and is of historical interest. Diggles states that the strong resemblance in the bird’s colouring to the Satin Bower bird and the Regent Bower bird may lead to the suspicion of it being a hybrid. However, he refers to the explorer A.C. Gregory, who inspected the bird and confirmed that he had seen the very same species in Northern Queensland … the narrative goes into detail regarding Gregory’s testimony. However, we now know that the bird was a hybrid after all – the only other examples of a similar occurrence are quite recent … in the last twenty year. We believe though only three such occurrences have been identified to date.

The work measures 38cm by 27cm, good strong hand colouring clean and undamaged. A very scarce item.

About Silvester Diggles

Silvester Diggles (1817-1880) artist and musician born in Liverpool, England. He came to Australia in 1853 settling in Brisbane where he taught music and drawing. Diggles was a founder of the Brisbane Choral Society in 1859 and the Philharmonic Society in 1861 known as “the father of music in Brisbane”. Diggles was also a founder of the Queensland Philosophical Society and helped establish the Museum. His greatest work was The Ornithology of Australia. It nearly sent him broke. His health deteriorated worry about finances being a factor. He died at Kangaroo Point in 1880.

Price $590.00 unframed
An opportunity to own a Silvester Diggles lithograph of an exceedingly rare bird indeed.

$590.00

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Geological Observations in South Australia – Tenison Woods – First Edition 1862

A first edition of Father Julian Edmund Tenison Woods (1832-1889) important work on the geology and palaeontology of South Australia – he would become one of the most significant contributors of the period.

Published by Longman Green, London in 1862. Octavo, 404 pages after preliminaries, 32 illustrations, 5 pages of plates and a map. Bound in half leather over cloth with marbled end papers and page edges. The embossed stamp of the New South Wales Library on the lower title approving their release of the book – some strange selections were and still are being made. A very good copy of a scarce and worthy book.

Tenison Woods and his first significant published work of Australian geology

$290.00

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Ten Droll Tales – Honere de Balzac – Illustrated by Jean de Bosschere – First 1926

The best rendition of Balzac’s hilarious and modestly erotic work. A very collectable item. Carries the distinguished bookplate of bibliophile Lancelot Goodenough Hayter (1882-1946) whose family can be traced back to the 16th Century – Hayter is a corruption of a German word meaning “Entertainer”.

A fine production published by John Lane the Bodley Head as a limited edition in 1926. Large octavo, xx, 221 pages, bound in original orange cloth covered boards, lavish gilt decoration, numbered 918 of a limited 1,000 copies. With the originally designer dust jacket; very much a rarity, albeit with the odd chip. Very good condition, decorated boards clean, internally very good a super copy.

Longer title explains more … Ten droll Tales. Being the story of the Fair Imperia, the Venial Sin, the Merrie Diversions of the Christian Majesty King Louis the Eleventh, together with certain other Quaint and Piquant Histories making up the First Decade of the Droll Tales of the Master Honore de Balzac rendered faithfully into English by J. Lewis May, with an Introduction by Andre Maurois and Illustrations by Jean De Bosschere.

And, it’s the remarkable, decadent, illustrations by Jean de Bosschere that really make the book as well as his design for the book binding itself. Sixteen full page coloured illustrations – in his usual striking palette; and further line drawings in keeping with the overall theme

Droll and rather titillating – Beautiful Bosschere illustrations – Rare Dust Jacket

$180.00

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The Minerals of New South Wales – Archibald Liversidge – 1888

Extremely scarce and important work on the minerals of New South Wales. Published in London by Trubner. Octavo, 326 pages after preliminaries, original binding, large coloured folding map frontispiece. Some foxing to ends and edges affecting the map, splitting a little at the front hinge. Accept this for its scarcity and relevance to the history of geology in Australia and specifically NSW.

Archibald Liversidge (1846-1927) studied at the Royal College od Chemistry then Cambridge where he founded the Natural Sciences Club. He moved to Australia and at 27 years old was appointed as a Reader in Geology at Sydney University> here he revolutionised the study of minerals and their potential applications.

This work was first issued in 1886 in a much smaller form, this 1988 edition adds significantly. Divided into two sections metallic and non-metallic. All editions scarce.

Liversidge set the standard – 1888

$340.00

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Deco Lady Bookends – Goldschneider – c1940

Simply superb, a rare pair of ceramic bookends by Marcel Goldscheider in collaboration with Myott of Stoke-on-Trent, England.

The Goldscheider family through Friedrich Goldscheider started their ceramics business in Vienna in 1885. It soon developed an enviable reputation for quality and leading art in its form. They opened outposts in Paris, Leipzig and Florence creating masterpieces in Art Nouveau and Art Deco. They were also commissioned by Rosenthal and Meissen.

With the “writing in the wall” in Europe the family migrated in 1938. Brother Walter went to the USA and started a factory at Trenton, New Jersey. Marcel, as already noted, went to England and the ceramic heartland at Stoke to work alongside Myott. He opened his own studio in the 1950’s at Hanley.

The items are free of any damage, are signed Goldscheider Staffordshire. They are beautifully formed with a very feminine Goldscheider look. They appear to be slightly different – one lady her head slightly cocked, evidencing a truly crafted piece. Nicely hand painted not in a fully like for like manner which adds to the special feel. They are roughly 11cm cube and weigh circa 850gm the pair.

Goldscheider Deco Ladies a rare find and in fine condition

$440.00

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The Life of John Ledyard the American Traveller; comprising Selections from His Journals and Correspondence. – Jared Sparks – First edition 1828

Rare Image of Australia’s Rarest Bird – Rawnsley’s Satin Bower Bird [Ptilonorhynchus Rawnsleyi] – Silvester Diggles – c1870

Geological Observations in South Australia – Tenison Woods – First Edition 1862

Ten Droll Tales – Honere de Balzac – Illustrated by Jean de Bosschere – First 1926

The Minerals of New South Wales – Archibald Liversidge – 1888

Deco Lady Bookends – Goldschneider – c1940

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