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Rare – Casella of London Boxed Compass – circa 1850

Top London maker. Louis Paschella Casella was born at Tavernerio near Lake Como, Northern Italy in 1802. His father mover the family to London for a better life. Louis was one of seventeen children!!

In the 1820’s he became apprenticed to distinguished Italian instrument maker Cesare Tagliabue, who had been in business since 1799.

In 1837 Louis married Tagliabue’s daughter and was soon made a partner in the business. Tagliabue died around 1844 and Louis became the sole proprietor continuing from their original premises at 23 Hatton Gardens. Later Louis’s sons took over the business.

Original mahogany box circa 7.0cm by 7.0cm with hook to close. Open to show the typically quite beautiful Casella sunburst dial. Showing thirty-two cardinal and intercardinal points and degrees and minutes on the outside. Blue compass needle works well. A button stop which traps the needle protects the compass when closed and travelling.

Casella as a maker was highly regarded and his instruments appear in museum collections around the world. He is known to have supplied the leading explorers and naturalists of the day including Livingston, Speake, Burton, and Charles Darwin.

Amazingly the company, or brand, continues this day as part of the modern American roll up of instrument makers that make up TSI.

Casella – Instrument maker Royalty – a treasured compass – small but perfect and can still show you the way after 170 years.

SO SORRY SOLD

$250.00

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Spy Catcher – Peter Wright – Former Assistant Director MI5

The greatest real expose of the activities of MI5 from technically adept Peter wright.

There was Philby and the “thing” the secret of all secret devices hidden within the American Great Seal. The bugging of the Egyptian cypher room. His greatest claim however was that Sir Roger Hollis was the “Fifth Man”.

Wright retired to Cygnet, Tasmania where he and his wife had a few acres and raised Arabian horses.

The struggle to get published and the various political heaviness are well understood.

Published by Heinemann in Australia in 1987, a first edition. Octavo, 392 pages, illustrated from photographs. Original owner name on end paper, closed tear top dust jacket otherwise a nice copy of this important book.

Spy Catcher – They couldn’t stop him …..

$35.00

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Kim Philby and other Russian Spy Celebrities – Russian Stamp Set 1990

A complete set of five mint stamps issued in Russia in 1990.

Each with a portrait of a member of the espionage elite. Rodolf Abel (1903-1971); Konon Molody (1922-1970); Vaupshascov (1899-1976); Kudrya (1912-1942) and …

“was he, or wasn’t he?” Harold “Kim” Philby.

Nicknamed “Kim” after the Rudyard Kipling boy hero spy – should have been a clue!

If you don’t know who Kim Philby is we are guessing you won’t want to buy this set …

Postage likely to be reduced on final billing.

Unusual item for those undercover agents out there …

$25.00

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Nasal Notocanthus – Shaw and Nodder – 1802

Over two hundred year old and still in fine condition.

Original and rather striking hand coloured copper engraving of the Notocanthus Nasus or Nasal Notocanthus. Described by Shaw as a having short prickles along the back and a nose-like snout.

The genera Acanthonotus instituted by Dr Bloch. Inhabits the Indian Ocean including in the deeps of Western Australia at the time of writing Shaw noted that “the history and manner (of the fish) are entirely unknown”

Price $190.00 nicely framed in gilt with cream black cored mat board. It works its lovely ….

Price unframed $90.00

Unusual and rather decorative

$90.00

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Prepared Microscope Slide – Whole Worker Bee – 100 Year Old

I fine example by H.W.H. Darlaston.

Herbert William Hutton Darlaston (1867-1949) operated as a commercial microscope slide mounter from his house in Birchfield, Birmingham, England from 1895 until the 1925.

Regarded as a specialist in insect slides of high quality. He is known to have prepared whole insect slides for the distinguished entomologist Miriam Rothschild.

Postage likely to be reduced on final billing dependent on buyer location.

Worker Bee – fine example by insect expert Darlaston

$80.00

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Stilbite – Western India – ex Werner Hoch Collection

A sizeable and attractive lump of stilbite from Vaijapur, Aurangabad District, Maharashtra, India.

We are told from whence it came that it was originally part of the Verner Hoch collection, the main part of which is now in the Natural History Museum, Vienna.

Stilbite [after Greek – stilbein “to shine”] is a tectosilicate part of the zeolite group of minerals. Formed often in a basaltic volcanic environment.

This example is characteristic of it’s found location [it takes various forms in different parts of the World – Iceland, Scotland etc]. Here we have a peach/ pink hue and a translucent characteristic. The large form is often described as a “bow tie” and you can see why. This is a particularly good example with larger forms sitting on a bed of crystals on the host structure.

13cm by 8cm by 6cm weighing 330gm.

Super example of Stilbite with dominant bow-tie structure – nice hue

$95.00

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Rare – Casella of London Boxed Compass – circa 1850

Spy Catcher – Peter Wright – Former Assistant Director MI5

Kim Philby and other Russian Spy Celebrities – Russian Stamp Set 1990

Nasal Notocanthus – Shaw and Nodder – 1802

Prepared Microscope Slide – Whole Worker Bee – 100 Year Old

Stilbite – Western India – ex Werner Hoch Collection

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