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  • New Market, Hobart Town – Original Lithograph – Drawn by William Kay [Hobart] and Lithographed Arrowsmith [London] 1851

    New Market, Hobart Town – Original Lithograph – Drawn by William Kay [Hobart] and Lithographed Arrowsmith [London] 1851

    A scarce original lithograph of the plans for the New Market at Hobart Town. Produced by John Arrowsmith (1790-1873) from drawings by William Porden Kay (1809-1897) Director of Public Works, Hobart Town. Limited but original colouring.

    Shows the monumentally classic front elevation on Macquarie Street with transverse and longitudinal sections and a ground plan detailing the allocation of space to individual shops, the fish market, hay and straw shed, corn exchange and offices. The market was constructed as described in 1851-1853 but unfortunately burned down early in the 20th century and was replaced by the now City Hall.

    There do not appear to be any original examples in Australian Libraries. The State library of NSW has a facsimile produced by the Irish Academic Press in 1977

    About William Porden Kay

    William Porden Kay was born into a family of architects his father was the vice-president of the institute of British Architects. He was the nephew of Sir John Franklin through his first wife and Kay was invited to Van Diemen’s Land because the Franklins objected that the two most highly qualified architects in Hobart Town, James Backburn and James Thomson were emancipated convicts. He arrived in 1842 and was soon appointed Director of Public works. There were claims of nepotism and his appointment was disallowed by the Secretary of State. A spat arose and Kay was in and out of the position several times before matters settled down. He was very active in Hobart until his health started failing around the time of the construction of the New Market. He was pensioned off and returned to England.

    Scarce original 1854 architectural lithograph

    $390.00

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  • Single & Single – John Le Carre – Pre-Publication – Uncorrected Proof Copy – Limited Numbered Run – 1999

    Produced by Hodder, London pre-publication numbered run of 1500.

    Octavo, original purple card wrappers, 336 pages in very good condition.

    Le Carre disclosed much later that the two main characters in this complex novel … a fraudulent money laundering London businessman and his son were based on himself and his father. Cornwell [Le Carre’s real name] senior had spent time in jail for insurance fraud and mixed with the Kray Brothers.

    A story which draws on the collapse of the Soviet Union and the development of Russian monied thuggery in the aftermath.

    Le Carre baring his soul – a special format for a special story

    $50.00

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  • The Tailor of Panama – John Le Carre – First edition

    The Tailor of Panama – John Le Carre – First edition

    A very good copy of the first Australian edition published by Hodder in 1996.

    Octavo, 336 pages in very good condition very good dust jacket.

    Le Carre’s amusing entertainment set in Panama and a homage to Graham Greene and his equally brilliant Our Man in Havana. The tailor experiences all sorts of difficulties … personal, financial and professional … he is a fine hand with the scissors.

    Panama when it was edgy first time round … a long way from Savile Row.

    $40.00

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  • The Grand Adventure Book for Boys – 1931

    The Grand Adventure Book for Boys – 1931

    No publication date but a nice prize inscription of 1931 so we can be pretty confident that that is the year. Published by Thomas Nelson, London etc as part of their “Jolly Bookshelf” series.

    Largish format with the striking pictorial cover which continues on to the spine. 96 pages of thoroughly jolly stories … the magic Matchbox; Billy’s Story; Mizuna the Witch; How Howard Slew the Bear … our favourite – the Wreck of the Pirate Ship. Nice full-page illustrations in colour. Thick spongy paper, nice font, the tiniest bit of foxing due to the paper type, Generally, a super copy.

    Some good old jolliness for boys … The Art Deco design of the hunted Leopard to the front is worth a million dollars.

    $40.00

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  • Malory’s – Chronicles of King Arthur – 3 Volumes Complete

    Malory’s – Chronicles of King Arthur – 3 Volumes Complete

    Published by the Folio Society in 1982. Three volumes in original slipcase. Octavo, 292,348 and 262 pages. Blue cloth covered bindings decorated in red and gold. A super looking production.

    Introductions and explanations by experts Sue Bradbury and Kevin Crossley-Holand and nice lino-cuts by Edward Bawden.

    The Chronicles comprise … The Tale of King Arthur; Sir Tristam de Lyonesse and The Morte D’Arthur.

    The legendary tales were first put down in one place by George of Monmouth in the early thirteen century. In the fifteenth century Sir Thomas Malory produced the definitive work completed in 1470, This was at the time Caxton really got going with his printing press so Malory’s work was destined to be promoted and preserved. Naturally, the language and expression of Malory’s writing reflects the period and “modern” writers have edited the text to be readable nowadays.

    What would King Arthur think of a boxed set?

    $90.00

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  • Huxley – Evolution’s High Priest – Adrian Desmond.

    Huxley – Evolution’s High Priest – Adrian Desmond.

    Author Adrian Desmond a distinguished scientist, University College London and the font of knowledge on the history of the forming and influence of the evolutionary theory. Written several books on the subject and its main promoters …. Darwin, Huxley et al. This monument about Huxley’s later years … and exhaustive biography drawn on, but not only on, five thousand manuscript letters [seems a lot].

    Published by Michael Joseph, London in 1997. Thick octavo, 370 pages, illustrated – some great period images – a very good copy.

    Thomas H Huxley – more that someone’s bulldog …

    PS – Does anyone agree that Michael Palin would make a good Huxley?

    $35.00

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