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Waller’s Owl [Australian Eastern Grass owl] -Silvester Diggles – Brisbane – c1870

Rare original hand-coloured lithograph by Queensland naturalist Silvester Diggles. 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 92 subscribers. The original plates were executed on stone and coloured by Diggles and his niece, Rowena Birkett.

The Waller’s Owl in modern times referred to as the Eastern Grass Owl. A beautiful reclusive and rarely seen bird which is occasionally seen in New South Wales but mainly in Queensland where it hunts the cane fields and grasslands for rodents. A medium sized owl similar to the barn owl. Colouring tan-brown with black, white and orange mottling, long legs which it uses to snatch its prey from dense undergrowth.

The work measures 38cm by 27cm, good hand colouring pretty clean and undamaged. A 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 $490.00 unframed.

An opportunity to own a rare original owl by Queenslander Silvester Diggles.

$490.00

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Murder Off Miami – A New Era in Crime fiction – Dennis Wheatley

Originally published in 1936 – this is a faithful 1980’s reproduction of this extraordinary work by Dennis Wheatley – murder planned by J.G. Links.

The most sinister death of multi-millionaire soap powder king Bolitho Blane on board the luxury yacht Golden Gull off Miami looks suspicious. Has he committed suicide or is foul play involved?

Here we have all the clues laid out in front of us in the form of a the law enforcement case file, the complexity and ingenuity of it all is a surprise in itself – it is guaranteed to leave you scratching your head until the end –

Showing bit of age – still a better than good copy – intact in every respect.

Nothing on google will assist you in working this one out – the sealed section is unbroken – do not break until you are absolutely exhausted.

$60.00

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Einstein’s Universe – Nigel Calder

Marking the Centenary of Einstein’s birth the BBC brought together some of the brightest ever to contribute to this work of relativity.

Sometimes explained at a level beyond mere mortals, sometimes in such a trivial manner hardly touching the boundaries of the concepts and connectivity involved. Here we have a a master work on the subject which still holds well despite the forty plus years since its publication.

Octavo, 178 pages, illustrated appropriately. Some minor highlighting by an educated reader which helps with emphasis.

Einstein and relativity more than just “shells of time”

$30.00

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The Malinsay Massacre – A Murder Mystery Dennis Wheatley

Originally published in 1936 – this is a faithful 1980’s reproduction of this unique work by Dennis Wheatley.

Murder after murder amongst the aristocracy of lonely Scottish island has everyone baffled.

Here we have all the clues laid out in front of us in the form of a the law enforcement case file with original letters, notes, plans, photographs and even the arsenic tablet (from which the poison has been extracted to save you from harm, etc etc – it is guaranteed to leave you scratching your head until the end. A little bit of age but nothing to spoil the fun or intrigue.

Nothing on google will assist you in working this one out – the sealed section with the solution is unbroken – don’t peak!.

$80.00

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The Web of Time – Lee Harding – First Edition 1980

A very nice copy of the first edition of this Science Fiction offering by Australian writer Lee Harding.

Published by Cassell in1980. Octavo, 168 pages all in very good condition bar ownership signature at front ends. Perfect and glorious dust jacket the image of which gives a clue to the nature of the story or at least one of the key props.

Australian Science Fiction from a master of the craft.

$30.00

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Hobart-town – Oder Sommerfrilche in den Antipoden (A Summer Holiday in the Antipodes) Ludwig Salvator von Toaskana, Archduke of Austria – Signed as a gift by the Author

Signed boldly by the author “The Count Archduke Ludwig Salvator to W. M. Middleton”.

Published privately in Prague, printed by Mercy, 1886. Quarto sized 286 pages after preliminaries with 6 text xylographs (woodcuts). 23 (1 tri-folded) xylograph full page plates and 1 color lithographed map. Faded spine and some wear to covers, else a good copy of a very scarce item complete and original. Limited to 400 copies.2

Begins with a general history and covers climate (klima), geology, plants (pftanzan), animals, aboriginals (eingenborenen) … farming, trade, education etc. Interesting references made including Rev Spicer on Tasmanian Plants, Bonwick “Daily Life …”, Marcus Clarke, Fenton, Louisa Anne Meridith etc.

Ludwig Salvator (1847 – 1915) was the grandson of Grand Duke Ferdinand III of Tuscany. He left Tuscany with his family in 1859, received legal training, and devoted himself to natural sciences and nautical interests. Later he took his residence in Majorca and traveled extensively in the Mediterranean, as well as overseas. Ludwig Salvator conducted extensive correspondences, including Jules Verne, who included him as the title figure of his novel Mathias Sandorf. As well as his estates on Majorca (now owned by Actor Michael Douglas) he owned substantial properties in Austria-Hungary, France, Spain and Egypt.

The book contains many interesting views xylographed from original drawings by Count Eugene Storza, Chamberlain to the Duke. The tri-folding panorama of the “View looking South from Mount Romny” is rather special. The map shows Hobart and its surroundings and is based that of F.J. Evans.

Rare Hobart collectable with unique illustrations of views.

$380.00

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All products

Waller’s Owl [Australian Eastern Grass owl] -Silvester Diggles – Brisbane – c1870

Murder Off Miami – A New Era in Crime fiction – Dennis Wheatley

Einstein’s Universe – Nigel Calder

The Malinsay Massacre – A Murder Mystery Dennis Wheatley

The Web of Time – Lee Harding – First Edition 1980

Hobart-town – Oder Sommerfrilche in den Antipoden (A Summer Holiday in the Antipodes) Ludwig Salvator von Toaskana, Archduke of Austria – Signed as a gift by the Author

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