Products | Voyager Rare Books Maps & Prints

Amethyst – Wave Hill Station – Northern Territory

A nice example with good crystal definition. Deep but smoky purple, clear at the root, Some hematite inclusions along one edge.

Amethyt is a quartz group mineral with trapezohedral crystals [six sides prism ending in a six sided pyramid].

The Greeks thought that it could counter intoxication and therefore carved drinking vessels from it – they really did have style. The not getting drunk idea is the Greek translation …

Whilst silicon dioxide is the foundation, iron creates the purple hue, other metals make subtle changes.

Wave Hill Station is a bit of a trek.

Weight 250 gm 9.0 cm by 8.0 cm x 5.0 cm matrix.

Wave Hill Amethyst could keep you sober …

$30.00

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Chrysocolla [Green Botryoidal Form] – Burra Burra Mine

A nice bright lump of the green chrysocolla from the historic Burra Burra Mine in South Australia. Distinctive botryoidal form.

Chrysocolla a hydrous copper phyllosilicate mineral of still debated structure.

The name ancient Greek and first recorded used by Voyager hero Theophrastus.

Chrysocolla can arise in a more blue form – we quite like the even underlying green tone of this sample.

It is of secondary origin and forms in the oxidation zones of copper ore bodies.

Weight 340 gm 9.0 cm by 8.0 cm x 7.0 cm matrix.

Burra Burra beauty

$85.00

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Otis King Calculator [Spiral Slide Rule] Mid 20thC

A very nice working example of the Otis King Calculator or spiral slide. Comes in its original box with retailer A Johnson, Tottenham Court Road, London.

Otis Crater Formy King [1876-1944] patented this spiral slide rule in the early 1900’s. In 1922 Carbic Ltd of London began to manufacture the instrument and continued to do so until 1970 when it became overtaken by modern day digital calculators.

The patent is really in our view stolen from the larger spiral slide rule invented by Fuller. Nevertheless, the handy nature of the Otis design made the instrument fairly popular.

This is a very good example of model K [there was a model L and that’s all] with two scales 414 at the bottom and 423 at the top. The original instructions are present although it doesn’t take Einstein to work out how to use it – part of the appeal.

There is a raft of information online including average youtube videos on how to use it … get the right one before you are put off. The guy who invented the computer mouse started a fanatics website which is fantastic and is building a database of information regarding existing instruments … even down to whether the instructions are stappled!

The retailer was founded by William Johnson [1837-1900] an optical and scientific instrument maker always at Tottenham Court Road – he had passed away before King got going with his calculator – the sons of Johnson continued in their fathers footsteps.

Collectable mathematical calculator by Otis King

$190.00

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South Australia – Marine Bryozoan – Antique Microscope Slide – Ernest Hinton – 150 Years Old

Ernest Hinton worked as a professional microscope slide preparer from 1864 to the end of the 19th Century. His mounts are identifiable by his standard slide labels and small distinctive and very neat handwriting. See example in authority Bracegirdle Plate 21 and page 52. This slide we believe circa 1875.

Hinton became a member of The Quekett Microscopical Club in 1872 [as an aside if you want to know more about the Q.M.C. contact Voyager Bill]. He spent his first 20 years working for Edmund Wheeler, some think he produced all of Wheeler’s slides from 1870. He worked in his own name from Holloway, London. His slides are considered to be of the highest quality.

Here we have an interesting Australian subject a marine lacy bryozoan from the waters off South Australia where they particularly occur. They are actually colonies of small marine animals [or zoids] fused together. Millions can form a colony, and South Australia has over 500 species.

Fine Australian specimen from top London maker circa 150 years old

$70.00

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Sikes’ Hydrometer Made by James J. Hicks, London for Mauri Bros and Thomson, Sydney

A lovely classic Sikes’ Hydrometer in a very good case with original bone plate engraved “Sikes’ Hydrometer made by J. Hicks, London for Mauri Bros & Thomson Ltd, Sydney”.

The hydrometer float and all the weights carrying the same identification number – the float is engraved Sikes. Note all the weights are there including the elusive “top weight”.

The thermometer is intact, working and in good condition. It is engraved the same as the case plate [but with the extra “J”].

The plush lined box is as original no damage. Everything is in super condition.

There are similar examples in the Powerhouse Museum.

James Joseph Hicks (1837-1916) first traded at 8 Hatton Gardens in the 1870’s. He expanded into adjoining premises in the 1890’s. Hicks had been apprenticed to L.P. Casella, fine instrument makers, [See our delightful Louis Casella boxed Compass] also in the Hatton Garden district, in 1852.

By 1860, Hicks had risen to foreman and from that date several patents are registered in his name. Once in business under his own name, he developed and manufactured numerous instrument types particularly in meteorology and industrial control instruments, such as the Sikes instrument.

Hicks died in 1911 and the business was taken over by Stanley who continued to use Hicks’ name until 1916. So, we can predate the manufacture of this item to before that year.

Joaquim and Jose Mauri started their business in Sydney in 1872. By the 1995 they had expanded considerably and they merged with Thomson to form Mauri Brothers & Thomson, late incorporated in 1905. The company continued to be involved in mergers, takeovers and takeouts over the rest of the 20thC and is now operating as Mauri and very good at what they do.

Fine and complete Sikes’ Hydrometer

Quality maker and special Sydney Customer – super and complete example.

$320.00

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Commemorating the First Transantarctic Crossing 1957-8 – Fuchs and Hillary.

Usually described as First Day Cover but really a philatelic curiosity.

Pictorial envelope with Fuchs and Hillary [Hillary must be the one on the right as he is wearing the typical Hillary fur trimmed hood – however he has been made the same height as the truly shorter Fuchs]. A Sno-Cat which was used by Fuchs who departed from the Shackleton Base [also with tractors] and a De Havilland DHC-3 which also did a trans-antarctic and delivered some supplies along the way.

Vivian Fuchs set off in November 1957. Hillary left a little later [with tractors and dogs] – he was only to go part way to the Pole but had such a good run that he went on to the Pole and beat Fuchs to the point. Must have really pleased Fuchs to see Hillary there! This was the first time since Scott and Amundsen that anyone made it by “land” to the Pole. A base had been established by aircraft.

They both set off to the Scott Base in the Ross Dependency [Hillary getting a lift by aircraft] and then coming back so they could come in together – you can see where we are going here!

This “cover” is from the Scott Base and dated 20^th January 1958 so when they are approaching back from the Pole – not a bad date but you can see our F.D.C. technicality. A nice example to a NZ receiver which is nice. Thee Ross Dependency Stamps [nice ones]. All very clean.

The first time across and the first time there since the famous pair – not to be done again until the 1980’s

SO SORRY SOLD

$90.00

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All products

Amethyst – Wave Hill Station – Northern Territory

Chrysocolla [Green Botryoidal Form] – Burra Burra Mine

Otis King Calculator [Spiral Slide Rule] Mid 20thC

South Australia – Marine Bryozoan – Antique Microscope Slide – Ernest Hinton – 150 Years Old

Sikes’ Hydrometer Made by James J. Hicks, London for Mauri Bros and Thomson, Sydney

Commemorating the First Transantarctic Crossing 1957-8 – Fuchs and Hillary.

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