Non-fiction

Triumph in the West [WWII] – The War Diaries of Field Marshal Viscount Alanbrooke – Arthur Bryant.

The first edition published by Collins, London in 1959. Thick octavo, 576 pages, frontispiece of Alanbrooke, map in text and differing end-paper maps.

A strange thing now, the detailed war diary. It all seems to be inaccurately dealt with on Twitter or Fritter or whatever now. How can you reflect on that?

Sir Arthur Bryant spent a long time going through Alanbrooke’s meticulous, in the moment, diaries. The result is something special. When Voyager first picked up this book there was a struggle to put it down. Not only the easy and honest style of the narrative but on reading one feeling the frustrations and irritations of the sometimes-irrational behaviour of the Political leaders.

This is 1943-1946 and Alanbrooke is promoted to Field Marshall. A major re-organisation of the top ranks takes place in preparation for operation Overlord. Eisenhower gets his man [Monty], and a re-shuffle takes place with chopping and changing to the very last moment. Resolute Alanbrooke works tirelessly and at one time seemed to be crossing Europe and North Africa continuously by plane – and still made it to the War Office. He had Churchill’s ear – Churchill much admired but inclined to make deals to please and change his mind often.

Alanbrooke a War Diary Like No Other.

$40.00

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Flinders Chase [Kangaroo Island, South Australia] – Mervinia Masterman.

The first edition and much preferred edition published by Georgian House, Melbourne in 1950.

Written and truly beautifully illustrated by Mervinia Masterman.

Flinders Chase is a protected area of natural beauty on Kangaroo Island.

Octavo, 62 pages, end paper maps, and numerous illustrations of flora and fauna. Dust jacket a bit roughed at its fold – forgive it – overall still and excellent copy.

Kangaroo Island – now a classic reference.

$30.00

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Tibetan Journey – George Patterson

A 1956 edition by the Readers Book Club in super condition.

Octavo, 260 pages, maps, illustrations from original photographs.

When the Chinese took over Tibet, Patterson had been there as a missionary and had to make a dash back to India – hence the Tibetan Journey. It makes for a great read given the urgency and circumstances.

A more than necessary Journey through mysterious Tibet

$25.00

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Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania – 1910 [Important papers – the whole of “The Minerals of Tasmania (Updated) W.F. Pettard and various papers by Noetling of Aboriginal interest]

Printed at the “Examiner” Launceston, one of the more substantial volumes.

W.F. Pettard of Launceston had published the “Minerals of Tasmania” in the 1890. Here we have 223 pages devoted to his update published one year before his death. His collection of minerals was handed over to the Society.

Further papers of special interest by Fritz Noetling – The Antiquity of Man in Tasmania – interesting extrapolative maps of Tasmania with the Ocean receded various depths and the resultant connection to the mainland. More on Tronatta by Noetling [see 1909 edition]; the food of the Aborigines and their language of food.

Ritz presenting on the Rev Norman vocabulary studies is another good contribution to the history of Aboriginal language.

Original soft wrappers, 409 pages, well illustrated from scientific sketches, images from photographs, tables, charts etc – some fold out.

Noetling was a German born mining engineer and at this stage was an Officer of the Society. He has previously worked in India and produced a similar body of work there. His large collection of Tasmanian Tronattas is held by the Liepzig museum. Unfortunately, after the outbreak of WWI he was interned and after the war sent back to Germany.

Special papers of Aboriginal interest and the republication of Pettard’s Minerals.

$120.00

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Fossil Fern – Lune River Tasmania – Early Jurassic Forest circa 182 million years old.

A nice slice of petrified tree fern from the Lune River area deep in the southern reached of Tasmania.

The dating of the examples in this location to the middle of the early Jurassic Period (182 Ma) was by isotopic measurements on zircons found in the volcanic sandstone hosting the fossils (Bromfield et al 2007). Also refer the excellent guide by P. Manchester.

Weighing 70gm and 16cm by 5cm.

This region is the area of the world where these plants developed. Twelve tree paratypes (arborescent) ferns and one bracken-like (rhizomatous) fern have been studied in the region. All of the tree ferns belong to the genus Osmundacaulis. This example shows clear and tight trachioles

These plants evolved in this region, the Australian portion of Pangea, all that time ago. Gradually they have spread elsewhere and appear in North-west USA … examples were only discovered in Eurasia in the year 2000.

Nice part section of a fossil tree fern from Jurassic Tasmania .

$60.00

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Chrysocolla [Copper Silcate] – Kumarina – Western Australia

Chrysocolla, such a beautiful colouring. A hydrated copper silicate from the oxidation zone around copper deposits. Likely from the Peak Hill’s region Kumarina copper mine which closed down in the 1970’s.

A beautifully example 8.0cm by 6.5cm, 2.0cm deep, weighing 130.0gm

Chrysolcolla a nice Western Australian example

$30.00

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Triumph in the West [WWII] – The War Diaries of Field Marshal Viscount Alanbrooke – Arthur Bryant.

Flinders Chase [Kangaroo Island, South Australia] – Mervinia Masterman.

Tibetan Journey – George Patterson

Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania – 1910 [Important papers – the whole of “The Minerals of Tasmania (Updated) W.F. Pettard and various papers by Noetling of Aboriginal interest]

Fossil Fern – Lune River Tasmania – Early Jurassic Forest circa 182 million years old.

Chrysocolla [Copper Silcate] – Kumarina – Western Australia

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