Non-fiction

Gunfire in Barbary – Perkins and Douglas- Morris

Admiral Lord Exmouth’s battle with the Corsairs of Algeria in 1816

First edition, published by Kenneth Mason, Havant, England. Octavo, 199 pages, slightly toned, very good complete dust jacket a good copy of a most interesting book.

The combined English and Dutch fleets bombarded Algiers with all their might. The objective was to destroy the Corsairs who for near three hundred years had kidnapped masses of white Christians to become slaves to their Moslem captives. The slave markets of Algiers was a busy place. Admiral Lord Exmouth was successful but not without significant losses [greater than Nelson at Trafalgar].

Exmouth deals with the Barbary Corsairs

$30.00

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Some Early Records of the Macarthurs of Camden – Edited by Sibella Macarthur Onslow – 1914

First edition published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney in 1914. A substantial book, royal octavo, 496 pages with illustrations and foldout facsimile documents. A very good copy in a nice firm binding with coloured frontispiece.

This comprehensive record is based on papers by the authors father James Macarthur. She dedicated the book to her father and mother (Emily) and her uncle Sir William Macarthur.

This is a family that stood up to their adopted motto “Fide et Opera” – “Faith and Work”

$90.00

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The Romance of the Huon River – Garnsey nee Anne Staffard Bird – First edition

Published by Whitcombe & Tombs, Melbourne Circa 1940’s [no date shown]. A scarce specific account of the Huan Valley.

Octavo, 219 pages, blue cloth covered boards, end paper maps which are themselves as delight – Sleeping Beauty to the north; skinning in the Hartz Mountains and the southerly hot water springs. Whilst of its time a surprisingly interesting collection of anecdotes, vents, people … essential knowledge for anyone trying to “carry it off”.

Huon Valley true history and goings on revealed.

$40.00

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The Wild White Man of Badu – Ion Idriess

Second printing of the first edition published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney in 1951.

Tall octavo, 232 pages, well illustrated with images from photographs, maps of the islands, end paper maps etc. A very good copy in an even better dust jacket.

The incredible true story of a convict escaping from Norfolk Island and becoming the Chief of Badu. See map on rear end papers for some clues.

Strange and exciting Farthest North.

$50.00

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Nemarluk – King of the Wilds – Ion Idriess

Nermarluk (1911-1940) was an aboriginal warrior who lived near Darwin at Moyle Plain. He was a fighting man well over six foot tall. He was the head man of the Chul-a-mar.

In 1930 he was imprisoned at the Fannie Bay jail but escaped swimming the eight km across the Darwin Harbour to Cox Peninsula. This account represents the last three years of his life when he was tracked by Bul-Bul, who had been brought in by the Northern Territory police to finally capture him.

1951 Edition Published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney. Octavo, 213 pages, evenly toned, very good dust jacket … all up a good copy of one of the harder to find Idriess reality based books.

Rare Idriess in the Northern Territory and the brave but dangerous Nermaluk

$40.00

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Houdini on Magic – Edited Gibson and Young – First 1953

Published in 1953 a first edition by Dover, USA. Octavo, 280 pages, images from period photographs of the great man and many technical drawings of the tricks behind his escapology.

Previous ownership stamp on free end paper, a little age offset by the rare dust jacket.

Houdini, born Erik Weisz in Budapest, brought to the USA as a child by his parent. He became likely the world’s greatest ever escapologist, with a raw technique unassisted by modern contrivance. The principal author was his amanuensis [assistant who documented his activities] in the last ten years of Houdini’s life. Who better placed to produce this informative work describing, inter alia, the famous handcuff escape; locked jail escape; underwater escape … among his magic tricks we learn about the disappearing girl; how to walk through a brick wall and cut a woman in half.

Throughout all of this we learn about the man himself … just as mysterious!

Houdini on Magic – Who Else

$60.00

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Gunfire in Barbary – Perkins and Douglas- Morris

Some Early Records of the Macarthurs of Camden – Edited by Sibella Macarthur Onslow – 1914

The Romance of the Huon River – Garnsey nee Anne Staffard Bird – First edition

The Wild White Man of Badu – Ion Idriess

Nemarluk – King of the Wilds – Ion Idriess

Houdini on Magic – Edited Gibson and Young – First 1953

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