Non-fiction

19th Century Microscope Slide – Soundings 240 Fathoms Storm Bay Tasmania – Norman London

A terrific slide of historical importance to Tasmania.

Prepared by Norma of London carrying the Norma monogrammed label and the familiar Norma cursive writing.

John Norman (1814-1893) was maybe the most prolific preparer of specimen microscope slides for the London scientific gentry. He operated most of the time out of various places in City Road, London. He won prize medals for mounts at the 1862 Expedition. Super quality and variety. He was joined by his sons Alfred and Edwin who continued his business after his death. There are many entries in the authority Bracegirdle showing numerous images of Norman examples.

This fine condition slide is from soundings taken [as stated at 240 fathoms] in Storm Bay on the way into the Derwent, Hobart, Tasmania. The soundings could well have been made by HMS Dart which was at one time conduction a survey of Australasia. The ship has an unusual history – well worth some research.

The soundings show remains of foraminifera [forams for short] set into a deep beautifully preserved mount – a quality typical of Norman.

Scientific dredgings from a deep part of Storm Bay, Tasmania. Top maker well over 130 year old and still in perfect condition.

$120.00

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Wooden Hookers [Fishing Boat] of Hobart Town & Whalers Out of Van Diemen’s Land – Harry O’May

Published by the author a fine copy published at Hobart in 1978.

The word “Hooker” in this context comes from the Irish :”Huiceir” a name for a Galway fishing vessel.

Octavo, 137 pages plus 101 pages indices not paginated. Very clean superb dust jacket.

Harry O’May’s compilation of two books packed with historic detail about the Tasmanian early whalers – superb photographic record nowhere else seen.

One of the best Tasmanian Maritime

$30.00

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Back O’ Cairns – Ion Idriess – First Edition 1958

Published by Angus and Robertson a first edition 1956.

Octavo, 310 pages end paper maps, other maps and illustrations from period photographs.Previous ownership name cut from corner of front free end paper otherwise a very good copy.

Ion Idriess at his best beyond and around Cairns in the Queensland Far North with amazing early photographs. Much about the pioneers, the land and the gold.

Idriess in the Far North a First Edition super copy.

$60.00

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Thirty Diatom Species – Mounted Microscope Slide and Catalogued by Bernard Hartley

Bernard Hartley was diatom royalty. He was born in 1917 and lived most of his life at Yoevil in Somerset. He was a civil engineer and began to make prepared microscope mounts of diatoms in 1957. He worked with fellow diatom expert R I Firth and together they identified and systemised the cataloguing of British diatom species. His other close colleague was the undisputed King of diatoms Klaus Kemp who must have had the steadiest hand known to man.

If you know little about diatoms how about this for a start. These tiny marine organisms [phytoplankton] contribute around 50 % of the marine oxygen production. In the right conditions they reproduce rapidly dividing every twenty four hours – but they only live six days. There are 12,000 known species and an estimated possibility of 200,000. The Amazon basin is fertilised by diatoms remains whipped up into the wind currents from the Sahara – an estimated 27 million tonnes per annum. They take two forms one radially symmetric and the other bilaterally symmetric. Lots more look them up – oh and they are very small and it takes great talent to handle them.

Here we have a slide by Hartley with a carefully placed row of thirty varying diatom types and, almost impossible to find, his original list of species types.

50% of the marine generated oxygen – better save them then! Special scientific collectable – with the list!

$190.00

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A Strange Career – The Life and Adventures of J. G. Jebb [South America and Mexico] – 1895

John Gladwyn Jebb led as an adventurous life as could be possible. This book was compiled by his widow and carries the introduction of adventure writer H Rider Haggard.

Jebb’s adventures began as a military man in India. Soon he was conducting privately funded explorations into Central and Southern America. Involved in numerous business dealings… helped to start White Line … was in involved in armaments. He moved to the US and the Wild West … bear hunting, gold mining and a few conflicts with local bandits and native Americans. Off to Mexico to make his fortune gold mining (made it and lost it) and much of the later part of the books is about his times in Mexico.

Published by Blackwood, Edinburgh in 1895 octavo, 271 pages, frontispiece of the great man, illustrated by John Wallace. Pictorial boards nice but a little rubbed. Overall, still a particularly good copy of a rather hard to find book.

Inspiration for Rider Haggard – John Jebb Adventurer

$50.00

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Reminiscences of Thirty Years’ Residence in New South Wales and Victoria – R Therry – First Edition 1863

Few know that this is quite a controversial book. Irish born Roger Therry [1800-1874] had arrived in New South Wales in 1829. For the next thirty odd years he served various Governor’s with distinction and praise. He rose to be a Judge of the Supreme Court and had served at both Sydney and Port Phillip. He retired back to England in 1859 and wrote this long and readable account.

This is a true first edition [a re-run included a small map] very thick octavo, 514 pages after preliminaries. Bound in original heavily embossed full deep red cloth covered boards. Original spine relayed, new end papers by Perry. A little age but really a nice copy of this scarce work.

Re the controversy. Therry had 100 copies made up and sent 300 to New South Wales. Unfortunately, some did not like his references and it soon became a talking point for the wrong reason. The book no doubt contains some factual errors [there are a lot of facts] but it was the pseudo slander that got under the skin of some. Therry re-purchased the remaining Australian stock!

“Judgely” writing may not sound entertaining, but this book is easily read and full of facts and stories that make it more interesting the more you get into it. We may all know about Hargraves and the discovery of gold in 1851, but did you know it was really Strezelecki in 1839 and with Clarke in between. The didn’t announce the earlier discoveries lest it would cause a stampede and riot among the convict class.

Therry writes in a compassionate way – his account of the discovery of a massacre of an aboriginal group suggests many new settlers were horrified and the culprits were brought to justice.

John McCarthur had a hand in the editing which is why his family are treated well and add to the supposed factual errors

Therry looking back over the important goings on over thirty years in Australia.

$180.00

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19th Century Microscope Slide – Soundings 240 Fathoms Storm Bay Tasmania – Norman London

Wooden Hookers [Fishing Boat] of Hobart Town & Whalers Out of Van Diemen’s Land – Harry O’May

Back O’ Cairns – Ion Idriess – First Edition 1958

Thirty Diatom Species – Mounted Microscope Slide and Catalogued by Bernard Hartley

A Strange Career – The Life and Adventures of J. G. Jebb [South America and Mexico] – 1895

Reminiscences of Thirty Years’ Residence in New South Wales and Victoria – R Therry – First Edition 1863

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