Non-fiction

Australian Frogmouths – Broinowski – 1890

An original hand finished chromolithograph from Broinowksi’s magnificent wok on Australian birds published late in the Victorian era.

Two frogmouths … Podargus Strigoides (Tawny Frogmouth) an Podargus Plumiferus (Marbled Frogmouth). With moderate gum arabic highlights on the eyes, beaks and wing tips.

Matted nicely ready to frame. Printed area 31cm by 24cm. external mat dimensions 43cm by 34cm. A nice example of the desirable frogmouth image … easier to see here than out in the bush.

Price unframed but nicely matted as described. Our scanner is too small to show the full effect of the matting … its nice … double matted with French lines coloured and gilt.

Australian Frogmouths … very Australian

$120.00

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The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex – Charles Darwin – 1890

A very good second revised and augmented edition, published by John Murray, 50 Albermarle Street, London, 1890.

The desired original “Murray”’ green cloth binding as issued with blind stamped borders and gilt titles and banding to spine. Octavo, 693 pages with 78 illustrations. Very clean binding, tight and whilst a little age to page edges a very good copy of desirable edition.

Darwin’s classic work on comparative anatomy. By comparing the physiological and psychological aspects of man and ape, he fills in what had been merely suggested in the Origin: that man’s ancestor, if still alive today, would be classified among the primates and on a lower scale than the apes.

The last chapter is an added essay on sexual selection, the superior chances of mating that some individuals of one sex have over their rivals. The essay ends with the famous and often misquoted statement, “Man still bears in his bodily frame the indelible stamp of his lowly origin.”

It was in this book (page 2) that Darwin used the word “evolution” for the first time.

The Descent of Man Companion to The Origin of Species….

$480.00

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Petronius – The Satyricon – Private Press – Norman Lindsay Illustrated – 1910

A Revised Latin Text of the Satyricon with the Earliest English Translation (1694) Now First Reprinted with an Introduction together with One Hundred Illustrations by Norman Lindsay

Published privately by Ralph Straus, London 1910. Folio, (33cm by 26cm), 303 pages, 100 leaves of plates.

First English translation side by side with the Latin on alternating pages. The Satyricon, Satyricon liber (The Book of Satylike Adventures) a work of fiction by Gaius Petronius. It is and example of Menippean satire.

Gaius Petronius Arbiter (27AD-66AD) was born in Marseille. He became a Roman Courtier in the reign of Nero. He is well mentioned by Tacitus, Plutarch and Pliny the Elder who regarded him as a “judge of elegance”. Petronius became a member of the Senatorial Class who devoted their lives to pleasure … he was essentially a fashion advisor to Nero. Sleeping by day he devoted night time to amusement … he had a reputation of being very good at it!

In the Satyricon, Petronius uses a new style of writing in that each of the characters are well and openly described. Previously, such literature focused mainly on the plot. There is no holding back in terms of moral issues, and it is thought that the main character Trimalchio (who is on the naughty side) is a cameo of Nero.

Petronius fell out of favour and committed suicide in a rather strange manner.

Goings on in the Days of Nero – with numerous Norman Lindsay Illustrations.

$390.00

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Innocent Aboard – Chay and Maureen Blyth – First Edition 1970

First edition published by the Nautical Publishing Company 1970. Octavo, 196 pages all in very good condition.

Chay Blyth’s first serious sailing expedition, setting off from England he was soon lost … and then got his bearings and sea legs. On south he sailed. Through the Canaries, Cape Verde Islands and to the far south and Tristan da Cunha before South Africa.

His boat was a small family cruiser, so his aspiration to cross and make the Horn had to be curtailed. Confident, he cabled his wife to join him for the return voyage … which she did.

His story won over Sir Alec Rose who provided a very supportive foreword.

Chay Blyth – first voyage and quite an adventure

$25.00

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Deshasheh – Flinders Petrie – 1889

The Fifteenth Memoir of The Egypt Exploration Fund.

Hardback published by order of the Committee and sold by them at Great Russell Street and Kegan Paul and Quaritch.

Large quarto, 51 pages plus 37 pages of plates a few of which are folding. Very good condition. A heavy item that may require an Overseas postage supplement.

The great Flinders Petrie by this time has spent many years in Egypt, accomplished many great find and produced numerous memoirs in this form. The work here he describes as more varied than usual, and has fulfilled more the character of exploration than in previous years. One of the least known parts of Egypt, the western side form Faynum to Minieh, was completely traversed and examined; and two site within that area excavated.

We explore the Cemetery of Deshasheh and the Tomb of Anta, the Tomb of Shedu, the Tombs of Nenkheftka and Son.

The drawings and photographs of the findings are simply superb as usual.

Flinders Petrie – Egyptology – Highest Standard

$140.00

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Antique Medical Instruments – Wilbur

Published by Schiffer, i.e. the pen people, of Atglen, USA. The 2008 edition with updates by the distinguished Keith Wilbur MD who can trace back his descendants to Rhode Island 1636.

We mention the “pen people” as the book is rather whimsically produced in an unusual cursive font with matching line drawing of instruments.

Quarto, softcover 149 pages. Seems to be a bit under-rated for a book we really rate not just for the beginner but the serious collector too. We also like that it has a very good section on the development of the microscope often omitted from this subject matter. A semi-useful price guide at least provides perspective … 18th Century medical instruments can hardly come cheap. A list of medical museums in the USA good prove a valuable starting point for a holiday focussed on such matters. Plan your next trip.

Wilbur’s Medical Instruments a great place to start … and more

$50.00

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Australian Frogmouths – Broinowski – 1890

The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex – Charles Darwin – 1890

Petronius – The Satyricon – Private Press – Norman Lindsay Illustrated – 1910

Innocent Aboard – Chay and Maureen Blyth – First Edition 1970

Deshasheh – Flinders Petrie – 1889

Antique Medical Instruments – Wilbur

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