Non-fiction

A Pair of Jacks [Two Tasmanian “Diggers” exploits in WWI] – J.C. Sheppard – Signed by Author.

A novelised account of the authors father, Jack Sheppard [born at Ranelagh in the Huon Valley] and Jack Doderidge [from Koonya on the Tasman Peninsula].

Self-published by the author in 2015, octavo, 258 pages. Super near fine condition. We can only find print on demand copies. This not so as it’s signed by the Author to Maria.

The author is not Hemingway, but nevertheless we find this book lively, information and entertaining when allowed. After all there are some tricky times including an enforced stay at Stalag 13C.

Novelised based on the true story of two Jacks from Tasmania.

$40.00

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Seven Pillars of Wisdom – a triumph – T.E. Lawrence (Of Arabia) – August 1935

Published by Jonathan Cape London 1935 – Seven Pillars of Wisdom a Triumph – “The Sword also means Clean-ness + Death”. First trade edition fourth impression August after the July first, such was its popularity.

Lawrence memorial leaflet tipped in to front. signs of another ‘inclusion” removed.

The Trade Edition preceded by the incomplete “Oxford” edition of 1922 (8 copies only were printed) and the very rare privately printed “Subscribers Edition” of 1927 (170 copies).

Thick quarto, 672 pages, original brown cloth covered binding with gilt titles to spine and device to front. A little age to covers, nothing to worry about, very clean inside and on page edges which often fox. A very good copy

Frontispiece portrait of a bust of Lawrence, 4 folding maps as called for, 2 facsimiles and a total of 54 illustrations – 46 of which are dramatic portraits of men who appear in the book. Albeit without the rare dust jacket this is the cleanest we have seen of this edition. The boards clean and unmarked and only the slightest bit of foxing limited to the rough cut paper edges.

Lawrence “took pains to bring objects and artists together”. A classic book written by Lawrence after a very successful war leading

the Arabs against the Turks, considered one of the most important books on war especially political and guerrilla warfare.

Churchill called it “One of the greatest books ever written in the English language”

Lawrence of Arabia’s great book. First trade a nice copy- 1935

We simply have to give you some of Chapter 1 … “The everlasting battle stripped from us care of our own lives or of others’. We had ropes about our necks, on or heads prices which showed that the enemy intended hideous tortures for us if we were caught. Each day some of us passed; and the living knew themselves just sentient puppets on God’s stage: indeed, our taskmaster was merciless, merciless, so long as our bruised feet could stagger forward on the road. The weak envied those tired enough to die; for success looked so remote, and failure a near and certain, if sharp, release from toil. We lived always in the stretch or sag of nerves, either on the crest or in the trough of waves of feeling ..

$240.00

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Coins and Tokens of Tasmania – 1803-1910 – Roger McNiece

The definitive work. We really admire people like McNiece who through their passion for their interest put the hard yards in, the effort, to produce such a useful work. Tooley, Spence, King etc all come to mind.

Published by Platypus Publication, Hobart in 1969, a first edition. Rather rare. Printed on the Mercury Presses bound by Walch .. how more Tasmanian can you get.

Octavo, 112 pages, numerous illustrations to help one along. An excellent copy with a full dust jacket a little rubbed.

Roger McNiece was a founding member of the Tasmanian Numismatics Society.

And, more than coins and tokens. We start with Specie .. the currency of NSW and the consequences of the Settlement of Van Diemen’s Land. Sorrell and Brisbane’s reforms. Arthur and the Sterling Money Act. The allowance for South American Dollars, Sicca Rupees, Mexican Dollars ..

Then Paper Currency and Police Fund Notes and Treasury Bills. A lengthy chapter on Private Promissory Notes and numerous individual issuers. A chapter on Barter and the use of Rum Therein. Special Bank Issues and then the last third of the book taken up with Trade Tokens – so collectable.

More than Coins and Tokens – the McNiece Standard

$80.00

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Papers of the Royal Society of Tasmania – November 2008 – Vol 142

Large scale softcover, perfect bound 98 pages. Quality production. Nice photographic images etc. Published by the Society.

Two Antarctic vignettes by H.J.G Dartnall, only two pages each but intriguing. First, about John Forbes, known as Mawson’s sailmaker. The second, more intriguing is about Tasman Spalding from Dunalley,. Tasmania, a 23 year old who served on the Terra Nova relief voyage. He was entitled to the Polar Medal but did not receive it possibly because his name got transposed and hence proved difficult to find at the time of handing out.

Other interesting articles include aspects geology at Heard Island; a new freshwater sponge discovered at Lake Peder; the diet of the Tasmanian Devil.

Terrific illustrations from scientific work – sections, micro photographs etc.

Royal Society Tasmania – superb work

$25.00

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Rare Large Sized Microscope Size – Lantern Fly – China (Duplicate)

No date or maker but this presentation was a specialty in the late Victorian / Edwardian era. Reference authority “Bracegirdle” shows a number of “outsized” examples but none quite like this.

In modern terms known as the spotted lantern fly. The insect is on the move and a potential threat in Australia – modelling has shown that it could survive well in western and north-western Victoria. When we say a threat, it was endemic to China and Vietnam but moved into South Korea in 2006, Japan in 2009 and the USA in 2014 … so the move is on.

Here the little blighter is beautifully preserved and presented in Canada Balsam … we know that CB was the mounters choice due its quality and the cursive narrative says so.

A microscopical rarity outsized mount of the Spotted Lantern Fly.

$150.00

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Mount Morgan – Centenary of First Gold Discovery in 1882 – Rockhampton 1982 (Duplicate)

A nice example of the interesting medal struck by the Rockhampton Coin Club and made in Brisbane by A.J. Parkes in 1982.

An uncirculated commemorative, 40 mm diameter, 40gms in copper alloy. Strong relief and a super example.

The obverse carries a design by artists Don Taylor of a miner / prospector on his knee observing his gold pan with some intensity, other mining accoutrements in the background. On the reverse we have an image taken from a 1908 photograph of the working mine … an image all too familiar to Voyager.

Still with its original information with its brief history of the Mine.

Mighty Mount Morgan commemorated in medal form, and it deserves it!

$50.00

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A Pair of Jacks [Two Tasmanian “Diggers” exploits in WWI] – J.C. Sheppard – Signed by Author.

Seven Pillars of Wisdom – a triumph – T.E. Lawrence (Of Arabia) – August 1935

Coins and Tokens of Tasmania – 1803-1910 – Roger McNiece

Papers of the Royal Society of Tasmania – November 2008 – Vol 142

Rare Large Sized Microscope Size – Lantern Fly – China (Duplicate)

Mount Morgan – Centenary of First Gold Discovery in 1882 – Rockhampton 1982 (Duplicate)

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