Mining and Geology

Antique Mineral Testing Kit – “Superior Blowpipe Set – With Extra Apparatus” by J.T. Letcher of Cornwall. Circa 1880-90. Retailers label overlaid, without loss of information – Tasmania: Hobart Walch & Sons; Launceston Walch Bros & Birchill.

Exceptional Museum quality example rarely found with so many remaining pieces. The only similar example we can find in this condition is displayed online at the virtual museum of the history of mineralogy referencing a “Private Collection”.

These field kits were used in Australia by explorers and geologists. They include apparatus and chemicals for grinding the sample, heating it and observing the colours in the flame to identify the constituent minerals. It has been used, which is great, but not effecting the quality of the contents.

Designed and manufactured by J.T. Letcher of Truro Cornwall and awarded the Society of Arts Silver Medal and the Colonel Croll Prize in International Competition in 1878. Each set guaranteed to equal that deposited at the Society’s House.

The use of the blowpipe was invented in Sweden in the 1700’s and further refined there at the Freiberg Mining Academy in the mid 19th C. This design by J.T. Letcher with its comprehensive accoutrements became the standard in the later Victorian period.

Original brass riveted mahogany box with escutcheon to lid. Contains a specially designed lift out tray with multiple compartments and layers containing tools, the blowpipe, a small anvil, rock hammer, spirit lamp and grease lamp, Numerous chemical reagents including the original “gold bead” in its tube. There is a agate pestle and mortar as well as a tiny crucible that we know was made by Royal Worcester.

The containers are made of box wood with names to top and with a lovely patina. Reagent bottles, miniature test tubes with labels, test tube holder and much more. Original platinum forceps.

The test papers box contains litmus, turmeric and brazil wood papers; along with Platinum wire and foil, tin foil and the tiny remnant of some magnesium. The minute bone spatula is still there … we could go on

The original under-label inside the lid describes the original contents and bar scissors we are struggling to see anything missing

The box still has it’s lock but the key is long gone. It has a worked patina and is still robust.

Something special in the mineral field. The Superior Set by the top maker of the day; along with respected Hobart retailer Walch label – try to find another one and then one like this!

$1,390.00

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Amethyst – Wave Hill Station – Northern Territory

A nice example with good crystal definition. Deep but smoky purple, clear at the root, Some hematite inclusions along one edge.

Amethyt is a quartz group mineral with trapezohedral crystals [six sides prism ending in a six sided pyramid].

The Greeks thought that it could counter intoxication and therefore carved drinking vessels from it – they really did have style. The not getting drunk idea is the Greek translation …

Whilst silicon dioxide is the foundation, iron creates the purple hue, other metals make subtle changes.

Wave Hill Station is a bit of a trek.

Weight 250 gm 9.0 cm by 8.0 cm x 5.0 cm matrix.

Wave Hill Amethyst could keep you sober …

$30.00

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Chrysocolla [Green Botryoidal Form] – Burra Burra Mine

A nice bright lump of the green chrysocolla from the historic Burra Burra Mine in South Australia. Distinctive botryoidal form.

Chrysocolla a hydrous copper phyllosilicate mineral of still debated structure.

The name ancient Greek and first recorded used by Voyager hero Theophrastus.

Chrysocolla can arise in a more blue form – we quite like the even underlying green tone of this sample.

It is of secondary origin and forms in the oxidation zones of copper ore bodies.

Weight 340 gm 9.0 cm by 8.0 cm x 7.0 cm matrix.

Burra Burra beauty

$85.00

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Otis King Calculator [Spiral Slide Rule] Mid 20thC

A very nice working example of the Otis King Calculator or spiral slide. Comes in its original box with retailer A Johnson, Tottenham Court Road, London.

Otis Crater Formy King [1876-1944] patented this spiral slide rule in the early 1900’s. In 1922 Carbic Ltd of London began to manufacture the instrument and continued to do so until 1970 when it became overtaken by modern day digital calculators.

The patent is really in our view stolen from the larger spiral slide rule invented by Fuller. Nevertheless, the handy nature of the Otis design made the instrument fairly popular.

This is a very good example of model K [there was a model L and that’s all] with two scales 414 at the bottom and 423 at the top. The original instructions are present although it doesn’t take Einstein to work out how to use it – part of the appeal.

There is a raft of information online including average youtube videos on how to use it … get the right one before you are put off. The guy who invented the computer mouse started a fanatics website which is fantastic and is building a database of information regarding existing instruments … even down to whether the instructions are stappled!

The retailer was founded by William Johnson [1837-1900] an optical and scientific instrument maker always at Tottenham Court Road – he had passed away before King got going with his calculator – the sons of Johnson continued in their fathers footsteps.

Collectable mathematical calculator by Otis King

$190.00

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Stilbite – Western India – ex Werner Hoch Collection

A sizeable and attractive lump of stilbite from Vaijapur, Aurangabad District, Maharashtra, India.

We are told from whence it came that it was originally part of the Verner Hoch collection, the main part of which is now in the Natural History Museum, Vienna.

Stilbite [after Greek – stilbein “to shine”] is a tectosilicate part of the zeolite group of minerals. Formed often in a basaltic volcanic environment.

This example is characteristic of it’s found location [it takes various forms in different parts of the World – Iceland, Scotland etc]. Here we have a peach/ pink hue and a translucent characteristic. The large form is often described as a “bow tie” and you can see why. This is a particularly good example with larger forms sitting on a bed of crystals on the host structure.

13cm by 8cm by 6cm weighing 330gm.

Super example of Stilbite with dominant bow-tie structure – nice hue

$95.00

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[Tasmania] Oddity and Elegance – Michael Sharland – First edition 1966

As mentioned on the front cover Michael Sharland had already issued the Tasmanian book “Stones of a Century”. This is by far a better book.

A very good copy in a complete dust jacket. Published by Fullers, Hobart in 1966. Squat quarto, 134 pages with many special images from photographs throughout.

About places, structures and their connection to key individuals. We particularly like the section on water driven mills [quite a few in the Huon valley]. And, the tidal powered mill [ahead of its time] in the North-west. Many and varied fences, the industrially scarred landscapes of the western mining regions and the naming of the peaks after a trove of Geological heroes.

Much more, entertaining and informative. Will make you a Tassie expert on its own!

Sharland on Tassie- his best and better than all the rest!

$50.00

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Antique Mineral Testing Kit – “Superior Blowpipe Set – With Extra Apparatus” by J.T. Letcher of Cornwall. Circa 1880-90. Retailers label overlaid, without loss of information – Tasmania: Hobart Walch & Sons; Launceston Walch Bros & Birchill.

Amethyst – Wave Hill Station – Northern Territory

Chrysocolla [Green Botryoidal Form] – Burra Burra Mine

Otis King Calculator [Spiral Slide Rule] Mid 20thC

Stilbite – Western India – ex Werner Hoch Collection

[Tasmania] Oddity and Elegance – Michael Sharland – First edition 1966

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