Curiosities

The Book of Kells and The Art of Illumination

In the year 2000 Ireland’s greatest treasure the illuminated medieval manuscript the Gospel of St mark from the Book of Kells visited the National Gallery of Australia. We cannot imagine the insurance costs for this item beyond the wealth of any man.

Written painstakingly by Irish Monks and lost for many years before found “under a sod”.

Large format, perfect bound soft cover, 80 pages, heavily illustrated as you would expect.

The Book of Kells impossible not to stir some emotion.

$30.00

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Godwin’s Emigrants’s Guide to Van Diemen’s Land [Tasmania]

A high quality facsimile of the exceedingly rare 1823 original. This published by the Tasmanian Government in 1990. A limited numbered edition of 500 copies this number 382.

Octavo, 90 pages, plus appendices. Large folding map and folding frontispiece view oof early Hobart.

Contains every bit of information that could be of assistance to anyone desiring to settle in Van Diemen’s Land. Interestingly, it also enclosed a blank application form for FREE GRANTS OF LAND … can you imagine the interest.

Bound nicely in half leather over suede covered boards, gilt title front and spine. A fine copy.

Godwin’s guide represents an important historical record

$130.00

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H.M. Bark Endeavour – Ray Parkin

Her place in Australian History. With and Account of her Construction, Crew and Equipment and a Narrative of her Voyage on the East Coast of New Holland in the Year 1770

First edition of this important publication in super condition. Issued by the Meiegunyah Press, Melbourne in 1997. Slipcase with two volumes.

Volume 1 has the narrative, 468 pages. The narrative draws on the records of Cook, Banks and Parkinson.

Volume 2 contains 25 maps and 31 drawings and plans of all things involved in building the functioning ship.

A must for any maritime historian. H.M. Bark Endeavour – nowhere else in such detail

$190.00

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Edward Elgar Symphony No 2 – with Expert Manuscript Annotations

Published by music score specialists Novello of Sevenoaks, Kent. No date originally published in 1911 and dedicated to the memory of the then late king Edward VII.

Written, or designed as Elgar would have it, in 1910 as a tribute that missed publication before the King’s passing.

Soft cover 171 pages of score Symphony No 2 in E Flat Op 63, copyright by the publisher. Printed in a facsimile style of the original. Carried the name at front John Snowdon, probably the musical talent who lives in the Huon area.

What makes this special in our view, apart from the magnificence of the piece, is the manuscript interpretive annotations, mainly towards the front of the work … robust theme; E Flat with colouring; rising 5th syncopation; similar to Brahms; wild outbursts of orchestral virtuosity; ghost episode … we love it.

Elgar’s magnificent No 2 with expert annotations.

$25.00

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Early Image of the Sphinx and Pyramid of Khafre at Giza

An original magic lantern slide c1890 of the Sphinx and Pyramid of Khafre (or Chephren) at Giza – the second largest pyramid.

Standard British magic Lantern slide by an unknown maker. Some age as can be seen but excuse it for the rarity of the image.

A striking image of Kharfe with the Sphinx in the foreground. Compare the image with a modern image taken from pretty much the same position. The Pyramid is in a remarkably similar state of condition retaining the same amount of polished coping stone near to top – Kharfe the only pyramid to retain any – they were raided to build later structures.

However, the Sphinx is quite different and the modern image by comparison shows just how much reconstruction has been carried out in the intervening 130 years.

Khafre ruled Egypt in the Fourth Dynasty between 2558 and 2553 years BC … unfortunately the tombs were robbed of anything valuable likely early on.

Khafre as it is and the Sphinx as it was.

$80.00

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Mrs Isabella Beeton’s – The Book of Household Management comprising information for the Mistress, Housekeeper, Cook, Kitchen-Maid, Butler, Footman … Published 1892 [First with Australian Recipes]

Published 1892, Ward Lock, London 1892 … with Several Hundred new recipes.

Importantly, this is the new edition introducing recipes from Australia including Soup from Kangaroo Tails, (Whole and sitting) Wallaby Roast and Parrot Pie (at least a dozen parrots required).

With 13 full coloured plates of which two folding and steel engravings in the text. A very sound copy that has been expertly re-backed by Roger Perry Quality Bookbinders with new headbands and original end papers.

Mrs Beeton with Australian Treats

$260.00

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The Book of Kells and The Art of Illumination

Godwin’s Emigrants’s Guide to Van Diemen’s Land [Tasmania]

H.M. Bark Endeavour – Ray Parkin

Edward Elgar Symphony No 2 – with Expert Manuscript Annotations

Early Image of the Sphinx and Pyramid of Khafre at Giza

Mrs Isabella Beeton’s – The Book of Household Management comprising information for the Mistress, Housekeeper, Cook, Kitchen-Maid, Butler, Footman … Published 1892 [First with Australian Recipes]

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