Curiosities

Original 17th Century Engraving – French Naval Vessel – Allain Manesson Mallet – Paris 1683

An delightful original copper engraving from 1683. From one of the most magnificent illustrated works of the 17th Century, “Le Description de l’Univers”.

Covering all manner of things naval and cartographic this is a fine engraving of one of the principal ships of the French Navy.

Engraved area approximately 15cm by 10cm. Matted, with “French lines”, as shown in the second image.

Mallet (1630-1706) was a French cartographer and engineer. He started his career as a soldier in the army of Louis XIV became a Sergeant Major and an Inspector of Fortifications. His maps have a beautiful decorative and unique style.

17th Century Naval engraving matted ready to frame.

$90.00

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Woodcut Bookplate of Sir Samuel James Way Bart – Chief Justice c1910

A striking woodcut bookplate, over 100 years old, of Sir Samuel James way (1836-1916). 13cm by 9.5cm in very good condition. This was the third bookplate commissioned by Way .. it bears his coat of arms which features three salmon working their way upstream against the current .. a metaphor … struggling against all obstacles towards success. His motto “Fit Via ci” loosely translating as “Where there’s a will there’s a Way” … so a hint of humour.

Sir Samuel was Chief Justice of South Australia and Lieutenant Governor. He was invited to the Privy Council but had to give it up partly due to confusion as to who was to pay him. He was knighted in 1899. He was a avid collector of art, objects and book. His private library was one of the greatest ever amassed in Australia … a large part of it on his death went to the Adelaide University Library where it increased the collection by 60%.

Sir Samuel James Way – Leading South Australian

$30.00

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Original Woodcut bookplate by Lionel Lindsay – 1958

Original woodcut bookplate by Lionel Lindsay for Keith Wingrove created in 1958. Signed in the plate.

Keith Wingrove (1910-1995) was an art and book collector. He had a strong interest in bookplates and commissioned a number of designs by both Lionel Lindsay (1874-1961) and his brother Norman Lindsay and other artists of note. Wingrove was very close to the brothers .. Norman wrote over 350 letters to him …

10cm by 7.5 cm with a strong contrasting image directly from the plate.

Collectable Australian Bookplate.

$60.00

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Original Woodcut Bookplate by Kalman Gaborjani Szabo noted Hungarian Artist – 1934

A very stylish bookplate, original woodcut by Klaman Gaborjani Szabo (1897-1965) commissioned by Dr Arady Kalman (1893-1964). Dr Kalman was an avid bibliophile and commissioned numerous high class bookplates for his collection. An example of this exact bookplate is held in the Balatoni Museum and included on the Hungarian and European digital archives.

15cm by 7.5 cm, smooth with high contrast from the original plate. Veros in manuscript the artists name, Hungary, 1934, woodcut. A little age but really a super example.

Rare well executed art deco bookplate from named European artist.

$70.00

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Russian Arctic Islands – Mallet – 1719

An unusual hand coloured original copper engraved miniature map – Isle des Etat ou Staten Island (Ostrov Mestnyy) and Isle Maurice (Dolgy Island). From Beschreibung des Ganzen Welt Kreises … the German translation of Mallet’s great work on the Universe published by Johann Adam Jung in Frankfurt 1719.

Ostrov Msetnyy is in the Kara Sea south of Novaya Zemlya – Dolgy is to the west in the Barents Sea. The topography of the islands is contrasting Ostrov rather rugged and hilly whilst Dolgy is flat and pitted with lagoons. Sailing vessels very discretely engraved into the plate.

Paper size 20cm by 17cm; map area 15cm by 10cm. Good condition on wove paper. Unusually wide leading margin consistent with this printing.

Allain Manesson Mallet (1630-1706) was a French cartographer and engineer. He started his career as a soldier in the army of Louis XIV and became a Sergeant Major and an Inspector of Fortifications a role which afforded him the resources required to produce this treasure.

Early unique map of little known Arctic islands

$80.00

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Original Photograph Island of Ansoes – Dutch East Indies [West Papua) – 1939

A quality image 24cm by 18cm of the village on the Island of Ansoes [now called Palua Ansus], a small island south of Japen Island in the north of West Papua.

Photographer unknown but taken for the Publisher’s Photo Service [A Photo Library], New York. Dated August 21st 1939 on the rear with various ownership stamps and a caption, which reads …

“Dutch E. indies – Island of New Guinea … This entire village of Ansoes is built on piles which furnish protection both from disastrous floods and reptiles and preying animals from the dense surrounding jungles. Needless to say all visiting is done by native canoes.” i.e. the usual melodrama regarding the perceived primitive at the time of Tarzan the Ape Man.

We love the little guys put at the front of the scene playing local flute like instruments

Still a very isolated location … population at the last estimate was around 7,000 so we guess very little has changed.

Super image – very good clarity – photographic contrast.

$30.00

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Original 17th Century Engraving – French Naval Vessel – Allain Manesson Mallet – Paris 1683

Woodcut Bookplate of Sir Samuel James Way Bart – Chief Justice c1910

Original Woodcut bookplate by Lionel Lindsay – 1958

Original Woodcut Bookplate by Kalman Gaborjani Szabo noted Hungarian Artist – 1934

Russian Arctic Islands – Mallet – 1719

Original Photograph Island of Ansoes – Dutch East Indies [West Papua) – 1939

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