Australiana

Raymond Howgego’s Monumental reference on the Exploration of Australia and Beyond.

Four Massive volumes which we regard complete, as they contain all the factual works [Howgego also produced a book on fictional travel]. Published progressively by Hordern House.

Land and sea exploration from the earliest days to circa 1940. Over four thousand pages in all with surely every event and fact worthy of mention. In pristine condition, weighing over 11 kgs so postage will be circa $80.00 at cost.

Raymond Howgego was teacher of physics before he gave that up to become a full-time traveller and travel writer. Possibly put down more words than any other living person. Seemingly can handle almost all European languages and Arabic and probably a few others. He still has an interest in amateur radio and fixing electronic items … we withhold his call sign, but you can find it if you try.

As new comprehensive definitive history of Exploration.

$580.00

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Autobiography of Australia’s Great Aviator – Sir Gordon Taylor – First Edition

A particularly good copy of the first edition of this desirable autobiography published by Cassell in 1963.

Subtitled – “A famous aviator’s personal story of pioneering aviation: 1916 to 1951”.

Octavo, 366 pages, illustrated from period photographs.

Gordan Taylor (1896-1966) was one of those adventurous Aussies, one of the few that flew in WWI – he won the Military Cross [the Air Force was part of the Army in those days]. So, his story starts in 1916 at the age of twenty. On return to Australia, he pursued his passion for flying with vigour – teaming up with Charles Kingsford-Smith there are many adventures. One of which saw him out of the aircraft [Southern Cross] over the Tasman Sea shifting oil from one engine to the other, in a thermos flask, in order to make terra firma.

Lots more.

Gordon Taylor – one of the great pioneering aviation heroes

$90.00

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The Prehistory of Australia – D.J. Mulvaney

John Mulvaney (1925-2016) was born and educated in Victoria and went on to study archaeology at Cambridge. On return to Australia, he devoted hid academic career to understanding and recording Aboriginal pre-history.

This is a first edition of his most popular work on the subject published by Thames & Hudson, London in 1969.

Squat quarto, 276 pages, a super near fine copy in a nice dust jacket, top edge stained blue as required of the first printing. Profusely illustrated with maps, technical drawing, and photographic images.

Mulvaney, a wealth of understanding and information

$50.00

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Bush Tram-Ways & Private Railways of Tasmania – J.G. Branagan.

Self-published by Branagan in 1992.

A fine copy, softcover, perfect bound, 174 pages, profusely illustrated from period images, and lots of maps of tracks etc.

Cover the period 1850 to 1960 and we doubt there has been much missed by an author thoroughly immersed in his task.

Cover every region of Tasmania and the number of lines referenced too many to count … and the mining industry, of course, features heavily.

Bush-Tramways – love it

$30.00

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Sir Hubert Wilkins – His World of Adventure – Lowell Thomas

Unusual publishing disclosure … by the Readers Books Club, by arrangement with Arthur Baker, London in 1963. However, actually published in Australia by Colorgravure Publications, Hawthorn Melbourne. A pretty good copy a little age but clean and a nice jacket. Discrete prior ownership stamp on paste down.

Octavo, 247 pages, illustrated with numerous images from photographs of our hero and his endeavours.

This is a late book by, the prolific American traveller, Lowell Thomas who made his name writing about Lawrence of Arabia of whom he also made newsreel which he used as a basis for his sell out lectures in the USA and England – Covent Garden no less – and for months sold out.

After all that we have little room left for Hubert Wilkins, Australia’s greatest ever adventurer in our mind. There are some modern publications on Wilkins and we suggest they are largely based on this book. Lowell Thomas has come in for some criticism re exaggeration [also happened re his work on Lawrence] – we suggest only because the critics struggle with the breadth and depth of the subject character

Lowell Thomas on Hubert Wilkins – we are true believers.

$35.00

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Callaghan & Batman (Van Diemens’s Land 1825) – Edited by E.F. [Eustice FitzSymonds]

Number 476 of a limited edition of 500 copies published by the classy Sullivan’s Cove in 1978.

An unusual book in proportions (33cm x 19cm), 43 pages, with double page map at centre. Printed on thick wove paper. Dust jacket from a picture by Lycett. A very good copy.

Intriguing in content. Was the convict Eliza Callaghan hidden at Ben Lomond by John Batman in 1825? Contains police evidence as well as details of her trial at the Old Bailey and statements from the inquest after her murder at Geelong in 1852. A love story portrayed by contemporary documents and reports.

Tasmanian Mystery – a nice production

$40.00

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Raymond Howgego’s Monumental reference on the Exploration of Australia and Beyond.

Autobiography of Australia’s Great Aviator – Sir Gordon Taylor – First Edition

The Prehistory of Australia – D.J. Mulvaney

Bush Tram-Ways & Private Railways of Tasmania – J.G. Branagan.

Sir Hubert Wilkins – His World of Adventure – Lowell Thomas

Callaghan & Batman (Van Diemens’s Land 1825) – Edited by E.F. [Eustice FitzSymonds]

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