Curiosities

Newnes’ Slide Rule Manual

A 1960’s revised edition of the “go to” book on the slide rule produced and published by George Newnes, London.

Octavo, 112 pages of slide rule lovers delight. Covers the … Principle of the Slide Rule; Principle of Logarithms; Using the Slide Rule; Examples; Circular Slide Rules etc. Very good condition albeit a little creasing to the otherwise good dust jacket.

The Preface starts … “The slide rule is considered by many a mysterious instrument requiring years of study before it can be used with facility”.

Within twenty years sophisticated electronic calculators and personal computers made the slide made the slide rule obsolete and an “antique” of the past. Pity … to use the slide rule properly a knowledge of mathematics was required …

A very interesting “modern” curiosity … get your slide rule today.

Slide rules and the mathematics that flows from them.

$25.00

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Manuscript Letter – Italian Astronomer Giuseppe Armellini – Portorecanati – 19th August 1922

Returning proofs and with suggestions of a mathematical nature based on “derivate ordinaries” … ordinary derivatives. Our calculus a little rusty as also our Italian … appears to be connected to Maxwell’s Laws.

Giuseppe Armellini (1887-1958) was born and died in Rome. He was Professor of Physics and Astronomy at several Italian Universities and Director of the Rome Astronomical Observatory for over 30 years. It was in the year of this letter [1922] that he took up his position at the Observatory of the Campidoglio which in 1936 he transferred to Monte Mario. A fire destroyed the Observatory in 1957 … inconsolable Armellini died the following year.

Armellini published several works … the first, in 1911, based on Newtonian principles. Over his career he developed several theories and principles. He will be forever known for Armellini’s Law {in 1922 also] which determines mathematically the distances of the planets from the sun in our solar system. The key to this understanding is the Armellini constant “D” … which is 1.53 but you must start at minus 2 for Mercury. Curiosities exist in its application … from them Armellini is awarded the honour of having predicted the large asteroid/ minor planet Chiron which was not confirmed until well after his death.

Armellini explained the Solar System – Manuscript letter with Scientific content

$140.00

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Summer of Smoke – Tennessee Williams – 1957

Published by Secker & Warburg as a softcover in 1957 originally completed by Tennessee Williams in 1948. Perfect bound 8-0 pages with wrap-around green paper cover to the blue soft cover binding. Excellent condition bar ownership stamp and personal library reference on half title.

A play in two parts with thirteen scenes. The play was successful after a re-write [published here] in 1952… it again took another form and was re-titled “the Eccentricities of a Nightingale” in 1964.

The entire play is set in Glorious Hill, Mississippi and is set in the early part of the 20th Century. The story centres on the potential romance between Alma Winemiller a highly strung minister’s daughter and John Buchanan a rather wild and undisciplined young doctor.

The “Author’s Production Notes” covering two pages are succinct but very helpful … focussing on the scenes, mood etc they provide a super introduction for those who enjoy the reading of a play of some standard.

Tennessee Williams and the Summer and Smoke

$30.00

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Riddle of the Titanic – Robon Gardiner & Dan Van der Vat

Published by Weidenfield and Nicolson, London in 1995 a first edition soft cover. 312 pages, nicely illustrated. A very good copy.

Regarded as one of the more thorough Titanic books, with much about the before and aftermath. Written in the context of the finding of the wreck ..

Questions remain unanswered … Why was the man at the helm when she hit the iceberg packed off to South Africa? … Why did her reluctant Chief Officer still feel uneasy about a ship on which he had never sailed before … and, Why did one of her stewards “wish the bally ship at the bottom of the sea”?

Titanic well researched and written …

$25.00

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Royal Society of Tasmania – Papers & Proceedings – 1926 [the Dutch in Tasmania and Crowther]

Contains an important historical paper by Clive Lord on the planting of the Dutch Flag in Tasmania.

Geoffrey Ingleton’s copy … Ingleton Catalogue stamp no 14258 on rear cover.

Perfect bound in original paper covers, 196 pages with 11 plates and 22 figures within the text.

Contents further include inter alia … Isostatic Background of Tasmanian Physiography; the Constitutional Separation of Tasmania from New South Wales 1825; Oil Shales of Tasmania; Tasmanian Spiders; Tasmanian Cetacea; New and Little Known Tasmanian Lepidoptera; Notes on the Tasmanian Race (Crowther) etc etc. As well as the formalities … Annual Report etc.

The Dutch plant their flag and Crowther on the Tasmanian Aborigines

$60.00

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Brisbane City Medal Celebrating Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee 1897

Minted by Stokes and Sons, 31 mm diameter circa 14 gms weight. Reference Carlisle 1897/43

Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee was celebrated with enthusiasm around the Commonwealth. This medal was issued by the Municipality of Brisbane to celebrate the event.

On the obverse we have Jugate busts of a young and older Queen Victoria, around Queen Victoria’s 60th Year of Reign *1837 to 1897* … mint name Stokes & Sons in tiny letter on the rim below the date.

The reverse has at its centre within a wide rim the Shield of the Municipality, quartered with top left … horses, sheep and bull; top right … farmer with plough, wheat sheaf and spade; bottom left early steam-ship and lighthouse; bottom right … sailing ship at Brisbane Port loading produce including bale of wool and barrels. Around the rim *Municipality of Brisbane* Incorporated 1859.

Collectable Victoriana Unique to Brisbane.

$40.00

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Newnes’ Slide Rule Manual

Manuscript Letter – Italian Astronomer Giuseppe Armellini – Portorecanati – 19th August 1922

Summer of Smoke – Tennessee Williams – 1957

Riddle of the Titanic – Robon Gardiner & Dan Van der Vat

Royal Society of Tasmania – Papers & Proceedings – 1926 [the Dutch in Tasmania and Crowther]

Brisbane City Medal Celebrating Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee 1897

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