Curiosities

“Society of Arts” Victorian Brass Microscope with Case – c1860-70

A quality fully working English brass microscope from around 1860-70.

With the early V shaped bar for rack and pinion focus and fine adjustment knurled knob. Two objectives both multiple compounding. There is also Live Box for observing creepy crawlies. The concave mirror is in very good condition. The original mahogany case is a quality box, original to the instrument and in very good condition, with separate drawer for slides and bits and pieces. The case still has its original lock and its key, often long lost. The microscope is mounted on a rectangular mahogany board which slides into the case.

Very similar to the example presented by Peter Turner FRMS to the Royal Microscopical Society catalogued as number 92 in authority Turner.

In the early 1850’s the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce offered a prize for the design of a compact compound microscope that could sell for 3 guineas. The design, which is reflected here, was won by Robert Fields & Son of Birmingham in 1854. Due to the popularity of the design it was copied by others but often at a higher price. These copies were often unsigned as is the case here. However, the brass foot is very much in the style of Ross so we suspect it came from that maker.

Nice 19th Century Cased Brass Microscope..

$590.00

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Australian Mammals – Trade Cards over 100 Years Old

A group of six brightly coloured trade cards by Liebig advertising their delightful food products. Printed and issued from 1904-1910.

Six delightful card chromolithographs of 1 the dingo and spotted quoll 2. the echidna and the Tasmanian devil 3. The wombat and the Tasmanian tiger (Buidelwolf) 4. The sea elephant and sea lion 5. Fruit bats looking for fruit 6 the kangaroo rat and the wallaby. 0cms x 7.3cms.

Price $80.00 the group

A nice early set of mammals with the desired no longer living Tasmanian Tiger

$60.00

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Australia Trade Cards – Set of Six – Liebig – Over 100 Years Old

A group of six decorative trade cards by Liebig advertising their tasty Bouillon Oxo. Printed and issued around 1910. In French with a very good description the rear of the card … a good language lesson.

Delightful chromolithographs depicting scenes from around Australia including a nice one of Hobart, Tasmania with Storm Bay (not quite technically correct as we are now in the Derwent proper) and Mount Wellington covered in snow in the background. Also, we have the Murray River and its vegetation; the Kimberleys; Rundall Creek in the MacDonald Range; the Blue Mountains west of Sydney and Coolgardie and its Gold. Images of indigenous people from various parts of Australia given the French romantic treatment in terms of their clothing. Each 10cms x 7.3cms.

Scarce six card set rarely found together.

$50.00

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Map of Northumberland – John Speed / Pieter van den Keere – 1627

A delightful and quite rare map of Northumberland … the origin of Voyager.

Pieter van den Keere (1571-1646) engraved a series of miniature English County maps based on the original surveys of Christopher Saxton. First published by Willem Janzoon Blaeu in 1617 they were Anglicised by the great cartographer John Speed and published by George Humble in 1627. They are often referred to as “Miniature Speeds”.

Printed area 12.3cm by 8.6cm good plate mark. This example has a shallow lower margin and a little age … altogether still a very good example of a rare near 400 year old map.

The map stretches to Carlisle and beyond in Cumberland. The county border is clearly shown as a dotted line and at this time Berwick – Upon – Tweed (Barwick) is clearly in England. Holy Island, the Farnes and Coquet Island feature in their olde names. The Cheviot and Simonside Hills are shown and numerous of the Northumberland Norman Castles feature. Interestingly, Cartington has been mis-engraved and a little “t” has been inserted above … a distinctive feature of this engraving that pins its provenance down quite nicely. Voyager used to play among the ruins of Cartington as a young fellow.

Special map of Northumberland a delight for expatriate Northumbrians and all.

$160.00

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Lady Nelson (Tasmania) Ship’s Manual.

Published by the Tasmanian Sail Training Association in 2003 a first printing.

A Training Manual and guide to the operating systems aboard the Sail Training Vessel Lady Nelson.

Anyone who has been to Hobart has heard of the Lady Nelson a magnificent working replica of her 1799 namesake which had such an important place in Australian maritime history … more so Tasmania.

The original vessel a unique sliding keel design was built at Deptford, London. She sailed for Australia under the command of Grant and was the first vessel to pass west to east through the Bass Strait. Grant completed significant coastal charts of the southern mainland regions … the advantage of the sliding keel was the vessel could get in close in shallow water. Later the Lady Nelson was to play an important part in the history of Tasmania or Van Diemen’s Land as it was then known … including being part of relocation of convicts from Norfolk Island.

The replica is a beauty and the manual does it justice. Just under 200 pages, octavo, spiral bound. It starts proper with a useful history of the original vessel and, the replica which was launched in 1988 having taken two year to build.

The manual comprises sections … Basic re rigging, mooring lines, heaving, helming, knots, lookout duties. Then intermediate … preparing for sea, sails and handling, anchoring, bells etc, closing down, man overboard! fires. The advanced section … emergency steering, fuels systems, freshwater systems, sullage and bilge, alarms etc. Safety includes first aid and “abandon ship!” … and a final catch-all includes a glossary of terms and a useful “where is it” for those on the find.

An interesting book for anyone interested in the maritime and especially anyone coming to Hobart who wants to achieve a greater experience of the grand Lady herself

A scarce and interesting item the Lady Nelson Manual

$40.00

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George Bass – Discovery of the Bass Strait – Commemorative Bronze Medal – 1968

George Bass, Surgeon and Explorer carried out two voyages to confirm the Bass Strait and the separation of Tasmania (then Van Diemen’s Land) from mainland Australia – known affectionately in Tasmania as “The Other Island”.

First, in 1797 he set off in an open whaleboat with a crew of six. They sailed to Cape Howe at the farthest point of South-east Australia and, from there sailed west along the Gippsland coast to Western Point, at the entrance to Port Phillip. Observations of the rapid tide and long south-western swell supported his view that a large Strait lay in front of him.

In 1798 he set out again, with Matthew Flinders in the sloop Norfolk and circumnavigated Van Diemen’s Land. They visited the Derwent River which had previously been named by Captain John Hayes. On return to Sydney, Flinders promoted the naming of the Strait after Bass … the then Governor, John Hunter agreed.

Bass’s later life was adventurous and possibly … likely … tragic, making the date of his death noted on the medal questionable.

The medal was struck in 1968. It was produced by K.G. Luke & Sons, Melbourne for the Numismatic Association of Victoria. 160 examples were produced in this bronze form and a similar number in silver. 50mm in diameter, 48gms weight, with a high relief bust of Bass facing right, carrying his spyglass. On the reverse a delightful image of the whaleboat, the sloop Norfolk and the chart and route of the vessels, appropriately dated.

Unusual medal to celebrate the achievements of George Bass

$140.00

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“Society of Arts” Victorian Brass Microscope with Case – c1860-70

Australian Mammals – Trade Cards over 100 Years Old

Australia Trade Cards – Set of Six – Liebig – Over 100 Years Old

Map of Northumberland – John Speed / Pieter van den Keere – 1627

Lady Nelson (Tasmania) Ship’s Manual.

George Bass – Discovery of the Bass Strait – Commemorative Bronze Medal – 1968

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