Queensland

The Yellow Joss [Coral Sea, Cape York, Torres Strait] – Ion Idriess – 1942

Selection of tales from Cape York, Coral Sea and Torres Strait based on fact. Great photographs.

An early edition published in 1942 by Angus and Robertson, Sydney. Octavo, 266 pages, some age, the odd spot but overall a very good pre-war edition with a nice dust jacket – we love the design. Illustrated throughout from relevant period photographs

Idriess tales of adventure in the very North

$60.00

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Waller’s Owl [Australian Eastern Grass owl] -Silvester Diggles – Brisbane – c1870

Rare original hand-coloured lithograph by Queensland naturalist Silvester Diggles. Published as part of his magnificent work “”The Ornithology of Australia” between 1866 and 1870 in twenty-one parts by Pugh of Brisbane, in a very limited edition. By the time part sixteen was published there were only 92 subscribers. The original plates were executed on stone and coloured by Diggles and his niece, Rowena Birkett.

The Waller’s Owl in modern times referred to as the Eastern Grass Owl. A beautiful reclusive and rarely seen bird which is occasionally seen in New South Wales but mainly in Queensland where it hunts the cane fields and grasslands for rodents. A medium sized owl similar to the barn owl. Colouring tan-brown with black, white and orange mottling, long legs which it uses to snatch its prey from dense undergrowth.

The work measures 38cm by 27cm, good hand colouring pretty clean and undamaged. A scarce item.

About Silvester Diggles

Silvester Diggles (1817-1880) artist and musician born in Liverpool, England. He came to Australia in 1853 settling in Brisbane where he taught music and drawing. Diggles was a founder of the Brisbane Choral Society in 1859 and the Philharmonic Society in 1861 known as “the father of music in Brisbane”. Diggles was also a founder of the Queensland Philosophical Society and helped establish the Museum. His greatest work was The Ornithology of Australia. It nearly sent him broke. His health deteriorated worry about finances being a factor. He died at Kangaroo Point in 1880.

Price $490.00 unframed.

An opportunity to own a rare original owl by Queenslander Silvester Diggles.

$490.00

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King of the Australian Coast [Phillip Parker King] – Marsden Hordern

Marsden Hordern’s magnificent book about “the Work of Phillip Parker King in the Mermaid and Bathurst 1817-1822”.

A quality production by the Miegunyah Press. Published in 1998 a second limited release. Large octavo, 441 pages nicely illustrated throughout some in colour many from images drawn or painted by PPK. A heavy book. Eight folding historic maps in facsimile in pocket at rear.

Very good condition.

We agree with the summary of this work .. Phillip Parker King stands with Cook and Flinders in the history of exploration and charting of the Australian coastline. To a degree until this book he has not been given the credit deserved … this sumptuous book makes amends. It is the go to reference of PPK and his time in and around the Australian coastline. A must have and already highly sought after.

Phillip Parker King in Australia in Full.

$90.00

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A Queensland Pair – A Story of Forty Year Ago – Thomas Symon – First and Only 1912 – Extremely Scarce

A soft cover only published in this form. Printed at Brisbane at the Sapsford Printers Adelaide Street. Compact, perfect bound octavo, 184 pages, some foxing nearer the ends generally quite clean and a worthy copy as scarce as hen’s teeth. A few coloured pencil marks around chapter XXII when things get a bit amorous. A bit mind you – this is 1912.

We think effectively self published the authors only book – he was a teacher at Ipswich may have retired before this work.

The brief Preface … “The Following story is founded on personal experience; and, as far as possible, without exaggeration … The characters are real: and as true to life as I could make them …”

Scarce Queensland novel and a bit of a curiosity.

$60.00

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Queensland Illustrated – 70 Exquisite Views – c1925

Published by A. A. White Brisbane and in our opinion the best of the nostalgic promotional books of the early 20thC. We say that as the images are often vanilla, same size pseudo postcard images.

Here we have a mixture of forma and subjects, some with aboriginal people albeit a bit posed .. the railways shots are varied including a super image of the logging train going through the Barron Gorge. Gympie Gold Mine is still active as is Mount Morgan and the bush images prove a good counterbalance to the Brisbane street scenes which are compared with nowadays rather bereft of people. The trams and very limited motor car activity … the odd horse help date this undated publication.

Landscape (30cm x 24cm) 32 pages, original decorative cover. In really good condition given its age – best we have seen.

Voyager’s favourite early Queensland views

$80.00

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Headhunters of the Coral Sea – Ion Idriess – 1955

Idriess scarcity a tale for the young or the “young at heart”. Based on the true story of two young lads captured in the Coral Sea and their subsequent adventures. Based around the shipwreck of the Charles Eaton.

This is the new edition of 1955. Published by Angus and Robertson, octavo 207 pages, plus a list of the passengers and crew of the Charles Eaton and a chart of the cruise of the Isabella rescue ship. Within the text a chart of the Coral Sea – where the boys were wrecked.

Idriess – stories based on truth always have a special interest

$40.00

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The Yellow Joss [Coral Sea, Cape York, Torres Strait] – Ion Idriess – 1942

Waller’s Owl [Australian Eastern Grass owl] -Silvester Diggles – Brisbane – c1870

King of the Australian Coast [Phillip Parker King] – Marsden Hordern

A Queensland Pair – A Story of Forty Year Ago – Thomas Symon – First and Only 1912 – Extremely Scarce

Queensland Illustrated – 70 Exquisite Views – c1925

Headhunters of the Coral Sea – Ion Idriess – 1955

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