Anthropology

Fourth Archbold Expedition to New Guinea 1953 – Brass

Results of the Archbold Expeditions No 75. Summary of the Fourth Archbold Expedition to New Guinea (1953)

The Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, New York. Published 1956. Quarto, soft cover with standard blue wrapper, 152 pages illustrated from photographs with an annotated sketch map of the locations explored. Distinguished anthropologist Brain J Egloff’s copy. Wrappers a little aged, internally very good.

Richard Archbold (1907-1976), American zoologist, was from a wealthy background. He attended Columbia University but never finished his formal training. Before WWII he funded three substantial expeditions to New Guinea. One of the members of his team was the Toowoomba born Leonard Brass (1900-1971) a brilliant botanist. After the War the expeditions resumed with three further expeditions completed in New Guinea under the leadership of Brass. This is the “Summary” of the Fourth Expedition – 1953. Before the War Brass had moved to Canada and then the USA where he became a citizen, working closely with Archbold. He was a curator of the Archbald Collection housed and the American Museum of Natural History.

Brian Egloff has had an inspiring career, assisting the National Museum of PNG, Port Arthur in Tasmania and the preservation and restoration of the Tam Ting Caves in Laos. He has published several interesting books … our choice being “The Bones of the Ancestors – The Ambum Stone” which centres on a 3,000-year-old New Guinea artefact that made its way to Australia.

In this the Fourth Expedition, Brass and his team are in the far eastern parts of Papua around the Cape Vogel Peninsula. Between Collingwood Bay and the central range at Mt Dayman and out to Goodenough Island in the D’Entrecasteaux Group and parts of Ferguson Island. Brass’s reports are written in a very readable style and whilst containing the scientific information expected (they collected close to 90,000 specimens) his general narrative of the trekking and observations along the way are very enjoyable.

Fundamental New Guinea record – Fourth Archbold

$50.00

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The Sexual Life of Savages in North-Western Melanesia – Bronislaw Malonowski

Bronislaw Malinowski’s landmark book about the sexual life of the people of the Trobriand Islands. Papua New Guinea.

A third edition published in 1932 by Routledge, London after the first of 1929. Contains the important lengthy “Special Forward” by the author who was unhappy that the book had been sensationalised regarding its sexual content, and that his objective of the “synthesis, integration of details, the correlation of aspects, the whole functional mechanism in short was missed”. Time has corrected that and he would be happy now that this important book is more fully understood and appreciated

Large, royal octavo, 505 pages after extensive forwards and preliminaries. Original salmon cloth covered binding, gilt title to spine, faded. Foxing to title and page edges otherwise clean. Complete with map, 91 illustrations from photographic and four figures

Malinowski gives a detailed description of the social organisation of sexuality (social rites, partner choice etc). Tracing the Trobriand life cycle from birth through puberty, marriage and death. At the time of publication chapters such as “Lovemaking and the Psychology of Erotic Life” which includes “The Conversations of Two Lovers” and “Erotic Approaches” were considered rather racy requiring this book to be issued with a special notice indicating to booksellers that it was a work reserved for academic and research purposes. Malinowski argues that the unusual (“co-operative” – our word) lifestyle of the Trobriand Islanders proved the Freudian Oedipus complex is not universal.

Malinowski broadened our minds in the Trobriands

$120.00

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The Journals of Thomas Williams Missionary in Fiji 1840-1853 – 2 Vols – G.C. Henderson – First Editions1931

A fine first edition set published by Angus $ Robertson, Sydney in 1931. Large octavo, 278 and 279- 606 pages. Very good if not fine condition. With an annotation of the free endpaper by the author “With the Author’s compliments to his fellow Sabbath-breaker on the xxx links 20/11/31”

Carries the heraldic bookplate of Sir Howard Watson Lloyd, Bank of Adelaide etc and old boy of St Peters surely Australia’s best school.

Thomas Williams recorded in the finest and most intimate detail his observations of and interactions with native Fijians in the first half of the 19th Century. His manuscript accounts are held in the Mitchell Library. The author Henderson a noted expert on Fiji trawled over these difficult to read documents and other related items held in London to produce as complete a work as possible.

Starting from his humble home in Horncastle, England Thomas Williams set out across the world … after a lengthy introduction which deals with this background and a few brief notes on the voyage out we find him on the Fijian Island of Lakemba and then Somosomo and Mbua Bay. Thomas Williams was by no means a brilliant artist, but he left many sketches now in the Michel which have been used as illustrations and bring the narrative alive. The whole embellished with maps, charts and later photographs of localities.

Included a couple of ephemeral scraps in the authors had writing … one has written “Quite recently the British Admiralty has paid me two very gratifying compliments in the publication of their Fijian charts: following certain information given in my last book” … nice work.

Henderson on Williams essential Fiji – Nice copies with author inscription.

$120.00

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Hokule’a The Way to Tahiti – Ben Finney.

Published by Dodd. Mead & Co, New York a first edition 1979. Octavo, 310 pages with numerous illustrations from photographs as well as charts, diagrams drawings etc.

A fine first edition of Professor Ben Finney’s book … about the re-construction of an ancient double-hull Polynesian canoe to sail and prove the theory of early navigation between Hawaii and Tahiti. An exercise that proved very difficult with cultural and personal arguments getting in the way at almost every step. Makes for interesting reading as does the account of the successful voyage .. written well and nicely illustrated.

Professor Ben Finney (1933-2017) was pretty remarkable man. Professor of Anthropology who held positions at a number of Universities including the ANU. He spent most of his life in Hawaii and regarded as the world’s greatest authority on surfing history … the sport of Hawaiian Kings.

Maritime History Proven by Ben Finney

$35.00

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In Unknown New Guinea – W.J.V. Saville (Intro Malinowski) – First Edition 1926

Longer title explains … In Unknown New Guinea – A Record of Twenty-Five Years of Personal Observation & Experience Amongst the Interesting People of an Almost Unknown Part of the Vast Island & a Description of Their Manners & Customs, Occupations in Peace & Method of Warfare, Their Secret Rites & Public Ceremonies.

Published by Seeley, London in 1926 a first edition.

Thick octavo, 316 pages and sixty very good illustrations mainly from period photographs, folding map near rear. Original red cloth covered binding with the striking gilt design to the front. Very good if not better condition.

A superb work based the authors lengthy experiences on and around Mailu Island. To have the introduction written by the great anthropologist of the era Bronislaw Malinowski is testament to its quality and importance.

Rare early New Guinea Anthropology

$140.00

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Melanesians and Polynesians – Their Life Histories Described and Compared – George Brown – First 1910

Hard to find first edition published in 1910. George Brown had published his autobiography “George Brown, Pioneer Missionary and Explorer” two years earlier. Brown had spent time in Samoa (1860-1874) was the first European to live in New Britain and New Ireland (1875-1880). After New Britain he spent time in the Solomon Islands from where he visited the broader Pacific Island Groups.

An important anthropological work. Published by Macmillan, London. Royal octavo, 451 pages, with 70 illustration from original photographs, many rather special. Bound in original light green cloth covered boards with a gilt image of a carved bowl to the front. Very good condition.

The chapters build progressively … the Islands in which the People live; Homes and Families; Childhood and early life; Food Cooking and Cannibalism; Wars Disease and Medicines; Religion; Magic Witchcraft Omens and Superstitions; Morals Crimes and Covenants; Government Laws and Tabu; Arithmetic Money Measure and Trade; Property Ornament and Industry; Hunting Fishing Agriculture and Games; History and Mythology; Language; Sickness Death and Burial. The beginning to the end in a readable and fully informed style.

George Brown no better first hand knowledge – fundamental work on the Melanesian and Polynesian People – one of our most treasured books

$150.00

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Fourth Archbold Expedition to New Guinea 1953 – Brass

The Sexual Life of Savages in North-Western Melanesia – Bronislaw Malonowski

The Journals of Thomas Williams Missionary in Fiji 1840-1853 – 2 Vols – G.C. Henderson – First Editions1931

Hokule’a The Way to Tahiti – Ben Finney.

In Unknown New Guinea – W.J.V. Saville (Intro Malinowski) – First Edition 1926

Melanesians and Polynesians – Their Life Histories Described and Compared – George Brown – First 1910

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