Tasmania and Van Diemens Land

Charles Robbins RN (1782-1805) – Elynor Olijnyk

First edition, self published, classy book by the author a descendant of Charles Robbins.

Octavo. Pictorial covers (no dust jacket issued), 91 pages, end paper charts, illustrated, unusual layout, quality production, fine copy.

Robbins joined the navy at twelve-year old and spent the rest of his life at sea. By the early 1800’s he had worked his way up to exploratory service around the Australian waters. In the Cutter Integrity he discovered the Hunter Group of islands in the Bass Strait off the North-West of Tasmania – Robbins Island is named after him. This was all done before Flinders and Flinders likely upscaled Robbins’ charts.

Much more can be said of his achievements – in 1805 still in command of the Integrity he got involved in war with the Spanish – captured a couple of Galleons – went to South America and was never seen again.

Robbins made a contribution a great story told.
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$35.00

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A Geographical, Historical and Topographical Description of Van Diemen’s Land – by George Evans – First Edition 1822

A very good copy of the first edition of this important early book devoted to Tasmania, published by Souter London in 1822. Octavo, xii, 140 pages with 2 tables and lists plus the famous frontispiece a very early engraved folding view of Hobart after a sketch by the author. Bound in original papered boards [rare to be as issued] with a later somewhat crude calf spine. A hint of foxing and the odd crease otherwise as good a copy as one will find.

Carries the armorial bookplate John Francis Basset (1831-1869), on the front pastedown. The Basset’s were Norman settlers following William the Conquerer. They had a large country home Tehidy Park in Cornwall. A long line of Basset’s were the High Sheriff of Cornwall including John Francis.

and the later bookplate of Salve, Lowenac, Camborne. Cambourne is also in Cornwall and there is a nice Hotel at Lowenac … Salve, we believe, is a local greeting … good wishes, best of health etc.

Title continues… with Important Hints to Emigrants, and Useful Information respecting the Application for Grants of Land; together with a List of the Most Necessary Articles For Persons to Take Out etc. The whole “embellished by a Correct View of Hobart Town”.

Contents include – Advertisement by the Editor (dealing with the Lieutenant Jeffrey’s book that plagiarised Evans). A general description of the discovery and exploration of the island, early population; climate and seasonal issues and a description of its topography and agricultural possibilities; the towns and villages, roads, commerce and field sports and the bushrangers. The appendices detail land granted in the Colony.

A good copy of a scarce early Tasmanian item

$690.00

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The Life of George Bass – Surgeon and Sailor of the Enlightenment – Miriam Estensen – Signed and Inscribed by the Author

Published by Allen & Unwin in 2005. Octavo, 259 pages, nicely illustrated and in fine condition.

A thorough account by the meticulous researcher Miriam Estensen .. the end notes and references take up the last 35 pages.

Boldly signed by the author, on the half title, as a gift to a clearly very good friend

Bass the surgeon, and a good one seemingly, more at home on the waves as an explorer adventurer. Later after much accomplished his adventures turned to money making and off he set for South America only to disappear. And throughout all this his beloved Bess … who he left following his primary passion. Estensen explores all of this and provides insight regarding his whereabouts at the end.

George Bass a truly adventures medic.

$30.00

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Under the Southern Cross – Horace Leaf [Intro by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Spiritualism Down under etc] – First Edition 1923

Scarce book and impossible to find with its dust jacket (albeit chipped). A super copy.

Horace Leaf (1886-1971) was a serious spiritualist, clairvoyant with and interest in psychometry and healing. He was a friend and associate of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – who writes the introduction. The pair worked together to find the missing Agatha Christie and made contact with Lenin when he was on the other side.

Conan Doyle had done his own tour of the Antipodes and had wanted Leaf with him – Leaf couldn’t make it. Afterwards, Conan Doyle persisted with Leaf to make a trip down under … Leaf didn’t think he had the financial wherewithal … Conan Doyle responded by saying he had left five hundred pounds in Australia for Leaf.

The book is a very interesting read. Published by Cecil Palmer, London in 1923. Thick octavo, 263 pages, illustrated from photographs taken on tour. All in excellent condition – accept that there are three strange pin style holes right through the rear board and the last group of pages – strange and almost unnoticeable – could be some strange experiment has taken place?

Leaf arrives in Western Australia and makes himself busy and then off to the Gold Fields; on to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane before a boat to New Zealand, north and south islands. Returning to Sydney he makes a trip to Tasmania [the only addition to the Conan Doyle route].

This all sounds like a regular travel trip but not so. Along the way we have interesting psychic goings on with some startling occurrences particularly the Melbourne readings. Interesting positive references to aboriginal character. Near the end we have a journey up Mt Wellington Hobart to a tea house to have the leaves read by a psychic – who passes the test – this must have been at the Springs Hotel which burned down in the 1967 bush fires.

Leaf wrote Conan Doyle’s obituary published in “Ghost Stories” in October 1930. Unfortunately, Leaf may indirectly have exacerbated Conan Doyle’s health leading to his move to the “other side”.

Psychic tour of Australia by Conan Doyle Associate.

$120.00

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The Men That God Forgot – Richard Butler

First edition published by Hutchinson’s London in 1975. Octavo, 254 pages plus bibliography, end paper maps. Very good condition.

The most remote penal colony in the world was Sarah Island on the west coast of Van Diemen’s Land. In 1833 after eleven years of misery it was decided to close it down and move the convicts to Port Arthur. Ten convicts were commissioned with the task of constructing a Brig to make the voyage around the coast. They saw their chance and seized the vessel and made their escape … but as always there is more to the story.

A well researched highly fact backed novelisation – super read.

The story of the final escape form Sarah’s Island through the Gates of Hell

$30.00

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Hobart-town – Oder Sommerfrilche in den Antipoden (A Summer Holiday in the Antipodes) Ludwig Salvator von Toaskana, Archduke of Austria – Signed as a gift by the Author

Signed boldly by the author “The Count Archduke Ludwig Salvator to W. M. Middleton”.

Published privately in Prague, printed by Mercy, 1886. Quarto sized 286 pages after preliminaries with 6 text xylographs (woodcuts). 23 (1 tri-folded) xylograph full page plates and 1 color lithographed map. Faded spine and some wear to covers, else a good copy of a very scarce item complete and original. Limited to 400 copies.2

Begins with a general history and covers climate (klima), geology, plants (pftanzan), animals, aboriginals (eingenborenen) … farming, trade, education etc. Interesting references made including Rev Spicer on Tasmanian Plants, Bonwick “Daily Life …”, Marcus Clarke, Fenton, Louisa Anne Meridith etc.

Ludwig Salvator (1847 – 1915) was the grandson of Grand Duke Ferdinand III of Tuscany. He left Tuscany with his family in 1859, received legal training, and devoted himself to natural sciences and nautical interests. Later he took his residence in Majorca and traveled extensively in the Mediterranean, as well as overseas. Ludwig Salvator conducted extensive correspondences, including Jules Verne, who included him as the title figure of his novel Mathias Sandorf. As well as his estates on Majorca (now owned by Actor Michael Douglas) he owned substantial properties in Austria-Hungary, France, Spain and Egypt.

The book contains many interesting views xylographed from original drawings by Count Eugene Storza, Chamberlain to the Duke. The tri-folding panorama of the “View looking South from Mount Romny” is rather special. The map shows Hobart and its surroundings and is based that of F.J. Evans.

Rare Hobart collectable with unique illustrations of views.

$380.00

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Charles Robbins RN (1782-1805) – Elynor Olijnyk

A Geographical, Historical and Topographical Description of Van Diemen’s Land – by George Evans – First Edition 1822

The Life of George Bass – Surgeon and Sailor of the Enlightenment – Miriam Estensen – Signed and Inscribed by the Author

Under the Southern Cross – Horace Leaf [Intro by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Spiritualism Down under etc] – First Edition 1923

The Men That God Forgot – Richard Butler

Hobart-town – Oder Sommerfrilche in den Antipoden (A Summer Holiday in the Antipodes) Ludwig Salvator von Toaskana, Archduke of Austria – Signed as a gift by the Author

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