Biography/ autobiography

James Fenton of Forth – A Tasmanian Pioneer 1820-1901 – One of 100 special bound, signed and numbered copies.

This magnificent and substantial book was complied and edited by the subjects descendant Paul Fenton as a celebration of the 100th year of the great man’s death. Effectively self published with no cost spared.

Limited overall to 800 copies. This part of a special first 100 copies specially quarter bound in Buckram with Brillianta spine and signed and numbered by Paul Fenton – this number 48.

Folio, 454 pages, profusely illustrated. A fine, as new copy, in a fine protected dust jacket. A heavy book that will require a distance postage supplement.

James Fenton was not only a pioneer and traveller through unmapped territory in Tasmania he penned some interesting accounts of his travel and one of the few dependable histories of Tasmania, still very much collectable and referenced by all serious historian.

Signed limited numbered edition – we cannot find another one.

$160.00

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Exchange of Letters between Sir Leslie Orme Wilson and the Maharaja of Gondal on the former’s appointment as the Governor of Bombay – 1923. Subsequently Wilson to become Governor of Queensland

An official exchange along with a corrected draft from the Maharaja so clearly from the files of his office.

Military man and parliamentarian Leslie Orme Wilson (1876- 1955) was appointed Governor of Bombay (1923-1926). His formal advice to His Highness Sir Bhagwatsinhji Sagramji – Thakor Saheb of Gondal ((1865-1944) was sent dated 13 December 1923 on the rather striking elaborately bordered paper of the day and regime. It is framed with a “Friendly disposition”.

The delightful response was not made until 5th February the following year and I have no doubt there may have been an underlying message despite the responses carefully crafted words “great pleasure to receive the assurance of the friendly disposition”. We also like the fact that the Maharaja’s similarly elaborate paper has retained far more gold over the years than his British counterpart.

There relationship did in indeed prove friendly and Wilson was “sent on” to Brisbane to become it’s longest serving Governor from 1932 through the war years to 1946. He was the head honcho in the Queensland masons and did a lot of tress planting including sone of the nice ones down around the beginning of Coronation drive – have they survived the continuous development?

An unusual and friendly piece of history with a Queensland connection

$80.00

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The Convict King (Jorgen Jorgenson) – James Francis Hogan – Rare Walch of Hobart issue 1891.

Rather scarce and no wonder given the paper wrappers. The long title worth detailing

The Convict King being The Romantic Life and Adventures of Jorgen Jorgenson who was for a time Monarch of Iceland, helped to Discover Bass Strait, was at the Founding of Hobart etc etc. and Closed His Extraordinary Career in the Hobart Hospital in 1845.

Published by J Walch & Sons, Tasmania. No date but 1891. Authority Ferguson 104889.

Interestingly for a book published by the famous Hobart printing firm – this book was actually printed by Kelly of London and Kingston on Thames, England.

Octavo, 235 pages, with advertisements for other contemporary Walch publications in the ends and on the back cover. Splitting a bit down the spine edge, now repaired and secured with acid free archival Japan paper.

Published as part of Walch’s Series of Books on Old Van Diemen’s Land – No 3. A very good copy despite any deficiencies given its rarity and obvious vulnerability.

The story of Jorgen Jorgenson is a full and strange one – at first hid life appears surely a fiction … but no this man was out for adventure and mixed with many who were making their own mark on the World and its History.

The Convict King a scarce edition for sure.

$180.00

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My Memoirs Laced with East Coast Tales of Van Diemens Land [Tasmania] – Edward Shaw.

A super memoir. Self published in the year 2000 by the author. Larger format softcover 137 pages. A very good near fine copy. Frontispiece facsimile map of 1825 by Souter. Images from original photographs and sketches throughout.

A bit of an old fashioned rendition about folks and what they got up to and who was related to who and did what. Having said that you cannot but get a warm feeling for Edward Shaw by the time you finish and the East Coast of Tasmania feels more like home as it should be.

East Coast of Tasmania and who was who and a beautiful place

$25.00

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Martin Cash – Life After Bushranging – Maree Ring

A unusual item, an extended pamphlet really all about Tasmania’s favourite bushranger Martin Cash. Not so much his goings on in his early days of bushranging (although there is a good snippet of that) but more about his time in New Zealand and then later on return to Hobart.

Written from a sympathetic viewpoint, as often the case with Cash. We are not sure quite why that is the case. For sure he is supposed to have had a soft spot for women and we guess in return women had and still have a soft spot for him.

However, and it’s a big however … when in NZ he seemed to spend most of his time forming and running brothels (yes plural). In fact in the end he was given the big tip off to leave the country … forcing his return to Tasmania. His illicit activities paid him well and he was able to purchase a smallholding up the back of New Town … he spent most of his leisure time in the pubs of Salamanca … well don’t we all.

Self published Hobart in 1993. Softcover, stitched, 41 pages with some useful and relevant illustrations. We like the unpretentious writing of the researcher author. A fine copy.

Martin Cash – the final story – and an interesting one too.

Postage will be reduced on this item on final billing.

$20.00

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A Convict Story – The Lost Lives of Lyra and William Sykes – “These few lines” – Graham Seal

Published by ABC Books, Sydney in 2006. This book took twenty year of research in England and Australia a narrative based around fragments of the separated lives of Lyra and William Sykes.

Living in northern England, William Sykes was a poacher and during such an escapade he got into an altercation and killed the gamekeeper. His penalty was transportation to the Swan River in Western Australia.

Octavo, 234 pages, nicely illustrated with images of letters exchanges, journals and places relevant to both Myra and William. Fine condition.

Interesting convict story well researched, written and presented.

$20.00

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James Fenton of Forth – A Tasmanian Pioneer 1820-1901 – One of 100 special bound, signed and numbered copies.

Exchange of Letters between Sir Leslie Orme Wilson and the Maharaja of Gondal on the former’s appointment as the Governor of Bombay – 1923. Subsequently Wilson to become Governor of Queensland

The Convict King (Jorgen Jorgenson) – James Francis Hogan – Rare Walch of Hobart issue 1891.

My Memoirs Laced with East Coast Tales of Van Diemens Land [Tasmania] – Edward Shaw.

Martin Cash – Life After Bushranging – Maree Ring

A Convict Story – The Lost Lives of Lyra and William Sykes – “These few lines” – Graham Seal

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