19th Century and Prior Classics

The Private History of the Court of England – An Expose – Sarah Green – 1808

Two volumes, second “corrected” edition published by the Author. Small, 287, 252 pages bound in contemporary half red roan, with really rather striking marbled paper rubbed a little at joints and ends, very clean internally, a very good set of a rare item.

A political satire, secret history and sexual expose exploring the sexual morality of Regency Society through a historical novel based on King Edward IV. Irish born, Sarah Green (1790-1825) wrote this at an early age … people grew up more quickly then. Sadly she died young. Although we can find references to novels she purportedly wrote around the time of her birth so we question the official record.

Rare expose on Regency Society ………. Sure to entertain ..

$140.00

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The Poetical Works of Oliver Goldsmith -1791

This is a single volume from Goldsmith’s Works published by Morison, Perth and Edinburgh.

What makes it interesting as a single volume is that it contains all of his Poetical works along with his narrative on Lord Bolingbroke and Dr Parnell.

Bound in full original calf with separate red leather title and a volume label. Small octavo, 209 pages, with two full page copper engraved plates. Page edges speckled the whole generally in very good antiquarian condition.

Some quite lengthy and beautiful poems such as … the Deserted Village, the Traveller, the Hermit … and some amusing ones … A Description of an Author’s Bed-Chamber, the haunch of Venison and we quote here partly due to brevity … Epitaph on Edward Purdon

Here lies poor Ned Purdon, from misery freed,
Who long was a bookseller’s hack;
He led such a damnable life in this world, -
I don’t think he’ll wish to come back.

Goldsmith explains … This gentleman was educated at Trinity College, Dublin; but having wasted his patrimony, he enlisted as a foot soldier. Growing tired of that employment, he obtained his discharge, and became a scribbler in the newspapers. He translated Voltaire’s Henriade.

Oliver Goldsmith interesting Poetry and funnier than you thought.

$60.00

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The Cruise of the “Cachalot” Round the World after Sperm Whales – Frank Bullen – 1899

Published by Smith and Elder, a second edition, London 1899 in the more upmarket binding with the striking gilt whale to the front board.

Large octavo, 380 pages with 7 pages of plates and a folding map.

Bullen, a homeless waif, went so sea at twelve years old. After six years he landed at New Bedford, Massachusetts where he secured a berth on the “Cachalot” a whaler that would be his home for the next three years. A ripping yarn of fact and fiction actually based on the authors experiences on the “Splendid” of New Bedford in whaling grounds off “the Solanders, Vau Vau and the Australian Gulf”.

Admired by Rudyard Kipling as the best Whaling Narrative.

Best Whaling Story according to Kipling

$140.00

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Charlotte Barton: Australia’s First Children’s Author – Marcie Muir

A nice piece of work by Marcie Muir, font of all knowledge regarding Australian Children’s Books.

A 35-page octavo card covered pamphlet published by Wentworth Books, 1980. A limited edition of 500 copies this one not numbered or signed so we are not sure if that is correct. A very nice copy.

It was originally thought, an recorded by Ferguson, that the author of the first Australian children’s book “A Mother’s Offering to her Children” published Sydney 1841 was Lady Gordan Bremer. This work by Marcie proves beyond doubt that it was in fact Charlotte Barton. Drawing on a number of sources including Mrs Mins and Mrs Fanning both who wrote to Marcie the author pieces together the evidence and presents it in a very readable, entertaining and informative way. We like it!

Charlotte Barton proven as first Australian children’s author.

Postage will be reduced to cost appropriately on this light weight item.

$20.00

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The Jason Voyage – the Quest for the Golden Fleece – Tim Severin

Published by Guild Publishing, London 1985. Octavo, 263 pages well illustrated and with charts etc. A very good near fine copy.

13th century BC and Jason sets sail in his galley to find the Golden Fleece. Legend or fact? From Greece across the Aegean through the Dardanelles and Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus and up along the Black Sea all the way to Colchis were Jason found the “fleece”’ and his bride Medea.

Tim Severin had already tested the legend of St Brendan who sailed a leather boat from Ireland to America. And repeated the voyages of Sinbad. For Jason he built a twenty-oar galley and repeated the 1,500 mile voyage … a few volunteer oarsmen were required! Superb mytho-archaeology [our word]

Tim Severin put it all into Jason and proved the possibility

$25.00

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Il Pentamerone; or, The Tale of Tales – Basile – Translated Sir Richard Burton KCMG – First and Limited Edition – 1893

Being a Translation by the Late Sir Richard Burton, K.C.M.G., of Il Pentamerone;OveroLo Cuntode Li Cunte, Trattenemiento de Li Peccerille, of Giovanni Battista Basile, Count of Torne (Gian Alessio Abbattutis).

First edition in two volumes published by Henry and Co, London 1893. Published posthumously by his devoted wife Lady Burton.

A limited edition of 1,500 copies. Two volumes, octavo, 282 pages, [283]-562 pages. Original dark blue (near black) buckram cloth, gilt lettered. Minor rubbing to spine ends. Overall a very good clean set of a sought after Burton work.

The stories in the Pentamerone were collected by Basile and published posthumously by his sister Adriana in Naples in 1634 and 1636 under the pseudonym Abbatutis. The stories were later adapted by a number of authors including the Brothers Grimm who acknowledged the use of stories in the Pentamerone in Cinderella, Rapunzel, Puss in Boots, Sleeping Beauty and Hansel and Gretel.

Basile recorded the stories in Neapolitan and is regarded as the first writer to record the Neapolitan intonations. The style is heavily Baroque with many metaphorical expressions.

The term Pentameone comes from the Greek “pente” or five and “hemera” day. The work is set within a “frame story” with fifty separate tales being told over the course of five days … referencing Baccaccio’s Decameron of 1353 which has a ten day structure.

Beautiful stories translated by the genius that was Sir Richard Burton. Limited first edition.

$170.00

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The Private History of the Court of England – An Expose – Sarah Green – 1808

The Poetical Works of Oliver Goldsmith -1791

The Cruise of the “Cachalot” Round the World after Sperm Whales – Frank Bullen – 1899

Charlotte Barton: Australia’s First Children’s Author – Marcie Muir

The Jason Voyage – the Quest for the Golden Fleece – Tim Severin

Il Pentamerone; or, The Tale of Tales – Basile – Translated Sir Richard Burton KCMG – First and Limited Edition – 1893

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