Australiana

Reminiscences of an Australian Pioneer – Robert Barton [Uncle of Banjo Patterson] – 1917

Barton’s reminiscences – a “squatter of the olden days”. Born in 1842 in the central West belonging to the first generation to follow the original land-takers in the west.

Barton, was an uncle to Banjo Patterson and spent his life in New south Wales and Queensland. His portrait as frontispiece is rather dull but his life was not.

By 1840 the squattocracy was firmly ‘landed’ and well-to-do. Barton looks back positively to the convict origins of his family’s assigned men. As a young man in his twenties the bushrangers Frank Gardiner and Ben Hall bushranging gangs were part of his life. Later he is confronted by the trade union movement and striking shearers.

First edition published by Tyrrells, Sydney in 1917. Octavo, vii, 288 pages with portrait of author. Original purple cloth rather standard binding, spine faded as usual with the plum coloured dye. Pages toned but clean and some age to ends, ownership details on front ends and the odd helpful annotation from an informed early owner – likely first. Scarce and worthwhile copy.

One on the best Australian Pioneering stories

$90.00

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Raymond Howgego’s Monumental reference on the Exploration of Australia and Beyond.

Four Massive volumes which we regard complete, as they contain all the factual works [Howgego also produced a book on fictional travel]. Published progressively by Hordern House.

Land and sea exploration from the earliest days to circa 1940. Over four thousand pages in all with surely every event and fact worthy of mention. In pristine condition, weighing over 11 kgs so postage will be circa $80.00 at cost.

Raymond Howgego was teacher of physics before he gave that up to become a full-time traveller and travel writer. Possibly put down more words than any other living person. Seemingly can handle almost all European languages and Arabic and probably a few others. He still has an interest in amateur radio and fixing electronic items … we withhold his call sign, but you can find it if you try.

As new comprehensive definitive history of Exploration.

$480.00

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Autobiography of Australia’s Great Aviator – Sir Gordon Taylor – First Edition

A particularly good copy of the first edition of this desirable autobiography published by Cassell in 1963.

Subtitled – “A famous aviator’s personal story of pioneering aviation: 1916 to 1951”.

Octavo, 366 pages, illustrated from period photographs.

Gordan Taylor (1896-1966) was one of those adventurous Aussies, one of the few that flew in WWI – he won the Military Cross [the Air Force was part of the Army in those days]. So, his story starts in 1916 at the age of twenty. On return to Australia, he pursued his passion for flying with vigour – teaming up with Charles Kingsford-Smith there are many adventures. One of which saw him out of the aircraft [Southern Cross] over the Tasman Sea shifting oil from one engine to the other, in a thermos flask, in order to make terra firma.

Lots more.

Gordon Taylor – one of the great pioneering aviation heroes

$90.00

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The Prehistory of Australia – D.J. Mulvaney

John Mulvaney (1925-2016) was born and educated in Victoria and went on to study archaeology at Cambridge. On return to Australia, he devoted hid academic career to understanding and recording Aboriginal pre-history.

This is a first edition of his most popular work on the subject published by Thames & Hudson, London in 1969.

Squat quarto, 276 pages, a super near fine copy in a nice dust jacket, top edge stained blue as required of the first printing. Profusely illustrated with maps, technical drawing, and photographic images.

Mulvaney, a wealth of understanding and information

$50.00

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The Fossil Fishes of the Hawkesbury Series at Gosford – Robert Etheridge Jnr – 1890

A very good copy of this rare report issued by the New South Wales Department of Mines – Memoirs of the Geological Survey of New South Wales – Palaeontology No 4.

Thick hard cover, cloth crimped spine, as issued. Large format 30 cm x 25 cm.

Begins proper with a letter from Wilkinson Geological Surveyor in Charge to the Minister setting out the background and content. A railway was being built in the Hawkesbury region, and a superb group of fish fossil remains were found … they were examined by non-other than T. W. Edgeworth David who provides a “Stratigraphical Note” as an introduction along with a geological section of the “find”.

55 pages of scientific narrative are followed by ten full page plates on very thick paper / card with interwoven explanatory notes. An impressive set of engravings lithographed by Berjeau & Highley printed by Mintern Bros.

Philibert Charles Berjeau [1845-1927] was a leading London based natural history lithographer who worked hand in hand with Percy Highley [1856-1929]; the printers Mintern Bros were also London based and produced work of a high technical standard including John Gould’s Birds of New Guinea.

Rare work edited by Etheridge introduced by Edgeworth David and lithographed by a top London outfit.

$140.00

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Bush Tram-Ways & Private Railways of Tasmania – J.G. Branagan.

Self-published by Branagan in 1992.

A fine copy, softcover, perfect bound, 174 pages, profusely illustrated from period images, and lots of maps of tracks etc.

Cover the period 1850 to 1960 and we doubt there has been much missed by an author thoroughly immersed in his task.

Cover every region of Tasmania and the number of lines referenced too many to count … and the mining industry, of course, features heavily.

Bush-Tramways – love it

$30.00

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Reminiscences of an Australian Pioneer – Robert Barton [Uncle of Banjo Patterson] – 1917

Raymond Howgego’s Monumental reference on the Exploration of Australia and Beyond.

Autobiography of Australia’s Great Aviator – Sir Gordon Taylor – First Edition

The Prehistory of Australia – D.J. Mulvaney

The Fossil Fishes of the Hawkesbury Series at Gosford – Robert Etheridge Jnr – 1890

Bush Tram-Ways & Private Railways of Tasmania – J.G. Branagan.

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