Australiana

The Convict Settlers of Australia – Robson

A first edition of this respected book on the subject. Published by the Melbourne University Press in 1965. Octavo, 257 pages, numerous tables of data included as appendices.

We are encouraged by the author to go through the tables in the appendices first before reading the book which is based up a statistical sample derived by way of the informative tables.

The body of the book seeks to define what sort of people made up the mass of the convicts transported and what sort of life they led in Australia. Conclusions that cannot be drawn from google search.

The Australian Convict population analysed and defined.

$30.00

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Tasmanian Aboriginal Place Names – N.J.B. Plomley

Published in the early 1990’s by the Queen Victoria Museum, Launceston, where Plomley was at the time an Honorary Research Assistant and the University of Tasmania. Described as their “Occasional Paper No 3”. Hard to find a copy.

Printed internally on A4 sized paper, ninety-eight pages, staple bound, binder’s tape, orange heavy card covers, Cover image in red from rock carvings at Marrawah, Northwest Tasmania. Fine and clean.

After a brief introduction there are ninety plus pages of Aboriginal place names. Many with possible alternative pronunciations, references and in some cases admissions that the location is not yet (then) known. A brief reverse index appears at the end for those that want to trace back English names to their former true name. Bibliography.

A worthy task would be to revisit those locations where the “location” remains unresolved and well resolve them.

Tasmanian Aboriginal place names – get used to them …

$50.00

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The Aboriginal / Settler Clash in Van Diemen’s Land 1803-1831 – N.J.B. Plomley

Published in 1992 by the Queen Victoria Museum, Launceston, where Plomley was at the time an Honorary Research Assistant and the University of Tasmania. Described as their “Occasional Paper No 6”. Very hard to find a copy.

Printed internally on what A4 sized paper, one hundred pages, staple bound, binder’s tape, cream heavy card covers, image to front on a conflict ex Bonwick. Fine and clean.

The structure of the work is interesting, twenty-six pages of narrative, bibliography, tables of Aboriginal population, rather sad graphs of the decline and the level of incidents which peaked in 1830, numerous maps of Tasmania showing the location of clashes and a lengthy table of the nature of those clashed.

Sobering history not to be ignored …

$50.00

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William Buelow Gould – Convict Artist of Van Diemen’s Land – Garry Darby

Published in 1980 by Copperfield as part of the Art Library.

Large quarto, 136 pages, illustrated not only the plates of artwork, which are magnificent but also in the lengthy introduction about the artist and his work. A fine copy.

William Gould (1803-1853) arrived in Hobart in 1827. Whilst he is known to have been at time a drunken and rebellious convict his work in totality describes a complex individual who undoubtedly had a love for nature.

This is the first effective catalogue of the known works of Gould. Unusual for the period and Australia principally a still life artist (how can you not admire the cat with the fish that grace the jacket) but also luminous landscapes and characterful portraits of Aboriginal people. The biographical details comprise the first eighty pages.

William Gould now a much admired and more understood convict artist.

$75.00

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The Whitehead Letters – Tasmanian Society and Politics 1871-1882

A nice production by the Tasmanian Historical Research Association published under their banner in 1991. Limited to 1,000 copies.

Compiled by Launceston historian Francisca Vernon and edited by Michael Sprod of Blubber Press.

Octavo, 270 pages, illustrated with map, facsimile letter, portraits including from an early photograph of Whitehead. A fine copy.

John Whitehead operated out of a fine country property “Winburn” on the South Esk River near Lymington south-east of Launceston. He was a touch and involved with all the goings on of the period. And, an avid letter writer, many to his English friend Edwin Bowring who had worked on properties in Tasmania and therefore “’knew the ropes”. As was practice with gentry of the period Whitehead kept a copy letter book which made the whole exercise of compilation less tiresome.

One for those with an interest in the history of Tasmania filling in an important and turbulent period in its development.

The Whitehead Letters and important brick in the wall that is the history of Tasmania

$30.00

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The Hunter Sketchbook. Birds & Flowers of New South Wales drawn on The Spot in 1788 89 & 90 By captain John Hunter of the First Fleet.

A really rather beautiful and slightly strangely titled work.

We say strangely titled because we do not have to read far about the original sketchbook, (once owned by the great Rex Nan Kivell and now housed in the Australian National Library) to find that the sketches include fishes and people … and of New South Wales and also Norfolk and Lord Howe islands. Peeking at the reproductions of the sketches we can also see a kangaroo and a dolphin. What is really surprising is the rarity now of some of the birds he drew e.g. the Swift Parrot and we wonder where he saw that bird …

Captain Hunter, to be Governor Hunter, known as a skilled sketch artist through the illustrations in his sought after First Fleet journal .. but these images take one’s understanding and admiration to a whole new level.

No expense spared production limited to 500 copies and with a further 50 sets of unbound plates. Edited by John Calaby with assistance. Published in 1989. Quarto, x, 252 pages with 100 full page colour plates and other illustrations in the lengthy introductions. Bound in quarter calf, raised bands to spine, separate green leather title label, exotic marble paper covered boards, original removable glassine protector, silk ribbon release from original open slip cover. A fine copy.

A special edition from a unique work of historical significance – an Australian National Treasure.

$190.00

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The Convict Settlers of Australia – Robson

Tasmanian Aboriginal Place Names – N.J.B. Plomley

The Aboriginal / Settler Clash in Van Diemen’s Land 1803-1831 – N.J.B. Plomley

William Buelow Gould – Convict Artist of Van Diemen’s Land – Garry Darby

The Whitehead Letters – Tasmanian Society and Politics 1871-1882

The Hunter Sketchbook. Birds & Flowers of New South Wales drawn on The Spot in 1788 89 & 90 By captain John Hunter of the First Fleet.

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