Curiosities

Deco Howdah Elephant Bookends – Aronson 1923

A nice collectable pair of art deco howdah elephant bookends in the rare multi-coloured finish by Aronson (formerly Art Metal Works) and then later the Ronson Company – USA 1923

These are small bookends for small books or decorative effect on the bookshelf in the library or the bedroom – one of our regular customer’s coined the phrase bedroom bookends and we got it.

Good condition with some bright colouring albeit with some loss of the blue enamel on the base likely from over cleaning – always wipe elephants gently.

Deco era bookends for the bedroom – something showy and different

$260.00

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Deco Dancing Lady Bookends – Armor Bronze – 1920’s

Armor Bronze operated out of 5th Avenue New York during the 1920’s.

The general style for of this bookend was popular and copied by a number of makers. However, most if not all were not so charmingly crafted and had hollow or flat backs whilst this example is a full three-dimensional casting. It is in a class of its own – original from the period so some age patina … authentic.

The Deco Lady is the essence of what one imagines of the era, bobbed hair, sleek boyish body with the taught attributes of the professional dancer.

Medium in size being 18cm wide and 12 cm high each weighing 1.4kg so deceivingly hefty. Not the girl!

Probably the best example of the Art Deco Dancing Lady

SO SORRY SOLD

$360.00

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The Malinsay Massacre – A Murder Mystery Dennis Wheatley

Originally published in 1936 – this is a faithful 1980’s reproduction of this unique work by Dennis Wheatley.

Murder after murder amongst the aristocracy of lonely Scottish island has everyone baffled.

Here we have all the clues laid out in front of us in the form of a the law enforcement case file with original letters, notes, plans, photographs and even the arsenic tablet (from which the poison has been extracted to save you from harm, etc etc – it is guaranteed to leave you scratching your head until the end. A little bit of age but nothing to spoil the fun or intrigue.

Nothing on google will assist you in working this one out – the sealed section with the solution is unbroken – don’t peak!.

$80.00

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A Strange Career – The Life and Adventures of J. G. Jebb [South America and Mexico] – 1895

John Gladwyn Jebb led as an adventurous life as could be possible. This book was compiled by his widow and carries the introduction of none other than possibly the greatest adventure writer H Rider Haggard.

English born Jebb’s adventures began as a military man in India. Soon he was conducting privately funded explorations into Central and Southern America. Involved in numerous business dealings… helped to start White Line … was in involved in armaments. He moved to the US and the Wild West … bear hunting, gold mining and a few conflicts with local bandits and Indians. Off to Mexico to make his fortune gold mining (made it and lost it) and much of the later part of the books is about his times in Mexico padded a bit with history of the region.

Published by Blackwood, Edinburgh in 1895 octavo, 271 pages, frontispiece of the great man, illustrated by John Wallce. Pictorial boards nice but a little rubbed especially at the tips. Overall, still a particularly good copy of a rather hard to find book.

Inspiration for Rider Haggard – John Jebb Adventurer

$50.00

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Murder Off Miami A New Era in Crime fiction – Dennis Wheatley

A Voyager favourite .. super intriguing.

Originally published in 1936 – this is a faithful 1979 re-issue of this unique work by Dennis Wheatley.

The most sinister death of multi-millionaire soap powder king Bolitho Blane on board the luxury yacht Golden Gull off Miami looks suspicious. Has he committed suicide or is foul play involved?

Here we have all the clues laid out in front of us in the form of a the law enforcement case file – it is guaranteed to leave you scratching your head until the end – nothing on google will assist you in working this one out.

A “sealed section” reveals the solution – do not peek until you are absolutely exhausted.

$80.00

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Clay Pipes from Port Arthur 1830-1877 – Maureen Byrne’s 1977-1978 Excavations at Port Arthur – Descriptive Account by Alexandra Dane and Richard Morrison.

Maureen Byrne was emerging as one of Australia’s best archaeologists before she tragically died from a terrible asthma attack in 1978, she was only 24-year-old. [See also our copy of her work on the Ross Bridge]

The massive collection of clay pipe fragments she found are held at Port Arthur. Dane and Morrison produced this thorough analysis. Published by the Department of Prehistory at the ANU, Canberra – Technical Bulletin No 2 – issued in 1979.

Large sized, original wrappers, spiral bound fifty-five pages with eleven pages of plates covering a multitude of examples.

Port Arthur established as a convict settlement in 1830 and remained so for a quarter of a century, after that it was a home for the poor and those with metal health issues. This work identifies that at some time it was likely a home for a number of military officers.

The pipes [over a thousand of them] were mainly made in Scotland which in the Victorian era was the centre of such pipe making in the World. Makers are identified – Mc Dougall, Murray, Coghill, Burns etc and the many decorative bowls that followed such lines as heraldic, heads, botanicals etc.

An unusual subject the detail of which could make you the star of the next dinner party – do people still have dinner parties?

Port Arthur its history through the pipes left behind.

$40.00

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Deco Howdah Elephant Bookends – Aronson 1923

Deco Dancing Lady Bookends – Armor Bronze – 1920’s

The Malinsay Massacre – A Murder Mystery Dennis Wheatley

A Strange Career – The Life and Adventures of J. G. Jebb [South America and Mexico] – 1895

Murder Off Miami A New Era in Crime fiction – Dennis Wheatley

Clay Pipes from Port Arthur 1830-1877 – Maureen Byrne’s 1977-1978 Excavations at Port Arthur – Descriptive Account by Alexandra Dane and Richard Morrison.

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