Curiosities

Utopias and Imaginary Voyages to Australasia – John Dunmore

Who else could be more qualified to write and present on this subject at the National Library of Australia than John Dunmore?

Octavo, card cover of 23 delicious pages, the text of Dunmore’s lecture of 2nd September 1987, published by the N.L.A. the following year. A fine copy.

From Joseph Hall’s “Mundas Alter et Idem’ the first utopian account to be set in the Antipodes, with mentions of La Perouse and “Fragmens” … Aldous Huxley is a bit of a drift … then back to Utopian reality and the Adventures of Alexander Venderchurch and many more esoteric accounts before back to the likes of Gulliver and that endearing Swiss Family.

A special lecture by Dunmore on down under Utopia – wish I had been there.

$30.00

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Medal in Celebration of the Discovery of the Johnstone River, Queensland in 1873.

Produced in 1973 the celebrate the 100 year anniversary of George Elphinstone Dalrymple’s Discovery.

Cast in coppered bronze by K G Luke. 50 mm in diameter, weighing 48 gm, very good condition.

Nice design of the North and South Johnson combining and meandering down to the Pacific Ocean through heavily wooded hilly terrain. A very clear horizon, and in the sky above the explorers full name and commemorative dates the full commemorative details in a border around the edge. On the reverse a Floral and scroll design, presumably to take the engraved name of any recipient – here still blank.

The designer is associated with Sir Kenneth George Lake (1896-1971) who had a very successful business making all things requiring metal design … he was also an important identity in sports administration in Australian particularly the AFL.

George Elphinstone Dalrymple was a legendary explorer, pioneer and pastoralist in northern Queensland. See Robert Logan Jack’s Northmost Australia for a good account of his efforts. He named the Johnstone River in 1873 in honour of Robert Johnstone of the Native Police who had carried out his handy work in the region. Unusually, the river had already been named by Captain Moresby a year or two earlier … his name the Gladys did not stick, thankfully. The Johnstone is a spectacular part of Australia .. the rivers are subject to exceedingly high rainfall and make for the very best of white water rafting. The confluence of the North and South is about five km west of the town of Innisafail. If you go there … watch out for salty crocodiles.

Very good uncirculated condition, strong relief.

Celebrating Northern Queensland Exploration

$90.00

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Maps of the Canary Islands Published before 1850 – C Broekema

The Map Collectors’ Circle publication published Nos 74 by C. Broekema in 1971. Very good condition with T.M. Perry, Australian map expert’s stamp on the front cover.

147 maps identified over 24 pages plus 13 plates of prime historical and decorative examples. Very good condition and a hard one to find.

The Canaries has always held a special place in hearts of travellers and cartographers. Known in antiquity and actively visited by Europeans from the 14thC. Appears on the Medici Portlan map of 1351. On the Hereford Mappamundi it is named “Insulae fortunatae sancti Brandani” … the “Fortunate Isles” moniker dates back to Hesiod, who spoke of the islands where perpetual summer reigned.

Canary Islands more than just a holiday. Perry’s copy.

$25.00

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Decorative Map of Van Diemen’s Island or Tasmania – Circa 1851 – by John Tallis

An original John Tallis map of Van Diemen’s Land – Tasmania. The best example.

Tallis maps represent the high point of Victorian decorative map making.

Very good condition 37cm by 27cm. Published by John Tallis & Co, London & New York. The map drawn and engraved by John Rapkin. The illustrations drawn by H Warren and engraved by J Rogers.

This is the final state of the map with vignettes of Hobart Town (Note on the map referred to as Hobarton), a curious looking Thylacine or Tasmanian Tiger, the Van Diemen’s Land Company’s Agent Residence Circular Head in the North West and Numismatic Seal. Note this is the superior issue without the central fold often seen and accepted.

Refer map authority, R.V. Tooley the “Printed Maps of Tasmania” reference number 428.

A very good example, nicely an delicately coloured. An important map for any serious Australian map collection

Price unframed $290.00

Collectable Tallis Map of Tasmania

$290.00

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Victorian Microscope Slide – Lapis Lazuli – From Persia by Edmund Wheeler – London c1870

Edmund Wheeler was a leading Victorian microscope slide preparer now highly collectable. He was a professional mounter from the 1860’s operating out of 48 Tollington Road, Holloway, London. He sold his business to Watson & Sons in 1884 and died the following year. He gained awards for his work in England and overseas at Philadelphia and Paris. All of Wheeler’s slides must be over 130 years old.

This is a fine and beautiful example of Persian Lapis Lazuli cut micro-thin with strong contrasting colouring and clarity. Backed with Wheeler yellow paper and with his distinctive monogrammed cover paper and typical oval title labels, annotated in Wheeler’s distinctive tidy cursive hand.

Packed like treasure … a light item despite that so postage will be reduced to actual on final billing.

A lovely example and a fine Wheeler slide – c1870

$60.00

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Cribbage Board – Hand Carved Bone – Circa 1810

A classic French Prisoner of War cribbage board hand carved from cows’ bone. Some original colouring in typical style.

The game of cribbage played in England from the 16thC was very popular at the time of the Napoleonic Wars. French prisoners took to carving the familiar boards and no doubt received payment for their trades. This example has lost its pegs as usual (modern players take to matchsticks) and has a wood lower board. A little beauty.

The game of cribbage if not known by the reader should be learnt by all … collect 61 points and “peg out” is the game for this board. Two channels as usual for the standard game of two, with variations for three and four. Get the 15’s, pairs and flushes lined up … and don’t forget “One for His Nob”!

Cribbage a game for the thinking and hard working – once played in every pub in England … try it yourself … with a 200-year-old board to impress.

$320.00

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Utopias and Imaginary Voyages to Australasia – John Dunmore

Medal in Celebration of the Discovery of the Johnstone River, Queensland in 1873.

Maps of the Canary Islands Published before 1850 – C Broekema

Decorative Map of Van Diemen’s Island or Tasmania – Circa 1851 – by John Tallis

Victorian Microscope Slide – Lapis Lazuli – From Persia by Edmund Wheeler – London c1870

Cribbage Board – Hand Carved Bone – Circa 1810

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