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  • Port Arthur Railway Across Tasman Peninsula – Australia’s First Railway – Bayley

    Port Arthur Railway Across Tasman Peninsula – Australia’s First Railway – Bayley

    Published in the early 1970’s this is an interesting historical account of what was the first railway in Australia, albeit convict powered.

    The author William Bayley self published a number of well researched historical documents. Octavo, 64 pages, illustrated heavily and well throughout. Fine copy.

    Much about Booth and his plans, the Port Arthur settlement and discovery of coal on the other side of the peninsula. The need for the railway, its construction and the manpower. The visit of Trollope and other incidentals.

    The first railway – no mean feat for anyone.

    $25.00

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  • The Shot Tower [Hobart] and its Builder Joseph Moir – Richard Lord

    The Shot Tower [Hobart] and its Builder Joseph Moir – Richard Lord

    A special local history item by Richard Lord who also authored the respected book on St David’s graveyard and the Isle of the Dead at Port Arthur.

    More than a local history is the shot tower is the only stone and brick built circular shot tower in the Southern hemisphere.

    Anyone coming to Hobart may not have a visit here on the agenda … after reading this thorough account I doubt you will neglect the tower.

    First Printing 1980, self published, printed by Specialty Press, Hobart. Perfect bound, ninety-one pages, nicely illustrated mainly from historical photographs.

    The builder of the shot tower Joseph Moir was an incredibly enterprising individual. Already successful in business. He went to England and came back with a shipload of hardware and set up the Economy House at 49 Murray Street. It did very well.

    In the 1860’s his mind turned to making shot … a quite complex process fundamental to which is the action of gravity hence the tower. His careful planning led him to select the perfect site some seven miles form the centre of Hobart. The author goes through the considerations regarding the location, the structure, the outhouses for arsenic, powder etc and the incredible feat in erecting the tower in eight months with the help of only two stonemasons. The process for making shot was designed by William watts of Bristol in the 1700’s. A bit of experimentation was required at Hobart, but Moir eventually cracked the technique … which he guarded for year to come.

    The Shot Tower – Tasmania’s finest industrial structure.

    $25.00

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  • They Reigned Supreme [Steam Ships in Tasmania] – Thomas W. Fox

    They Reigned Supreme [Steam Ships in Tasmania] – Thomas W. Fox

    Self published second printing, scarce as hen’s teeth.

    Red card wrappers, 50 pages plus advertisements, including one for Purdon & Featherstone Shipyard! Illustrated with a few images of steam boats.

    Excellent account of the steam ships that used to ply the Derwent, Tamar and coastal routes in Tasmania. From the very beginning to the very end.

    Lengthy list of vessels in alphabetic order with details regarding their construction, when and where they were put to use and by whom. Often ending in a mishap.

    After the boats comes a chapter on the famous O’May family who for three generations were at the heart of the Derwent ferry services. Then a brief section on boat builder and a most interesting account of River Steamer racing.

    Super primary reference for anyone interested in the now gone steamer activity in Tasmania.

    $50.00

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  • Unpublished Work – “The Dream and the Reality” – Single Handed Transatlantic Yacht Race 1968 – Brian Cooke.

    A unique item, the typescript account of Brian Cooke relating to his participation in the 1968 Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race (STAR) east to west from Plymouth to Newport Rhode Island.

    182 pages of foolscap, corrected in manuscript. Having read through it all … it is an exceptional account ready for the press … we are not sure why he did not follow through with the publication.

    Cooke was very much an amateur before this event and he states clearly in his Preface that the book has been written “to indicate the way in which the dream of crossing the Ocean became a reality to me … what is involved for the ordinary person … to know first hand that it is quite a feasible proposition and a very worthwhile challenge …”.

    We like the way the book proper starts … “It was 1949, when I was walking down St James’s Street, London one lunchtime. I looked in a Bookshop window. One of the books on display was by Allcard describing the Atlantic voyage he had made. It was the dust cover that took my eye. On it was a photograph of Allcard, at sea, sailing his yacht single-handed, looking up at his sails, which conveyed to me a most vivid picture of satisfaction and achievement”

    The first sixty eight pages are taken up with establishing and preparing for the dream. First the yacht that had been commissioned to be built by an acquaintance with the wherewithal connected to his work at the Westminster Bank. The first trials, the personal training, the qualifying voyages etc all very interesting. At page sixty nine we have the race start proper. What follows is a very detailed account of the events of the race, nothing tedious in our view. Cooke came in sixth, out of 48, many had to turn back. Those ahead were either trimarans or larger boats, on any handicap system he may have won.

    The appendices are good for perspective and emphasise his comments in the Preface that preparation is key. We have the “sailing instructions” from the Royal Western, Plymouth. The list of yachts by nation, rig, length, hull, and rating where available. Daily records of sailing achievements and sail changes. Provisions of all sorts … we are amused to see Mars Bars, Steak and kidney puddings, HP sauce etc.

    Yachting treasure unpublished major single-handed yacht race

    $380.00

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  • Early Manuscript – Harpsichord or Piano Arrangement of Hayden’s Seven Last Words from the Cross 1808/9

    Early Manuscript – Harpsichord or Piano Arrangement of Hayden’s Seven Last Words from the Cross 1808/9

    Composizioni del Sig Giuseppe Hayden sopra le sette ultime Parole del nostre Redenfore in Croce. Consistenti in Sette Sonate con un Introduzione et al Fine Teremota ridote per il Clavicembalo ou Forte Piona Opera 19.

    Copied by hand from a score published in Vienna, presso Artaria Compagni 9, 1808.

    Oblong folio manuscript comprising title page and 26 pages in early paper backed flush wrappers, all in a fine state. A delightfully executed manuscript copy inscribed “De Musica Fran H Hausser 1808/9” with the later library label of K Knittle.

    The piano arrangement of Hayden’s Seven Last words of the Cross, authorised by Hayden. Arranged from a string quartet version from the same Publisher, Artaria in 1786. The piano version was first issued a year later … reference catalogue authority Hobken -Verzeidchis XX/1C.

    Joseph Hayden born 1732 died in May 1809 so this manuscript could be coincidental or in honour of his death. The original work was orchestral and commissioned by the Cannon of Cadiz, Spain for a Good Friday service in which they traditionally performed new works of music the theme of which was based on Christ’s seven last words on the Cross. The format was always to be a ten minute adagio to follow the calling of each of the last words by the Church hierarchy. It was performed in a very austere environment with dark curtains hung and very little light intruding. In 1801 Hayden is recorded as saying that he had great difficulty complying with the “rules”. Nevertheless, the work is regarded as a great success and in many ways experimental for the time.

    Hayden was paid in a very unusual way … he was sent a cake filled with gold coins. Just as well he ate it!

    Beautiful manuscript score of an unusual piece by Joseph Hayden likely written in the year of his death.

    $290.00

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  • Letters writ by a Turkish Spy, Who Liv’d Five and Forty Years Undiscovered at Paris; Giving an Impartial Account to the Divan of Constantinople of the Most Remarkable Transactions in Europe – Complete in Eight Volumes.  Giovanni Paolo Marana – 1748

    Letters writ by a Turkish Spy, Who Liv’d Five and Forty Years Undiscovered at Paris; Giving an Impartial Account to the Divan of Constantinople of the Most Remarkable Transactions in Europe – Complete in Eight Volumes. Giovanni Paolo Marana – 1748

    A very nice set of this almost legendary work, complete and unusually in their original bindings. Fictional letters claiming to have been written by an Ottoman spy named “Mahmut the Arabian” embedded in the French Court of Louis XIV.

    Published in London by Wilde, Ballard and others in 1748. Eight volumes (Over 600 letters in all), duodecimo, engraved frontispiece to Vol I, full contemporary calf, spines gilt, some joints a bit cracked but holding. A twelfth edition of a great publishing success of the 18thC which would go on for a further fifty years.

    Contemporary bookplate of Robert Midgley dated 1748 so the first owner. And the modern book label of Edward John Kenny the Latinist of Peterhouse College, Cambridge University, visiting at Harvard etc.

    A journal of gossip and anecdotes on politics and events and shenanigans going on in France at the time.

    Written in Italian by Giovanni Paola Marana (1642-1693) a Genoese refugee in the Court of the said Louis XIV. He completed the first volume of 102 letters, and had it translated to French and published in Paris in 1684-1686. Other volumes were published as they were completed over time. English translations by William Bradshaw became available in 1687. Later volumes issued first in English in London leading some to believe they were not by Marana. However, the consistency in style and use of words really points to Marana as being the author of the full set, not doubt with the help of translators and editors of the day.

    Well liked by Daniel Defoe who wrote an aptly named “Continuation of Turkish Letters Writ by a Turkish Spy in Paris” … a sort of 18thC sequel.

    Incidentally, the last owner Professor Kenny used to gauge his candidates by seeing how nice they were to his cat Fufu … it became known as the Fufu test … that’s Latin for you.

    The Turkish Spy – A Classic By Marana

    $890.00

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