Curiosities

Report on Australian Languages and Traditions (Parts I and II Complete) – Rev William Ridley MA – 1872/3

An original extract from the Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 1872/73 pages 257-291. Octavo, soft modern wraps for protection, very good copies.

William Ridley (1919-1878) a supporter of the aboriginal community and compiler of languages .. a talented linguist. He arrived in Sydney in 1850 at the request of Rev J.D. Lang. Ordained and went to the New England are which he expanded into Moreton Bay and the Darling Downs. For financial reasons he later took on the roles of pastoralist and Journalist. He continued his interest in the aboriginal people and was the author of a landmark book on the Kumilaroi, Dippil and Turrubul people published in 1866.

These significant papers start with the detail of a thousand plus mile tour around outback NSW. This report is notes to be supplementary to the aforementioned book. Lists “new words” of Paces, with their meaning; Additional Words and Phrases in Kamilaroi, Wailwun etc; Pikumbul – spoken on the Macintyre. He goes on to deal with Social Classification, and Laws of Marriage and Descent; Religious and Mythical Traditions; The Bora; Funeral rites; the Krodjis and their Enchantments; the Recollections of Billy Murri Bundar; Traditions Concerning the Stars [especially interesting to Voyager].

In Part II, Ridley presents his own work on the Kamilaroi, Turrubul and Dippil alongside Gunther and Watson’s on the Wirradhurri, Daniel Bunce in Victoria and Hume on the West Coast. Presenting key words in tabular form.

Rare publication of supplementary work on aboriginal languages and customs by authority William Ridley

$60.00

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The Antiquity of the Aborigines of Australia and Tasmania – The Discovery of Gold – Magnetism etc – Georgina King FRASA – Sydney 1924

A self-published pamphlet by Georgina King of work previously published in the “Sunday Times”. Printed by William Brooks, Sydney and issued in 1924.

Octavo, 23 pages, soft wrappers as issued, three illustrations in the text regarding aboriginals. Some age from use still a very good copy.

The articles are as per the title … The Antiquity of the Aborigines of Australia and Tasmania – Two Stone Ages in Australia; The Discovery of Gold and How it was Found in Payable Quantities; Magnetism – terrestrial and Universal; Diamond and Their Origin.

A most usual body of work. Georgina King (1845-1932) was an amateur geologist and anthropologist. As a woman she was excluded from the “professional” category e.g. she was not allowed to read her own paper at the Royal society of NSW. Her ideas were rather whacky though and make for interesting reading … they did not stop her becoming a Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Society. The daughter of Rev George King she was advised by him and naturalist Bennett not to marry if she wanted to get on in her chosen filed. She corresponded with Robert Logan Jack regarding geology and Huxley on natural sciences. In her eccentricity she blamed other for stealing her ideas, including Edgeworth David on her radical concepts of the earth’s formation and Einstein on the theory of relativity. She believed diamonds were fossilised marine organisms … quoting from the paper contained here …

“Diamonds existed as marine organisms. They are composed of pure carbon, containing only a little hydrogen, and the most minute particles are often found in what were small cavities, perhaps their breathing apparatus; some were like feathers. The cleavages of the diamond were the gills of those marine organisms …”

Her article of the aborigines is a lot more grounded. She was a friend of Daisy bates and provided financial support to Bates for her work among aboriginal people.

Georgina King isolated Australian Scientist with some wild ideas and some interesting ones.

$50.00

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Australian Vintage Children’s Puzzle Blocks – c1920’s

A nice set with six (obviously) pictorial puzzles to solve. Produced in Australia with artwork by “T and C Print”. Nice condition and a lovely example of the challenges that children were given before the iphone and a lot more.

Stress free (for you) educational puzzle for the very young – a future treasure to be handed down …

$140.00

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Antarctic Treasure – The Songs of the “Morning”

Published by the Bread and Cheese Club Melbourne in 1943 – quarto, original grey ribbed wrappers, frontispiece of the Morning in McMurdo Sound. Previous ownership inscription on title otherwise a very good copy.

The Songs of the “Morning” were composed in the Antarctic on the SY Morning the relief ship to Captain Scott’s expedition of 1901-1904. The music was written by Gerald Doorly – Third Officer and the lyrics by John Morrison – Chief Engineer.

The vessel was originally a Norwegian whaling ship and was refitted for the Antarctic and sailed to Lyttelton, New Zealand before making two trips to the South in support of Scott.

The Bread and Cheese Club was a Melbourne based art and literary society founded in 1938 with the purpose of fostering “Mateship, Art and Letters”. This all male establishment published only 40 books. Following the death of its founder J.K. Moir it fell into decline and was disbanded in 1988.

No music has been composed further South – And Bring Back the “Bread and Cheese”

$120.00

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King Arthur – The Cycle of the Round Table – Trade Cards 100 Years Old

A group of six decorative trade cards by Liebig advertising their tasty Bouillon Oxo. Printed and issued around 1910. In the French with a good description the rear of the card … a good language lesson.

Delightful chromolithographs depicting (1) Arthur defending Wales; (2) His wedding procession with his bride Guinevere; (3) A Feast at The Round Table; (4) Arthur in Ireland receiving tributes; (5) Perceval sets off on his Adventures (6) The Death of Arthur. Each 10cms x 7.3cms.

King Arthur done proud by Liebig

$80.00

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Stories of King Arthur & His Knights – U Waldo Cutler (After Malory) – 1911

Published by George Harrap, London in 1914 a first edition of this type.

Retold from Malory’s “Morte DArthur” by Uriel Waldo Cutler (1854-1936). Cutler’s efforts well recognised and first in print in 1904

Octavo, 236 pages with a lovely pictorial cover and spine in pretty good condition. Prize label on front end paper to some bright spark dated 1921.

Nicely illustrated with a striking colour frontispiece of “Sir Lancelot before the Cross” by Stella Langdale. Fourteen other full page plates from work by Rosseti, Burne-Jones and others.

The legendary tales were first put down in one place by George of Monmouth in the early thirteen century. In the fifteenth century Sir Thomas Malory produced the definitive work “Le Morte Darthur” completed in 1470, This was at the time Caxton really got going with his printing press so Malory’s work was destined to be promoted and preserved.

Naturally, the language and expression of Malory’s writing reflects the period and “modern” writers have edited the text to be readable nowadays. Waldo Cutler did a magnificent job and presents Arthur here in 42 progressive tales.

A scarce nicely presented Arthur

$90.00

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Report on Australian Languages and Traditions (Parts I and II Complete) – Rev William Ridley MA – 1872/3

The Antiquity of the Aborigines of Australia and Tasmania – The Discovery of Gold – Magnetism etc – Georgina King FRASA – Sydney 1924

Australian Vintage Children’s Puzzle Blocks – c1920’s

Antarctic Treasure – The Songs of the “Morning”

King Arthur – The Cycle of the Round Table – Trade Cards 100 Years Old

Stories of King Arthur & His Knights – U Waldo Cutler (After Malory) – 1911

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