Curiosities

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

Updating cart…

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

Updating cart…

“Rugby” – Fine and Striking Pochoir by George Barbier – April 1914

An original hand coloured “Pochoir” by George Barbier (1882-1932) the most desirable artist of the Paris Gazette du Bon Ton published in 1914.

A very early Bon Ton April 1914.

Rugby and “Costume tailleur de Redfern” … a stylish outfit by English designer John Redfern (1853-1919), in snowy cheviot (a soft luxurious wool weave from the Cheviot sheep, with a small black vest in the finest silk Ottoman, fastened with braided black frogs.

The ultimate in fashion print from a perfect era.

Price $120.00 unframed.

Much sought after “sporty” George Barbier

$120.00

Updating cart…

No Image Available

Vintage Quality Science Specimen Jar

A good example of a good quality vintage (circa 1930’s) specimen jar.

Hard glass design vertical sides, stopper same width as jar, nice ground glass stopper a beautiful fit, some age but authentic. Heavily fluted base for stability. No chemical residue apart from slight “eau de naphthalene” so likely used to store biological / botanical specimens.

Unusual scientific sample jar of upmarket design

$45.00

Updating cart…

No Image Available

Victorian Spectroscope – Adam Hilger c1890

A superb quality late Victorian brass Direct Vision Spectroscope, of the “Rainband” variety.

The device includes a “train” of alternating crown and flint glass prisms.

Made by Adam Hilger and his brother Otto who operated from Tottenham Court Road London from 1875 until 1916 when the business was taken over with the backing of Vickers. Nicely engraved A Hilger London and in near fine condition protected in its original custom brass canister.

Interestingly, Adam Hilger supplied one of the most advanced spectroscopes of the day to the Sydney Astronomical Observatory in 1878 to be used in conjunction with their Merz 7 ¼ inch refractor. Three prisms alternating quartz and flint glass provide spectral quality clear of aberration.

Neat Victorian Spectroscope top maker clear and true spectrum

$280.00

Updating cart…

Sete – Images of Provence – Seven Poems by Count Potocki of Montalk; Five Drawings by Marjorie Jackson- Pownall – Limited Numbered Eccentric Private Press

A scarce work by the rather odd Count Potocki of Montalk. Number sixty five of 120 copies set by hand by Count Potocki of Montalk, [which] have been printed by hand and foot by him.

Produced in the aforementioned style at The Melissa Press, Villa Vigoni, Chemin de St Martin, Draguignan, Var France – the authors home – 1972.

Printed on Fabriano watermarked paper – we are told in the introduction that “we went to Italy expressly to buy the art paper on which to print Marjorie Jackson-Pownall’s charming drawings, with their unambiguous clarity” ….

Large octavo, 18 pages, bound quarter green cloth over papered [wallpaper?] boards – a fine copy.

Copyright and limitation page, title, charming rather haphazard introduction, the poems and drawings – hints of risqué … see below authors background – artwork neat.

The Count was born in New Zealand in 1903. He is generally described as a poet, polemicist and pretender to the Polish throne – he did genuinely have connections. In 1926 he deserted his wife and child for Europe and the arts. First, to England where he developed his extreme right-wing views knew Mosley but, appears to have been more interested in Mosley’s wife. Moved to Draguignan in southern France after WWII mixed with fellow arty folks in the region and printed several unusual private press items. Backtrack – in England in the 1930’s he was sent to prison for attempting to publish what was then regarded as obscene literature – “the Lament of Sir John Penis” along with translations of Rabelais and Verlaine. He was supported in court by Leonard and Virgina Woolf. Aldous Huxley later arranged bail for another skirmish with the law and funded the purchase of Potocki’s first printing press.

Potocki was a truly odd one – often went about dressed in what he thought was medieval garb – tights, satin pyjamas all wrapped up in velvet curtains etc.

The eccentric Count Potocki of Montalk – a unique item

$120.00

Updating cart…

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.

“Rugby” – Fine and Striking Pochoir by George Barbier – April 1914

Vintage Quality Science Specimen Jar

Victorian Spectroscope – Adam Hilger c1890

Sete – Images of Provence – Seven Poems by Count Potocki of Montalk; Five Drawings by Marjorie Jackson- Pownall – Limited Numbered Eccentric Private Press

Product Categories