Exploration

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 kms 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

$80.00

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A History of Antarctica – Stephen Martin

First Edition published by the State Library of N.S.W. in 1996. A substantial and well produced book. Small quarto, 272 pages nicely illustrated throughout.

Comprehensive so sort of a modern day Mills if you know the work. We particularly like the early period before the Heroic Era. Not because the latter is boring quite the opposite … juts that it is covered well in a number of place. the early stuff not so much.

Post Heroic is also well covered right up to and around the Treaty. It could all be up for grabs soon … that will be interesting. Lots of doublespeak we guess.

Antarctica – nice full, readable, smashing illustrations.

$35.00

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Antarctica and Back in Sixty Days – Tim Bowden – Double Audio Cassette

We love this sort of fairly recent ephemeral curiosity. Audio cassettes so common and used by many in the 1970’s and 1980’s and died an almighty death with the advent of the DVD. If you still have a tape player then you are the target customer for this item.

Tom Bodwen went off to the Antarctic and he took his tape recorder with him. He did a few of these and this one is our favourite. A good length, two tapes, and in good playing condition. Still housed in its protective box

A good one to relax to when you need a break from the heavy exploration classics.

Tim Bowden a super Polar entertainment.

$30.00

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A Man for Antarctica – The Early Life of Phillip Law – Kathleen Ralston

Phillip Law (1912-2010) was born at Tallangalta and educated at Hamilton, Ballarat and then Melbourne University where he achieved an MSc in Physics. During WWII he wished to join the RAAF but was persuaded to stay at Melbourne University working on weapons research. His first trip to the Antarctic was in 1947 he would become known as “Mr Antarctica”.

A first edition published by Hyland House, Melbourne in 1983. Octavo, 236 pages, nicely illustrated. A very good copy.

Phillip Law – Australia’s “Mr Antarctica

$30.00

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Guide to Bruny Island History – B Davis

Described as a Second edition 190 albeit there had been a number of printings of the First the proceeds of which have gone traditionally to erect plaques at important historical sites around Bruny.

Not exclusively but essentially a history of the post colonial island and a special history its is too.

Card cover with an early French version of the map as decoration. 40 pages all up nicely illustrated from period photographs – they have come out better than often with this type of “local” production. A good coloured modern map to centre for perspective and bearings.

The third largest of the nearby Tasmanian islands and one held dear by those that have the life luxury to live there.

Bruny get the history then the experience … book your ferry today.

$35.00

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James Cook’s Second Voyage – A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Around the World – Fine Large Scale Facsimile in 2 Volumes

Facsimile of James Cook’s Second Voyage – Towards the South Pole – 2 Volumes

A Voyage Towards the South Pole, and Round the World Performed in His Majesty’s Ships the Resolution and Adventure, in the years 1772, 1773, 1774 and 1775. In which is included Captain Furneaux’s Narrative of his Proceedings in the Adventure during the Separation of the Ships: By James Cook Commander of the Resolution.

Illustrated with Maps and Charts, and a Variety of Portraits of Persons and Views of Places, Drawn during the Voyage by Mr. Hodges, and Engraved by the Most Eminent Master.

This is the account of Cook’s second voyage. The success of Cook’s first voyage led the Admiralty to send him on a second expedition to circumnavigate the globe as far south as possible in search of any southern continents. Cook proved that there was no Terra Australis which supposedly lay between New Zealand and South America, but became convinced that there must be land beyond the ice fields. Cook was the first to cross the Antarctic Circle. Further visits were made to New Zealand, and on two great sweeps Cook made an astonishing series of discoveries and rediscoveries including Easter Island, the Marquesas, Tahiti and the Society Islands, Niue, the Tonga Islands, the New Hebrides, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, and a number of smaller islands. Rounding Cape Horn, on the last part of the voyage, Cook discovered and charted South Georgia, after which he called at Cape Town. William Hodges was the artist with the expedition. This voyage produced a vast amount of information concerning the Pacific peoples and Islands, proved the value of the chronometer as an aid in finding longitude, and improved techniques for preventing scurvy.

Also, includes the account of Captain Furneaux in the Adventure during his time separated from the Endeavour.

Originally published by Strahan & Cadell, London in 1777. This edition in two volumes by the Libraries Board of South Australia in 1970.

Complete with facsimile images – portrait frontispiece (Basire’s engraving of Cook from the painting by William Hodges) and 63 plates, charts and portraits, many folding. Light beige canvas cloth covered boards, separate title labels to spine. Very clean internally, high quality paper. A super set.

The second Voyage of James Cook to seek out the Great Southern Land – and to do so much more.

$360.00

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

A History of Antarctica – Stephen Martin

Antarctica and Back in Sixty Days – Tim Bowden – Double Audio Cassette

A Man for Antarctica – The Early Life of Phillip Law – Kathleen Ralston

Guide to Bruny Island History – B Davis

James Cook’s Second Voyage – A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Around the World – Fine Large Scale Facsimile in 2 Volumes

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