Mining and Geology

Gold Mining in Queensland – Two Original Magic Lantern Slides – 1890’s

Two rare original magic lantern slide issued by George Washington Wilson (G.W.W.) in the late 1890’s.

Note the items are sharper than the images … we have some refraction going on with our scanning technique we nee to sort out … if you are interested get in touch.

Original 3.5 inch square, standard size, lantern slide. Original label from G.W.W.. Fine quality image – no damage except the odd ageing to the securing tape, easily replaced.

GWW (George Washington Wilson) sent his top photographer, Fred Hardie, to Australia in the 1890’s to take images for their business in magic lantern slides. Hardie travelled from South Australia to Cairns, Queensland mainly by train but occasionally by horse and trap. Very active at the time. G.W.W. went out of business just before WWI, through competition and a waning in interest in the product. The slides produced are scarce. The bulk of the G.W.W. catalogue eventually ended up at Aberdeen University.

The slides comprise:

Alluvial Gold Diggings – Cradle at Work – Aberdeen Reference 30591 and, Gold Digging – The Whip – Aberdeen Reference 30595.

Rare Images of Queensland Gold Mining Activity.

$180.00

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The Iceland Journals of Henry Holland 1810 – Edited Andrew Wawn

The British had visited Iceland for many years, but little was written about it before this expedition.

Led by Sir George Mackenzie accompanied by a party of young Edinburgh scientists. Among them was Henry Hall, who later became a physician to Queen Victoria in London. Hall was 22 at the time of the expedition.

The object of the exercise was to explore and investigate several volcanic regions to contribute to the important and controversial mineralogical debate that was then taking place in Europe. There are three fundamental journeys … to Gullbringusfsala; the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and Rangarvallasyla.

On return Mackenzie published the first good account on Iceland for over forty years … “Travels in the Island of Iceland etc”. Henry Hall had kept a detailed diary which, never published was retained in family hands until gifted by them to a Reykjavik institution.

The author of this work, Andrew Wawn, carried out the sort of research expected of a Hakluyt contributor concluded that Mackenzie’s published work relied heavily on Hall’s manuscript without acknowledgement. Furthermore, Hall’s more detailed and in the moment account contained much missed by his illustrious leader … so here we have it.

Published by Hakluyt in 1987. Octavo, 342 pages after preliminaries. The extent of Wawn’s work in bringing this account to life is clear from the 70-page introduction. Then we have 200 pages of the text of the journals illustrated by numerous sketches made by Hall. Followed by several useful appendices. A very good copy.

Hall’s missing journals on Iceland 1810.

$50.00

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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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Queensland – The Permo-Carboniferous Coal Formations of Clermont and Associated Formations.

Official report by Dunston, Government Geologist published in 1900.

Foolscap, 18 pages with 1 large folding coloured map, 6 Plates one of which “Geological Plan of Coal Mining Leases at Blair Athol Clermont”’ is in colour and, 7 figures in the etc … tables etc.

Dunstan’s reports were always of a high standard with a wealth of detail perfectly summarised. Covers Geological formations generally in the broader area and the specifically at Clermont; ; The Blair Athol Coalfield; Collieries and Prospecting Shafts .. Blair Athol, Imbell, Eldorado, Hope, Newcastle Shaft: Sites for future prospecting; Gold Deposits in the Coal Measure; Petrological Notes of Wild-Cat and the Springs etc

We are particularly intrigued by the suggestion of gold deposits under the coal band near the Hurley’s Creek.

The folding coloured Geological Map of Clermont is massive and on thick sturdy paper. Approximately 800cm by 700cm with bright pastel colouring in fine condition. We will try to get a decent image of it for anyone interest – just ask.

Important report on a major resource area in Queensland with superior coloured geological map

$120.00

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Geological Survey Cape York, Horn Island, Possession Island Queensland etc – C.F.V Jackson 1902 – Excellent Maps

Queensland Department of Mines Geological Survey Report No 180.

Report on a Visit to the West Coast of the Cape York Peninsula and Some Islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria also, Reports on the Horn Island and Possession Island Gold Fields, and the Recent Prospecting of the Cretaceous Coast of the Cook District.

By C.F.V. Jackson, Assistant Government Geologist.

Octavo, staple bound. 23 pages with images from photographs and four maps, a broader map of the regions and three folding coloured maps of the South Wellesly Islands (Bentick, Fowler and Sweers); the Horn Island Goldfield and Horn Island. Slight browning to map edges, still a very good copy of a scarce item. Good maps.

As often the geologist travels significant ground taking in Cox Creek, Wilkinson range, Mitchell River, Wellesly Islands, Horn Island, Possession Island etc with good detail on the topography of the land and various anthropological finds along the way. He discovered aboriginal middens of enormous proportions estimated to have taken several hundred years to form. He mentions bauxite at Weipa … to become one of the world’s largest deposits of that mineral.

Clements Frederick Vivian Jackson (1873-1955) was a very talented engineer, initially in the Civil file and then Mining. He designed an built bridges over the Bremer River near Ipswich and received the London Institute of Civil Engineers Prize for his bridge over the Burdekin an Charters Towers. He moved into the geology / mining filed and after conducting the work subject to this reports was involved in the geological survey of Western Australia. Returning to Queensland he rose to the highest position, that of State Mining Engineer

Scarce report on important locations with excellent maps.

$120.00

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Aerial, Geological and Geophysical Survey of Northern Australia – Period Ended 31st December 1936

A comprehensive report on all undertakings in 1936 covering all regions in Northern Australia … Western Australia, the Territory and Queensland. Published by the Commonwealth Government, Canberra in 1937 – 830 copies produced at the time.

Folio, 91 pages with 12 large coloured charts at the rear .. some on a massive scaled. All staple bound as issued. Repaired tear to front cover otherwise a near perfect copy, the charts almost as new and the colours very vivid … printed on high grade paper compared with the narrative which is on the usual fragile government stock.

There so much to describe regarding the content that any attempt to precis is rather daunting. The descriptions of the plates gives a good idea of coverage.

Plate 1 Geological Sketch Map of the Pilbara District, Western Australia; Plate 2 – ditto Kimberley, WA; Plate 3 ditto Daly River District, Northern Territory; Plate 4 ditto Cloncurry District, Queensland; Plate 5 ditto Croydon Gold-fields, Queensland; Plate 6 Tennant Creek – Peko Area, Northern Territory; Plate 7 – Tennant Creek, Magnetic Survey, Profiles and Drilling Results; Plate 8 Croydon Geophysical Survey; Plate 9 Dugald River, Queensland; Plate 10 Brock’s Creek, Northern Territory; Plate 11 Portland Roads, Queensland; Plate 12 Miscellaneous Profiles.

Magnificent geological report in terms of its detail and raft of quality coloured geological maps.

$240.00

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Gold Mining in Queensland – Two Original Magic Lantern Slides – 1890’s

The Iceland Journals of Henry Holland 1810 – Edited Andrew Wawn

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

Queensland – The Permo-Carboniferous Coal Formations of Clermont and Associated Formations.

Geological Survey Cape York, Horn Island, Possession Island Queensland etc – C.F.V Jackson 1902 – Excellent Maps

Aerial, Geological and Geophysical Survey of Northern Australia – Period Ended 31st December 1936

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