Mining and Geology

Gold-Dust and Ashes – Ion Idriess – 1935 Edition

The Romantic Story of the New Guinea Goldfields

First published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney in 1933 this is an eighth edition (still early) 1955.

Octavo, 285 pages plus Idriess catalogue. Endpaper maps and nicely illustrated with period photographs. Very good dust jacket. Spotting to page edges and occasionally in text. A very good copy of this pre war edition.

Ion Idriess’s great book about the early New Guinea Goldfields of Bulolo, Wau and Edie Creek.

One of the must have books in the PNG list.

Gold- Dust it is!

$80.00

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Glimpses of the Australian Colonies and New Zealand – Captain Barry – First edition 1903

Subtitled … “A Thrilling Narrative of the Early Days: Embodying the Life-History of Captain William Jackson Barry Who Arrived in New South Wales in 1829” … and it is really quite “Thrilling”

Published by Brett, Auckland in 1903. Small quarto, 211 pages, decorated end papers, illustrated with photographic portraits. Original cloth covered binding with gilt embossed design and title to front and spine … gilt a little faded … otherwise a very good solid unmarked copy.

William Barry was born in 1819. His father was a vet. At a dinner party Sir John Alcock took a liking to him and asked his father to let William enter his service. With this achieved, Alcock set off for Australia with young William on the “Red Rover” in the year 1828. Typhus broke out onboard and many died. On arrival at Sydney the ship was quarantined for six weeks … it was dreadful… and life ashore not much better. Alcock hated it and organised swift passage to Buenos Ayres. On the way to the dock Barry decided he liked Sydney so much he ran away and hid in a tank until the ship had gone. And so Barry’s life in the Antipodes started then … at the age of ten!

His life was certainly different … at various times he sailed … carrying Timor Ponies to Sydney … shipwrecked nearly starved and rescued. Other times he was in the gold fields in Victoria (Eureka), New Zealand and California. Was variously a butcher (his early trade), farmer, auctioneer and horse dealer (bushrangers robbed him) … married more than once into money.

Near the back of the book is a potted history of Australia and a selection of biographies of notable gents … the most common feature being and incredible collection of beards

Captain Barry the sort of life films should be made about

$60.00

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Gold-Dust and Ashes (A Romantic Story of the New Guinea Goldfields) – Ion Idriess – 1945

Published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney 1945.

Small octavo, 258 pages, frontispiece and with end paper maps. Dust jacket chipped to spine top and front top edge. Otherwise a very good copy … unusually clean inside for an edition often browned … this one bright and crisp.

Ian Idriess’s great book about the early New Guinea Goldfields. One of the must have books in the PNG list – great photographic images.

Gold- Dust it is!

$60.00

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Rocks and Minerals of Australia – Oliver Chambers

Published by Methuen in Australia a first edition 1976. Very good condition. 246 pages with lots of images, diagrams and maps. And with the striking Crocoite on the front board – see our examples on this website.

Or favourite “Observer Book” part of an Australian contribution to the series. A serious miniature work on the subject and the source of much of Voyager’s knowledge.

The detailed maps at the end and connectivity to the narrative open up the enormous subject to the newcomer

An expert in a day!

$30.00

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The Quest of the Black Opals – Alexander McDonald – 1908

A Tale of Adventure in the Heart of Australia … by Alexander McDonald and illustrated by William Rainey R.I.

Published by Blackie & Sons, London, Glasgow and Bombay in 1908.

Octavo 352 pages with nice pictorial covers. Some age to page edges otherwise a very good copy.

The opening sentence sets the scene nicely … “In that desolate tract of country beyond the borders of Queensland through which the mystic Cooper flows, lies a wealth of fire-flashing opal awaiting only the advent of him who can take it away”.

Six full page illustrations including the frontispiece, plus a full page map near the front and a small map reference Burke and Wills.

Adventure stirred up by Opals in the Heart of Oz

$60.00

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Jenolan Caves (The Underground Wonderland) New South Wales, Australia – H. Phillips – c1910

Superior period view book of the glorious Jenolan Caves. Photographed, printed and published by H Phillips (1873-1844) of Katoomba in the Blue Mountains.

This is a scarce edition with superior illustrated cover and more images than his more standard work on the Jenolan Caves. No date but circa 1910. Not in Trove.

Landscape presentation … soft covers with exotic gilt title and illustration to front. 30cm by 24cm with title page, 2 page introduction plus 49 pages of plates, 3 of which are double folding with five excellent panoramas. Captioned images include …The Grand arch; Carlotta Arch; Devil’s Coach House and Bridge from Lucas Entrance; Grand Stalactites Imperial Cave; The Giant Shawl; Cleopatra’s Needle; Mons Meg; The Proscenium; Brookes Column; Crystal Palace; The Mystery; The Willows Nettle cave; Gem of the South etc etc

Beautiful record of the Jenolan Caves by Harry Phillips

$180.00

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Gold-Dust and Ashes – Ion Idriess – 1935 Edition

Glimpses of the Australian Colonies and New Zealand – Captain Barry – First edition 1903

Gold-Dust and Ashes (A Romantic Story of the New Guinea Goldfields) – Ion Idriess – 1945

Rocks and Minerals of Australia – Oliver Chambers

The Quest of the Black Opals – Alexander McDonald – 1908

Jenolan Caves (The Underground Wonderland) New South Wales, Australia – H. Phillips – c1910

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