Natural History

Jottings during the Cruise of H.M.S. Curacoa Among the South Sea Islands in 1865 – Julius Brenchley – First edition 1873

First edition of this magnificently illustrated voyage account in the Pacific.

Published by Longmans, Green & Co, London in 1873. Large octavo, 487 pages. Decorated with two fold-out chromolithographs, including, 44 wood engravings and 50 hand coloured engravings mainly of natural history interest. Large folding map at rear with original colouring. An early rebind in half leather over plum cloth covered boards; raised spine divisions with gilt titling. Some evidence of age and staining otherwise a nice and honest copy of a scarce and desirable item. Carries the bookplate of voyage collector and author Geoffrey Ingleton.

The author Julius Brenchley (1816-1873) was a noted traveller of the period. Born in Maidstone in Kent, England he carried out numerous adventures. His travels encompassed, North, Central and South America and Africa before he embarked on this voyage with the Curacoa in the South Seas. The ship was under the command of Captain William Wiseman and visited Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island, Niue or Savage Island, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Santa Cruz, New Hebrides, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands.

Brenchley gathered an enormous collection of artifacts and natural history specimens which ultimately ended up being split between the British Museum and the Maidstone Museum.

Special Beautifully Illustrated Pacific Voyage Account

$890.00

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Tales of the Angler’s Eldorado New Zealand – Zane Grey – First edition 1926

First edition, published by Hodder & Stoughton, London in 1926.

Quarto, x,228 pages bound in the original blue cloth covered boards with gilt titling and leaping fish to front. A little age to spine ends otherwise a super copy for a book near 100 years old. Heavy at circa 2kg so likely not suitable for Overseas.

Zane Grey (1872-1939) famous for his interest in and writing about great fishing adventures rather than his profession – dentistry. He was also handy with the camera and the many illustrations are from photographs taken by the author. Additional sketches by Frank Phares.

Fishing for some big guys … Marlin, Swordfish and the Mako Shark and maybe less butch for Taupo and Trout on quieter waters.

Zane Grey is the man with the “fush” in New Zealand ..

$120.00

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Three 19thC Prepared Microscope Slides of Australian Diatomaceae by J.D. Moller

Three fascinating early microscope slides by preparer Johann Diedrich Moller (1844-1907). The most talented and famous preparer of diatom slides of all time.

Three slides carrying a relatively early version of his distinctive slide labels.

His makers label announcing – Gold Medal St Petersburg & Altona 1869 J.D. Moller Wedel in Holstein [Germany].

The slide subjects being Diatomaceae and further labelled.

Fossils – South Australia
Fossils – South Yarra
Aqua Marina – Carpentaria Gulf Australia.

Fine examples of historical significance, likely harvested during one of the scientific and surveying voyages of the second half of the 19thC.

Price $190.00 the group – if you would like an individual one they will be $80.00 each. Send us a message through our enquiry page.

Postage costs likely to be reduced on final billing.

A trifecta of rather unique 19thC slides top maker and Australian subjects.

$190.00

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Charles Darwin and Thomas Huxley – Autobiographies – edited by Gavin De Beer.

A first edition published by the Oxford University Press in 1974. Octavo, 199 pages, plus useful index, illustrated. Very nice condition.

Darwin and his bulldog together in condensed highly readable form. What better pairing – like peaches and cream.

The editor was one of the many Darwin admirers, wrote a good biography and several other Darwin related works. So it was appropriate that he took the editorial pen to Darwin’s lengthy account of himself … adding Huxley from a far more obscure personal rendition was a masterstroke of compare and contrast

Charles Darwin and Thomas Huxley – gold plated “Two for One”

$30.00

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The Malay Archipelago -The Land of the Orang-Utan and the Bird of Paradise, with Studies of Man and Nature – Alfred Russel Wallace

Wallace’s great book dedicated to Charles Darwin. Beautifully written. An early fourth edition published by Macmillan in 1872. Nevertheless scarce and sought after.

Octavo, 653 pages. Re-cased at some time with the spine and front laid down; with the desired Orang-utan gilt device retained on front and similarly bird of paradise retained on front. Some marks near front but generally in good condition. Priced to condition for a scarce desirable item.

Wallace collected over 125,000 specimens identifying thousands of new species during this expedition. This book represents the backbone of his discoveries (The Wallace line) that supports the “Origin of Species”. Well illustrated with maps and engravings

Wallace – Monumental work – vies with “Origin”

$290.00

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A Manual of the Birds of Australia – Gregory Mathews and Tom Iredale.

Described as Volume I but there only ever was one volume. Scarce work led by the guru of Australian bird life Gregory Mathews. Tom Iredale ex British Museum was effectively employed by Matthews on this and Mathews massive illustrated work. Some believe that much attributed to Mathews was in fact done by Iredale.

Published by Witherby, London in 1921. Quarto, 279 pages, top edge gilt, ten coloured plates and 36 monochrome plates. Some light spotting on page edges, very good complete dust jacket which is a rarity.

Private library stamp of Harold W Tarr a distinguished Australian ornithologist with a number of published works and papers.

This volume covers the orders Casuarii to Columbae. The illustrations nicely done by Lilian Medland, the wife of Tom Iredale. A comprehensive work of some distinction as those in the know would expect.

Important Australian Orinthological Work – Mathews and Iredale 1921

$280.00

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Jottings during the Cruise of H.M.S. Curacoa Among the South Sea Islands in 1865 – Julius Brenchley – First edition 1873

Tales of the Angler’s Eldorado New Zealand – Zane Grey – First edition 1926

Three 19thC Prepared Microscope Slides of Australian Diatomaceae by J.D. Moller

Charles Darwin and Thomas Huxley – Autobiographies – edited by Gavin De Beer.

The Malay Archipelago -The Land of the Orang-Utan and the Bird of Paradise, with Studies of Man and Nature – Alfred Russel Wallace

A Manual of the Birds of Australia – Gregory Mathews and Tom Iredale.

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