Non-fiction

The Scandalous Adventures of Captain Frederick Watson Wentworth – Hysterical Memoirs “edited” by Reg A Watson – Signed by the Author

Reg Watson, who left us last year, was a prolific writer. Many serious and seriously researched works flowed from his pen.

Effectively self published by the author in 2016 backed by the Anglo-Keltic Society. Large format perfect bound 92 pages, very good condition.

This is for sure a work of humour right from the Hysterical and the warning from the Canberra Censor … restricted publication adults only we – know this is yarn over fact.

Captain Wentworth – A Tasmanian Rake and Cad (1872-1949) certainly had an eventful life. Always wore his trousers one size to small to show his fine cut to the female kind. During his exploits he meets Breaker Morant and Chubbie Miller the female aviator and survives the Titanic. The erotic parts exit but are tame enough for general release – he seemed to attract women with a penchant for high leather boots and whips …

Signed copy of the readable enjoyable adventures of Captain Wentworth.

$35.00

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A Vindication of Phrenology – W. Matthieu Williams – First edition 1894

Published by Chatto and Windus, London in 1894 a first edition of this “vindication” book by the esteemed phrenologist Williams.

Largish octavo, xxii, 428 pages. Frontispiece photograph of the author pondering the shape of the head and its bumps crevices. Several illustrated plates and figures within the text. A very good copy.

The author was a distinguished scientist and Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and Royal Chemical Society. He also authored a book titled “The Chemistry of Cooking” … Heston please note.

If you don’t understand phrenology well this is the book for you … interest in the pseudo science was waning by this date maybe hence the vindication … some good things came out of it though … it’s all a matter of perspective.

Phrenology explained and vindicated!

$90.00

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Encyclopedia of the Antarctic – Edited Beau Riffenburgh- 2 Volumes

Published by Routledge in 2006 this two-volume set is regarded as the font of all things Antarctica.

A substantial effort the number of distinguished contributors runs to over a hundred.

Two quarto volumes, 1,272 pages heavily illustrated with all sorts, high technical level with many maps, charts, explanatory diagrams etc. Very good condition. Weighs in at circa 3.6kgs so not really suitable for Overseas postage.

The elements relating to the History of Exploration and History of Science are understandably our favourites. Other broader topics include … Atmosphere; Birds; Conservation; Geography; Glaciology; Technology; Oceanography; Physics and astronomy etc.

It is all here in the Encyclopedia of the Antarctic – more than a winter’s reading

$480.00

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Lake Victoria to Khartoum with Rifle and Camera – Captain F.A. Dickinson [Introduction by Winston Churchill] – First Edition 1910.

A rare book and one of the rarest books in the Churchill cannon. If you have a first edition of Churchill’s “My African Journey” then you are lucky and you will appreciate that this book by the guide of that event would make the perfect companion.

Published by John Lane (Bodley Head), London, 1910.. in the days when you spoke to John Lane. Thick octavo, 334 pages after preliminaries and before publishers catalogue. Well over a hundred illustrations from photographs [not included in the pagination]. Bound in unusual orange/ red cloth covered boards, gilt titles and embellishment, decorative lines. The covers are quite well faded especially to the spine and the odd mark, this is common for this binding. Otherwise internally very clean indeed, just a couple of light spots on the title.

Churchill in his introduction lavishes praise on Ricketts as a guide and organiser. The party walked/ travelled the whole Uganda and more, some 1,500 miles. Churchill did some of it on bicycle. A lot of bagging went on along the way – all very jolly. Churchill took them to Khartoum and enlivened the conversation with his first hand account of encounters during his various African military skirmishes.

Churchill in Africa – mutual admiration – Ricketts

$390.00

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First Class Polo – Tactics & Match Play – Brigadier-General R. L. Ricketts.

For those that have always wanted to understand polo beyond the general idea of horses, a mallet and a bamboo ball (well plastic now) this is the book. Get ahead become an expert and make the right calls at these posh events.

A fine copy of a super scarce book outlining the secrets of good polo play. Second edition, effectively self-published through Gale & Polden of Aldershot [British Military town] and London et, 1938.

Octavo, 48 pages and IX full pages plates of tactics guaranteed to win the play.

Ricketts played for the Alwar team in India circa 1900 and they won trophy after trophy – see the image of the frontispiece. They won the Indian Polo association Championship for several years and the Delhi Durbar without a single defeat scoring 117 goals against only 15.

Ricketts describes the “merciless hitting of the ordinary easy ball by the Maharajah, and the advantages of the golf drive trajectory which he imparted to it etc”.

Rickett’s motivation for the book is the fact that the Americans had more recently dominated the sport and to win back the advantage a quicker harder form of polo must be played. Bit like Bazball if you get that ..

Ricketts on Polo everything you need to know to beat the Yankees

$90.00

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The Antarctic Diary of Victor Campbell – “The Wicked Mate” – Edited King

Victor Campbell was part of Robert Scott’s Terra Nova Expedition. He led the Northern Party, six men who explored the coast of King Edward VII Land. They spent ten months at Cape Adare and then moved to Inexpressible Island, described as a stormy and desolate place (an understatement). They were marooned here over the winter and had to hole up in a man made ice cave. When the weather eased a little in October they made there way back over 230 miles of sea ice.

Campbell’s papers and diary were acquired by the University of Newfoundland. This made their publication for the first time possible. Edited by King who was librarian and the Scott Polar Institute, illustrated with Campbell’s sketches and numerous photographs, many of which not published before.

Published by the brilliant Erskine Press, part of Bluntisham Books in 2001. Large squarish format octavo, 192 pages, very good near fine condition.

Victor Campbell’s Antarctic Diaries – The Northern Party

$80.00

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The Scandalous Adventures of Captain Frederick Watson Wentworth – Hysterical Memoirs “edited” by Reg A Watson – Signed by the Author

A Vindication of Phrenology – W. Matthieu Williams – First edition 1894

Encyclopedia of the Antarctic – Edited Beau Riffenburgh- 2 Volumes

Lake Victoria to Khartoum with Rifle and Camera – Captain F.A. Dickinson [Introduction by Winston Churchill] – First Edition 1910.

First Class Polo – Tactics & Match Play – Brigadier-General R. L. Ricketts.

The Antarctic Diary of Victor Campbell – “The Wicked Mate” – Edited King

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