Prestige Items

The First Crossing of Spitsbergen – Martin Conway – First Edition 1897

And a rather exhausting full title …The First Crossing of Spitsbergen Being an account of an Inland Journey of Exploration and Survey, with Descriptions of Several Mountain Ascents, of Boat Expeditions in Ice Fjord, of a Voyage to North-East-Land, the Seven Islands, Down Hinloopen Strait, Nearly to Wiched Land, and Into most of the Fjords of Spitsbergen, and an almost Complete Circumnavigation of the Main Island.

First edition published by Dent, London in 1897. Quarto, 372 pages, 8 coloured plates, 2 folding maps and 99 black and white illustrations. Original brown bevelled boards with tan spine, gilt lettering and decoration. Spine darkened somewhat as usual from sunlight. Occasional light spotting, plates and maps clean. A good to better copy.

Martin Conway spent the summers of 1896 and 1897 exploring Spitsbergen. During the first year Conway led a party of five overland from Advent Bay to Bell Sound and on to Sassen Bay and Agardh Bay before returning. Altogether there were thirteen mountain ascents, such is the territory. During their endeavours they complied generous geologic and natural history collections.

Sir Martin Conway (1856-1937) was a critic, politician, cartographer, mountaineer and more. He studied Mathematics at Trinity College, Cambridge. His first significant expedition was to Spitsbergen in 1896 (the subject of this book) and then an expedition to the Bolivian Andes. He was President of the Alpine Club 1902-04 and knighted for his cartographic work on the Karkoram region of the Himalaya. Later in life he was made First Baron Conway of Allington. Quiet a chap!

Spitsbergen means “Pointed Mountains” from the Dutch. Now under the jurisdiction of Norway. The archipelago has been named Svalbard since 1925 with Spitsbergen reserved for the largest island, which is the 36th largest island in the World. Spitsbergen is the only island in the group with permanent habitation although even now there are barely 3,000 people.

Conway across Spitsbergen – first time recorded

$390.00

Updating cart…

Sir Lionel Lindsay – Three Bookplates c1923-1933

Three bookplates by Sir Lionel Lindsay (1874-1961) of particular interest. All based on woodcuts. Very clean condition.

First his own bookplate produced in c1930-33. 9.0 cm x 8.0 cm. Included in authority Mendelssohn 1982. A working proof of this bookplate is held by the NGV, accession 990D-4.

The other two produced by Lionel for his son Peter Lindsay (1907-1990). They were produced earlier circa 1923. The Cockatoo slightly larger at 7.5cm x 6.0cm in the block, the other 6.7cm x 5.7cm in the block.

Three Lionel Lindsay bookplate for himself and his son Peter

$120.00

Updating cart…

Bridgewater – with Mount Direction – Hobart, Tasmania -1840

An original lithograph from a drawing by Louis Le Breton (1818-1866) lithographed by Leon Jean Baptiste Sabatier published as part of the great “Atlas Pittoresque” to accompany “Voyage au Pole Sud et dans l’Oceanie sur les corvettes l’Astrolabe et la Zelee … sous commandement de M.J. Dumont d’Urville”.

A delightful view of Bridgewater looking across the river Derwent to the imposing Mount Direction

Lithographed on sturdy paper size 54.5cm by 34.5 cm. Very good clean condition. A scarce Hobart image.

Price $540.00 unframed – rare

Striking image of Mount Direction across the Derwent

$540.00

Updating cart…

Manners and Customs of the Ancient Egyptians – First Series 1837 – Wilkinson

Full title … Manners and Customs of The Ancient Egyptians, Including their Private Life, Government, Laws, Arts, Manufactures, Religion, and early History; Derived from a Comparison of the Paintings, Sculptures and Monuments Still Existing, with Accounts of Ancient Authors. Illustrated by Drawings of Those Subjects.

Three volumes, first edition published by Murray, London in 1837. Octavo, 406, 446 and 404 pages. With numerous illustrations, including 17 lithographed plates, some colour, some tinted and three folding. Original gilt pictorial cloth. Some light foxing, minimal signs of age and use. A very good set of this important work.

A second series of and additional three volumes was published in 1841. We have that set also. Make an offer for the combination if you wish.

Ten parts, comprising inter alia … The Early State of Egypt; History from Accession of King Menes to Conquest by Alexander; Class System; Houses, Gardens, Villas; Furnishings; Activities; Hunting; Arts and the Style of Art etc

Sir John Gardner Wilkinson (1797-1875) was traveller a pioneer Egyptologist. Regarded as the “Father of British Egyptology”. Oxford educated after Harrow. He fell ill and did not finish his degree. Travelling in Italy to recuperate he met William Gell under whose influence he decided to study Egyptology. From the age of 24 he spent twelve continuous years in Egypt. Soon after his return to England he published this work which became regarded as the best work on the subject … he received a knighthood as a result. His papers are held at the Bodleian, and are regarded as fundamental being before a widespread interest in the subject which brought tourism and the natural “spoiling” that comes with that.

Wilkinson – Important early work on Egyptology.

$590.00

Updating cart…

No Image Available

From Fetish to God in Ancient Egypt – Wallis Budge – First Edition 1934

First edition published by Oxford University Press in 1934. Large octavo, 545 pages with 240 illustrations. Decorated cloth covered boards and with most of the rare dust jacket, with repaired separation to rear corner and large chip to base of spine. The book rarely appears with its jacket. A very good copy.

A history of the progress of Egyptian religious beliefs and related mythology during ancient times.

Chapter subjects include … The Religions of Ancient Egypt; Predynastic Cults – Animism – Fetishism – Gods and Goddesses of Fetish Origin etc ; Magic the Foundation of Egyptian Religions; Magical Rituals and Spells; The Magician – His Powers and Works; The Family of Gebb and Nut; Hathor and the Hathor-Goddesses; Gods – Stellar, Borrowed and Foreign; Osiris the Rival of Ra; The Judgement of the Dead; Life Beyond the Grave etc etc

Wallis Budge (1857-1934) one of a group of top Egyptologists to be associated with the British Museum. Born into poor circumstances he made London and the British Museum as a young man. He was so well liked and he was sponsored through Cambridge by Gladstone and Smith (of W.H. Smith fame). He studied the work of Layard, knew Alfred Sayce well (see out original letter by Sayce), learned from Assyriologist George Smith (Voyager hero). It was not long until he was in charge of building the collection which he did in a grand scale. His most distinguished acquisition maybe the Papyrus of Ani “Book of the Dead”. He wrote many books on his subject. This his final and enduring work.

Budge – a lifetime devoted to Egyptology.

$220.00

Updating cart…

Boronia Babies – May Gibbs – First Edition -1919

Published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney no date but 1919 and a First Edition.

Original wrapper with orange cord, 18 pages. Colour pictorial overlay to front of a lovely Boronia Baby.

Illustrated with coloured frontispiece and 11 full page black and white illustrations.

Neat gift inscription on the page dedicated for that purpose. Very nice condition.

Reference authority Muir 2740.

May Gibbs original – beautiful Boronia Babies

$160.00

Updating cart…

The First Crossing of Spitsbergen – Martin Conway – First Edition 1897

Sir Lionel Lindsay – Three Bookplates c1923-1933

Bridgewater – with Mount Direction – Hobart, Tasmania -1840

Manners and Customs of the Ancient Egyptians – First Series 1837 – Wilkinson

From Fetish to God in Ancient Egypt – Wallis Budge – First Edition 1934

Boronia Babies – May Gibbs – First Edition -1919

Product Categories