Prestige Items

Trial of King Charles the First – England’s Black Tribunal -1737

Published by C Rivington, at the Bible and Crown in St Paul’s Church Yard (London) in 1737. Octavo, xxxi, 308 pages with adverts, index and engraved plate of Charles I as frontispiece. Bound in full contemporary leather, a bit worn but authentic antiquarian. No title label. The frontispiece is a masterpiece of stipple engraving and is often missing.

Carries the bookplate of Victorian gentleman James Barratt of Lymm Hall a magnificent pile which appeared in Twycross’s Mansions of England. later bookplate of Charles J Bewlay of Carleton Hall, partly laid over. This combination has been seen before, also se in the partial laid over manner … Bewlay must have purchased a good slice of Barratt’s library.

A sixth and very much enlarged edition. Set out in four parts. The longer title describes …

I – The complete Tryal of Kind Charles the First, by the pretended High Court of Justice in Westminster-Hall, begun Jan, 20, 1648. Together with His Majesty’s Speech on the Scaffold, erected at Whitehall Gate, on Tuesday Jan. 30, 1648.

II – The Loyal Martyrology: Or, A perfect Relation of the Sufferings and Death of the Nobility, Gentry, and others, who were inhumanly sacrific’d for their Loyalty to the Sovereigns King Charles I and II. Together with several Dying Speeches.

III – An Historical Register of the Lords, Knights, and Gentlemen, who were slain in Defence of their King and Country, during the Unnatural Rebellion, begun in 1641.

IV – The Loyal Confessors: In a brief Account of the most Eminent Sufferers, by Imprisonment, Banishment, or in Estate, for the Cause of His Sacred Majesty.

To which is added An Historical Preface, by a True Churchman.

For those unaware of the general goings on Charles I (Son of James VI of Scotland, England’s first Stuart King) thought he could rule without a Parliament and making up his own laws (read taxes) as he went along. It led to disorder, Civil War (6% of the population died) and much more. He was arrested and charged with everything in the book [interestingly his charges are an early example of being charged with murder committed by his followers]. He didn’t recognise the Court and said so often during the Trial. He was if anything very eloquent and his responses and Dying Speech are good for reading.

Charles I – Lost is Head but not his Voice – Rare engraved frontispiece.

$380.00

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Complete Set – The London Aphrodite – Literary Periodical (in Six Parts) – Ed. Jack Lindsay and P.R. Stephensen.

Six original publications of Jack Lindsay’s London based Franfrolico Press, published in 1929. Banned in the USA for alleged obscenity … quite tame and very artistic really.

Nearly 500 pages in total. A pot-pourri of Australian and European literary and artistic talent. Norman Lindsay contributed with his unusual imagery. Octavo, card covered, some age but generally a good and importantly complete set. Occasionally black and white plates and scattered vignettes by Norman Lindsay. Literary contributions from Aldous Huxley, Norma Douglas, Liam O’Flaherty, Sacheverell Sitwell and other icons of the pen.

Aphrodite – all of them and a wonderful read.

$190.00

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Call to the Winds – P.G. (Bill) Taylor – First Edition 1939

Important and scarce aviation book. “Bill” Taylor’s heroic flight with Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm.

First edition Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1939. Octavo, 227 pages, with period photographs of the aircraft “Southern Cross” including the damaged engine and propeller and the life saving thermos flask. Signature on front paste down. Very good copy with an almost impossible to find dust jacket.

Patrick Gordan Taylor (1891-1966) later knighted one of Australia’s greatest aviators. Participated in several major flight firsts with Sir Charles Kingsford, Charlie Ulm and later Richard Archbold. Known affectionately as “Bill” … Taylor joined the British Royal Flying Corps in 1916 with No 66 Squadron. After the war he returned to Australia and the start of commercial aviation activities.

The core of this book is about a 1935 flight, in the Southern Cross, with Kingsford Smith and Ulm from Australia to New Zealand with the view to establishing a mail service between the two countries. Mid Tasman the starboard engine failed. They decided to return to Sydney but encountered high winds. The port engine began to overheat and was running out of cooling oil. Bill Taylor climbed outside the aircraft along the wire below the wind strut, with a thermos flask, drained oil from the broken starboard engine and transferred it to the port engine. He did this six times before they made a safe landing back in Sydney.

Aviation Heroics – Bill Taylor with Kingsford Smith and Ulm – outside the Southern Cross over the Tasman

$180.00

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Avanapu – A Novel Set in Bougainville -Nari Watkins – Signed by the Author

First edition, 1973, only ever soft cover. Published by Trinity Press, Rabaul a fact which, in itself, makes this book very special.

Octavo, 230 pages, decorated covers as seen. Showing some age but a good pleasing copy of this PNG rarity.

The story of the Hamilton family pioneers of Laua Avanapua plantation in Bougainville. Based in the years leading up to and during WWII. Narianna the daughter of Elspeth and Ivo Hamilton is a central character. The Japanese invade and it all gets complicated … as we know.

Inside the back cover we get an explanation as to how the author got her name, an aboriginal word and associated with islands off Western Australia and Samarai … the latter surely one of the most beautiful spots in the World.

Unusual novel based people and events around Bougainville during Japanese occupation in WWII.

$40.00

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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.

$180.00

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Nugae Canorae Medicae – Sir Andrew Douglas Maclagan – First edition 1850 – With Additional Contemporary Manuscript Content

Translates literally “Silly Medical Songs” and they are. Andrew Douglas Maclagan (1812-1900) was an eminent Scottish surgeon and toxicologist. In his lifetime he was President of five of the mots distinguished Societies in Scotland. As a toxicologist he was called to Court to give evidence … as a young man he supported the prosecution in the Burke and Hare affair.

Printed by Thomas Constable, Edinburgh in 1850 – a first edition (it was reprinted in 1873). Effectively self published. Maclagan vaguely covered his identity as the author is names as “The Poet Laureate of the New Town Dispensary”. Octavo, bark brown embossed cloth covered boards with gilt titling to front, 82 pages with manuscript additions to rear end paper. Remnant seal to back paste down.

Given the period any reader will be pleasantly surprised how amusing the said poem/songs are … and much fun must have been had with them. Footnotes have been provided which explain the circumstances and sometimes individuals at fault or lampooned. No punches held.

What makes this copy more charming is the manuscript addition. Internally they sometimes correct the events suggested. At the rear we have in neat manuscript further ditties by Maclagan that are not in the published work. Clearly someone who knew the great man very well. 19thC press clipping re Maclagan affixed front free end.

Silly Songs by a most distinguished physician.

$180.00

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Trial of King Charles the First – England’s Black Tribunal -1737

Complete Set – The London Aphrodite – Literary Periodical (in Six Parts) – Ed. Jack Lindsay and P.R. Stephensen.

Call to the Winds – P.G. (Bill) Taylor – First Edition 1939

Avanapu – A Novel Set in Bougainville -Nari Watkins – Signed by the Author

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

Nugae Canorae Medicae – Sir Andrew Douglas Maclagan – First edition 1850 – With Additional Contemporary Manuscript Content

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