Queensland

A Census of the Fossil Foraminifera of Australia – Howchin – 1893 – From Robart Logan Jack’s Library

A paper read at the Adelaide Meeting of the Australasian Association for the advancement of Science – September 1893.

Walter Howchin was an English born, Clarke Medal winning geologist who lectured at the Adelaide School of Mines. This paper presents in tabular form a complete list of the fossil foraminifera then know in Australia and is a mighty piece of work encapsulated in 24 page paper.

Original pink paper wrappers now reinforced at the hinge. Bound in Walter Howchin’s personal compliments slip … R. L. Jack Esq added in in manuscript by the receiver … also his name to front pink cover. Robert Logan jack being the distinguished explorer, geologist, author of the book on the history of Exploration in the Far North “Northmost Australia”. Logan Jack was to follow Daintree as the Queensland Appointed Geologist.

Interesting piece of scientific ephemera with Logan Jack ownership.

$40.00

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The “Widow’s Cap” of the Australian Aborigines – R. Etheridge 1899

Separately published paper from the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 1899. By Robert Etheridge Junior who was then Curator of the Australian Museum. Son of the superb engraver of geological specimens and exceptional geologist in his own right.

Side stitched in the original light blue wrappers, a little aged, internally very clean … a very nice copy of a little understood custom.

Mitchell was the first to notice the widow’s caps which he observed during his second expedition into the interior. Worn by widows in mourning and then later left at the graves of the deceased. The caps were formed from clay and the widow wore a net over her hair which left the unusual impression that can be seen in one of the images provided.

13 pages on narrative and six plates, printed on heavier stock from photographs of examples.

An authoritative paper on an important aboriginal custom

$25.00

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First Annual Report of the Acclimatisation Society of Southern Queensland – 1897 – Robert Logan Jack’s Copy

Fragile yet very scarce original report published at Warwick, Queensland in 1897. Printed at the Argus in Palmerin Street, Warwick.

The principal object of the Society was to introduce fish (trout), birds (pheasant, partridge, quail) for the purposes of promoting gentlemanly country pursuits.

Famed geologist, explorer, and author Robert Logan Jack’s copy with his signature clear top right front cover despite edge chipping,

The report covers the year ending 31st July 1897 and includes a Balance Sheet with Appendices. The Office Bearers are listed on the front cover … the President being His Excellency Lord Lamington.

13 pages starting with a nice plan of the Society’s facilities during establishment at Killarney. The narrative report includes Finance; Work of the Society; Fish; Birds all dealt with by the Chairman Arthur Morgan. Then a “Report of the Manager” W.G. Morris regarding his achievements to date … which include the building of a “substantial 4-roomed Veranda Cottage, in which I reside”. A list of Rainbow and Brown trout distributed to several rivers is provided. Those of an accounting bent will notice that the Balance Sheet takes the form of a Statement of Receipts and Expenditure and appears to be in the red … well that’s start ups for you.

A curious rather unique Queensland item – Logan Jack’s Copy.

$90.00

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Memoirs of the Queensland Museum – Vol VI December 1918 – Scarce and Controversial

This edition had been delayed by the consequences of WWI and as such contained material intended to be published in 1917. It contains a remarkable body of work but is controversial for the content it includes regarding aboriginal people. It is a fine line … we continue to sell it in the hope it contains between the lines some useful anthropological information that deserves to be preserved … we suspect it does.

Largish size, 25cm by 19cm, light card covers, 174 pages, with 32 full page plates not included in the pagination. The main body in very good condition, the covers have seen better days and are now re-enforced at the spine and susceptible to edge chipping.

Contents include … Notes on Certain Human Crania in the Queensland Museum; Queensland Ethnological Notes; On Message Sticks employed among Queensland Aborigines (A super article); Notes on Some Queensland and Papuan reptiles; Edible Fishes in Queensland (Special Plates); Bees Collected in Queensland etc.

The plates include four of Crania in the Museum, a troublesome plate … suckling young dingo; many good ones on message sticks and twenty odd full-page plates of fish all finely engraved.

Despite its challenges, extremely scarce and, one for the scholar and collector to decide.

$190.00

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Sir Samuel Walker Griffith’s – Literal translation of The Inferno of Dante Alighieri. [Printed Draft Signed and Gifted to Governor of Queensland] 1903

A unique item, a printed DRAFT of S.W.G’s mammoth translation of Dante’s Inferno. More so as it is signed by S.W.G. as a gift to the then Queensland Governor Sir Herbert Chermside.

Printed by Powell & Company, Adelaide Street Brisbane … legal and Government Printers, in 1903. Octavo softcover, probably later basic re-enforcement to spine. 136 pages comprising in its entirety of The Inferno and a Title which is a repeat of the cover. Aged somewhat externally with darkening to the card boards. Internally bright and clean with a few tears to the inner crease of one gathering, nothing troublesome. S.W.G’s minor correction by hand in three spots. The final work, itself very scarce was published in Sydney in 1908.

Sir Samuel Walker Griffith GCMG QC (1845-1920) politician, Premier of Queensland, Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, and a principal author of the Constitution of Australia. In 1865 he gained the T.S. Mort Travelling Fellowship and spent most of his time in Italy becoming very much attached to the Italian people and their literature. This the first translation of Dante by an Australian is a remarkable body, scarce, indeed unique in this form.

The Draft of a little known and important work by a leading light in the history of Australia

$370.00

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Unusual Queensland Item – Directions by Night and by Day – Simple Methods Developed for the use of Scout Troops – E. T. Holdaway FRAS and W.J. Newell

This is a essentially a military guide for soldiers and scouts (maybe with military intentions) printed by Roberts & Russell, George Street Brisbane, described as distributed by Barker’s Bookstore so therefore also generally available. Having said that we cannot find any other copies; not in Trove.

A 24 page soft cover. Large folding chart celestial chart of unusual style at front, numerous other diagrams throughout. Stapled binding with spine sometime split now re-enforced. Generally good condition for a fragile item

Edwin Thomas Holdaway was a Fellow of the Astronomical Society and the Head Surveyor in the Queensland Lands Department, Lecturer at the University of Queensland in Surveying. Newell was also in the Lands Department and was the designated Queensland Astronomical Observer of the time. Holdaway died in 1947 which confirms the likelihood this was a WWII technical assistance booklet.

Unusual Queensland Astronomical Work – WWII

$70.00

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A Census of the Fossil Foraminifera of Australia – Howchin – 1893 – From Robart Logan Jack’s Library

The “Widow’s Cap” of the Australian Aborigines – R. Etheridge 1899

First Annual Report of the Acclimatisation Society of Southern Queensland – 1897 – Robert Logan Jack’s Copy

Memoirs of the Queensland Museum – Vol VI December 1918 – Scarce and Controversial

Sir Samuel Walker Griffith’s – Literal translation of The Inferno of Dante Alighieri. [Printed Draft Signed and Gifted to Governor of Queensland] 1903

Unusual Queensland Item – Directions by Night and by Day – Simple Methods Developed for the use of Scout Troops – E. T. Holdaway FRAS and W.J. Newell

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