Queensland

Shipwreck Archaeology in Australia – Michael Nash

A fine copy of Michael Nash’s all embracing Australian shipwreck book.

Published by the University of Western Australia Press in 2007. Squarish large octavo, 244 pages, very nicely illustrated throughout, end paper illustration of the dreadful goings on at the Batavia camp.

Pulled together by Nash with contributions from a number of other experts in the field, or the water really.

The fifteen wrecks dealt with in detail are presented chronologically starting with the Batavia (1629) .. then a leap to Hunter’s Sirius (1790) .. the Pandora (1791) all the way to the Tasman (1883). We say fifteen but the last is a place for wrecks Garden Island (1906-1945). Notes, glossary etc finish what is a really good reference or stand alone work.

The other dimension with this book is the back history of many of wrecks – First Fleet; Bounty Related; Slavers; Walers etc and for some another aspect such as Experimental Reconstruction (Zanoni 1867); Timber Shipbuilding techniques (Water Witch 1842).

Australian Wrecks – the way in to the subject – no better presentation.

$50.00

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The South Pole – An account of the Norwegian Expedition in the “Fram” 1910-1912 – Roald Amundsen – Queensland University Facsimile 1976

Facsimile edition, and a scarce one, published under the moniker of the University of Queensland Press in 1976. The original edition was published in 1912 and is highly collectable. Two volumes bound as one making it quite an impressive book in stature xxv, 392 pages; x, 449 pages. Illustrated from the original with plates and maps, one folding of each. A very good copy in a very good dust jacket.

The first to the pole. Account of Amundsen’s legendary dash to the Pole. He beat Scott’s Expedition by a month reaching the Pole on 14th December 1911. The use of dog sleds, better clothing, nutrition and a single minded purpose are factors that put Amundsen ahead of Scott.

Norwegian Captain Roald Amundsen had initially intended make an expedition to the Arctic, but changed his plans at the last moment and announced he would try for the South Pole instead. His explanation to the public was that if he could beat the English and Japanese expeditions to the Pole then he could secure success and funds for his extensive Arctic expedition, and also snatch the prize for his own country.

Amundsen sailed southward in the Fram to the Bay of Whales that would afford his expedition both the shortest route to the Pole and a route that would not overlap with either the Japanese or the English expeditions. From start to finish, Amundsen’s expedition ran like clockwork. He carefully planned every moment of the trip, using his experience in the Arctic and his extensive knowledge of dog-teams to help him through. His team was entirely Norwegian, accustomed to a harsh and cold climate, and were excellent ski-runners. In addition, Amundsen travelled light; he brought five men and fifty dogs on his expedition so that the latter could eventually serve as food for the former. Part of what doomed Scott’s party was the fact that he favoured men and ponies over dogs, bringing twelve men, eight ponies, and only twenty-six dogs.

Amundsen’s party remained in excellent health and always had enough to eat from their plentiful provisions at their well-stocked supply depots. They also supplemented their food stores with a great seal hunt just before the winter, after which 120,000 lb. of fresh seal meat were added to their stores, which helped protect them against scurvy.

Unlike Scott’s party, Amundsen’s party were also fortunate enough to have favourable weather conditions on their side, so that they were able to reach the Pole using their supply depots and dog sleds in just 99 days, a distance of 1860 miles, covering an astonishing average of 19 miles a day over frozen and difficult ground. Their journey was truly an extraordinary accomplishment, and Amundsen’s account of it is no less riveting

Amundsen – Fine facsimile of The South Pole published by Queensland University

$140.00

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Australian Eastern Shovelnose Ray – by Shaw & Nodder – 1791

Very early copper engraved hand coloured engraving of the Australian Eastern Shovelnose Ray (Aptychoterma Rostrata) which you can find along the coast from Newcastle in NSW to the Far North in Queensland, more prevalent around the Barrier Reef. Very good condition original 18thC colouring.

A medium sized ray with a long flattened triangular snout, wedge shaped disk and shark like tail. Sexually dimorphic dentition – the males have elongated carps on their anterior teeth that allow them to grip the female during mating … ouch.

George Shaw oversaw the Natural History Department at the British Museum. Nodder was a natural history artist and worked for Banks on his Florilegium.

Price unframed $90.00 or $190.00 framed in Voyager Natural History style.

Very early Australian Fish Engraving

$90.00

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Slipper Lobster [Scyllarus Arctus] Ovel Tailed Lobster – 1802 – by Shaw & Nodder

Copper engraved and hand coloured this engraving of the Slipper Lobster is by Shaw & Nodder. Published in London in 1804 as part of their magnificent series of hand coloured natural history plates.

Technically not a lobster but from the family of crustaceans that include the Moreton Bay Bug and Balmain Bug. Found mainly in the warm waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, although they do occur in lesser quantities elsewhere.

George Shaw oversaw the Natural History Department at the British Museum. Nodder was a natural history artist and worked for Banks on his Florilegium.

Price $90.00 unframed $190.00 framed in Voyager natural history style … enquire if you would like more information.

Fine well executed slipper lobster engraving

$90.00

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Smugglers and Sailors – The Customs History of Australia 1788-1901 – David Day

A super fine copy of this substantial book that looks at the development of Australia through the Customs Service.

The author David Day born in Queensland and went to Melbourne University an later awarded a research Fellowship at Clare College Cambridge. At Clare he write three widely acclaimed works .. Menzies and Churchill at War; The Great Betrayal and Reluctant Nation … books that changed more than just the perspective. So who better to be appointed to write this work sponsored by the Government.

A quality production, Quarto, 528 pages, illustrated nicely throughout. Published in 1992.

Covers going on in NSW, Van Diemen’s Land, Port Phillip, Moreton Bay, WA, South Australia .. plenty of smuggling, fancy uniforms, temptation of vice, standard to be challenged and broken .. society in the day.

Customs a lot more interesting than you might first think!

$35.00

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The Rattlesnake – A Voyage of Discovery in the Coral Sea – Jordan Goodman.

We have always though that this was the most accessible book regarding the important Voyage of the Rattlesnake.

Published by Faber in 2005. Large octavo, 357 pages, nicely illustrated, a very good copy.

From the preparations in London and Portsmouth which take up the short Part I we head for the Tropics and Rio before a sharp east to the Cape and on to Mauritius in 1847. Part III is to Hobart, Sydney and on to the Barrier Reef. Dropping explorer Kennedy at Cape York [from whence he was speared and killed by aboriginals]. Then off to the objective and New Guinea and much coastal exploration, charting and the usual naming after friends, sponsors and the upper levels of society.

Of course not you normal seagoing adventure we have the truly talented artist Captain Owen Stanley [Mountain Range behind Port Moresby his name] and the soon to be famous Thomas Huxley as naturalist.

The discovery of Barbara Thompson on far north Darnley Island, sole survivor of a calamitous shipwreck and living with the local aboriginals adds extra drama to an already riveting account.

Rattlesnake without the poison.

$30.00

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Shipwreck Archaeology in Australia – Michael Nash

The South Pole – An account of the Norwegian Expedition in the “Fram” 1910-1912 – Roald Amundsen – Queensland University Facsimile 1976

Australian Eastern Shovelnose Ray – by Shaw & Nodder – 1791

Slipper Lobster [Scyllarus Arctus] Ovel Tailed Lobster – 1802 – by Shaw & Nodder

Smugglers and Sailors – The Customs History of Australia 1788-1901 – David Day

The Rattlesnake – A Voyage of Discovery in the Coral Sea – Jordan Goodman.

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