Queensland

The Magnificent Rifle Bird – Lesson -1838

Original hand coloured engraving for Rene Primevere Lesson (1794-1849) and his extension of the great natural history work originally produced by Count Buffon. Published in Paris in 1838.

Thick cream paper 26cm by 16cm … external framed dimensions approximately 38cm by 28cm … nice for the study ….

This beautiful bird inhabits Papua New Guinea and the Northern tip of Australia around the Cape.

Lesson participated as doctor and naturalist in the Duperry voyage round the world on board La Coquille (1822-1825).

Price Framed in Voyager Natural History style – $240.00 or unframed $130.00

Striking original image of the beautiful Magnificent Rifle Bird

$240.00

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A Journal of the Endeavour Voyager – James Magra

This is a fine facsimile published by Israel Amsterdam in 1967. Note titles “Cook” by Israel but not the author.

The original account … A Journal of a Voyage Round the World in His Majesty’s Ship Endeavour, in the Years 1768,1769,1770 and 1771 etc published by Becket and Hondt in the Strand in 1791. Quarto, 130 pages plus 3 pages of vocabulary of the language of Otahitee.

Published two years before the official Hawkesworth account in 1793 and now generally attributed to James Magra.

James Magra was a New Yorker and American sympathiser and accordingly to James Cook a man of dubious quality. Almost impossible to find in original form … this was the first published book describing the East Coast of Australia and includes for example reference to Stingray Bay the name given to Botany Bay by James Cook before the latter was adopted sometime before Hawkesworth.

Magra’s account and essential Cook ingredient

$80.00

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King Parrot or Parrakeet – Greene – 1884

Original wood cut hand finished engraving of the magnificent King parrot from “Parrots in Captivity”, published in London 1884.

In our opinion the most beautiful parrot in Australia, the colour especially when seen late in the afternoon is breath taking. A large bird and not shy. We used to see big groups of them late in the day west of Brisbane in around Pullenvale

Greene’s delightful work comprising wood-engraved plates printed by Benjamin Fawcett after drawings by A.F. Lydon. The prints are hand finished with delicate highlighting in gum arabic to accentuate the bright colouring.

Benjamin Fawcett was one of the great colour printers of the 19th century. He pioneered a system of wood block engraving from multiple blocks that resulted in vivid finely coloured works. Fawcett had an association of some 50 years with Francis Orpen Morris to produce many beautiful works on birds. The engravings are the finest illustrations of parrots from the period.

Price unframed $260.00 or $390.00 framed in Voyager natural history style … enquire if you wish

Voyager’s favourite bird print … the King of Parrots

$260.00

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The Dutch Explorations of Australia, 1605 – 1756 – Willem Robert

An fine copy of this excellent book by Willem Robert, published by Philo Press, Amsterdam in 1973. Larger format octavo, 196 pages.

There six large facsimile folding maps in a pocket at the rear, also in fine condition. They includes charts of the voyages of … the “Duijffke” 1605-6; the “Pera” 1623; the “Arnhem” 1623; the “Vliegende” 1678; the “Vossenbos”, “Wajer” and “Nova Hollandia” together in 1705 … along with the author’s own construction of the north east coast of Hollandia Nova, as known in 1710.

The book is well structured with a description of the voyages, references to the charts and maps and index to localities shown. Where documents are referred to … the original Dutch is shown opposite the English translation. There is a good bibliography for further reading or source material and an interesting list of the names of aboriginal groups and places along the various coastlines charted.

Special reference .. exceptional facsimile maps.

$80.00

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The Cattle King [ Sir Sydney Kidman] – Ion Idriess – 1951

Published in Sydney in 1951. Octavo, 277 pages. A very good copy in a very good dust jacket

The Biography of Sir Sidney Kidman who started with five shillings and eventually controlled over 100 cattle stations an area half the size of Queensland.

Well illustrated from period photographs and end paper maps showing the extent of the Kidman interests at the front and stations, stock routes, coach routes and railways referred to in the text … at the rear.

Good reading & photographs … a cattle empire much in the financial news of late.

$60.00

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History of The Colony of Queensland From 1770 to the Close of the Year 1881 – William Coote – Rare First Edition 1882

Published in Brisbane by William Thorne Edward and Adelaide Streets in 1882. Octavo, 256 pages.

Nicely re-bound with deep blue cloth covered boards with gilt lettering on spine. Internally some ageing to Title and the very last page otherwise sound and clean 256 pages. The folding map of Queensland at front at the date of separation 1859 appears to be a quality facsimile.

The full title of this book anticipates covering the period up to 1881 on two volumes. Sadly Coote died having only completed this volume I which takes us up to the separation of Moreton Bay from New South Wales and its constitution as a new colony in 1859.

A very scarce and well written text on the history and development of Queensland.

Published Brisbane 1882 – Scarce as they get

$340.00

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The Magnificent Rifle Bird – Lesson -1838

A Journal of the Endeavour Voyager – James Magra

King Parrot or Parrakeet – Greene – 1884

The Dutch Explorations of Australia, 1605 – 1756 – Willem Robert

The Cattle King [ Sir Sydney Kidman] – Ion Idriess – 1951

History of The Colony of Queensland From 1770 to the Close of the Year 1881 – William Coote – Rare First Edition 1882

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