Queensland

The Great Fitzroy Copper and Gold Mine, Mount Chalmers (Rockhampton District) – Dunstan 1907

Queensland Department of Mines publication no 216 by B. Dunstan F.G.S. published in Brisbane in 1907. At that time Dunstan was the acting government geologist.

36 pages of narrative and 16 excellent plates, Original thin wrapper discarded at some time, spotting to title and some age browning. Otherwise a very serviceable copy. The illustrations are superb and many of plans coloured.

The plates comprise … Locality Plan showing the position of Rockhampton, Railway Lines, Mount Chalmers etc; Plan showing topographical features of Mount Chalmers; Underground Plan; Underground Section (North/South); Underground Section (East/West); Plan of No 1 Level; Plan of No 2 Level; Plan of Intermediate Levels; Plan of No 3 Level, and seven photographic views … full page and of better quality than normal for the period and report type. Plus four illustrations in the text.

The Great Fitzroy Mine and Mount Chalmers

$70.00

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Kennedy – The Barcoo and Beyond 1847 – Beale – Limited Signed Edition

A limited edition signed by the author Edgar Beale and published by the tremendous Blubber Head Press of Hobart.

The quality of the book is best bar none and the condition near fine. Octavo, 292 pages, nicely illustrate, some in colour, end paper maps an, a most unusual printed thick glassine dust cover, often chipped but here completely undamaged.

The author was taken aback by the contents of fresh papers that surfaced from the descendants of Kennedy – and along with records held in Northern Ireland and the journals and papers at the Royal Geographical Society London the rich content of this book has been crafted.

Edmund Besley Court Kennedy (1818-1848) was chosen by Mitchell as his second for the 1846 expedition into southern and central Queensland. He was given command of a further expedition the nest year to trace Mitchell’s “Victoria River” to an expected mouth in the Gulf of Carpentaria. This turned out not to be true, Kennedy proving that that the Victoria was in fact the Barcoo, the upper waters of Cooper Creek … and in doing so discovered the valuable Channel Country. He then went on to track the Werrego River and in a further expedition from Rockingham Bay in 1848, setting its sights on the very tip of the Cape York Peninsula, he was killed by aboriginals.

Three folding maps near rear.

Essential and Fine Kennedy

$80.00

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Gold Mining in Queensland – Two Original Magic Lantern Slides – 1890’s

Two rare original magic lantern slide issued by George Washington Wilson (G.W.W.) in the late 1890’s.

Note the items are sharper than the images … we have some refraction going on with our scanning technique we nee to sort out … if you are interested get in touch.

Original 3.5 inch square, standard size, lantern slide. Original label from G.W.W.. Fine quality image – no damage except the odd ageing to the securing tape, easily replaced.

GWW (George Washington Wilson) sent his top photographer, Fred Hardie, to Australia in the 1890’s to take images for their business in magic lantern slides. Hardie travelled from South Australia to Cairns, Queensland mainly by train but occasionally by horse and trap. Very active at the time. G.W.W. went out of business just before WWI, through competition and a waning in interest in the product. The slides produced are scarce. The bulk of the G.W.W. catalogue eventually ended up at Aberdeen University.

The slides comprise:

Alluvial Gold Diggings – Cradle at Work – Aberdeen Reference 30591 and, Gold Digging – The Whip – Aberdeen Reference 30595.

Rare Images of Queensland Gold Mining Activity.

$180.00

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James Cook Bicentennial Medal (1970) by Andor Meszaros

A striking medal issues by the National Trust of Australia in 1970 to commemorate the 200-year anniversary of James Cook’s discovery of the east coast of mainland Australia.

Copper bronze 50mm in diameter, weigh 60gm (160gm cased). Heavy relief portrait of Cook dominates the right hand edge of the medal with the Endeavour helmsman covering the whole of the background … the impression is of is singularly focused observation of the fits sighting .. which would have been at Point Hicks. The narrative James Cook 1770-1970 to the left and below that the signature of the medallist Andor Meszaros. On the reverse the National Trust emblem. A fine example still housed in its original felt lined case all in fine condition. 3,000 medals were cast so it is not uncommon but how many still have their original case and remain unmarked.

Hungarian born Andor Meszaros (1900-1972) perhaps Australia’s greatest medallist. He was a natural sculptor and held high positions in the art in Australia and, recognised by his peers internationally. His name was made as a medallist when he designed the Melbourne Olympic Games Medals in 1956 … he also designed the Australian Vietnam War Medal in 1968.

James Cook honoured at 200 years by distinguished medallist Meszaros

$120.00

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Medal in Celebration of the Discovery of the Johnstone River, Queensland in 1873.

Produced in 1973 the celebrate the 100 year anniversary of George Elphinstone Dalrymple’s Discovery.

Cast in coppered bronze by K G Luke. 50 mm in diameter, weighing 48 gm, very good condition.

Nice design of the North and South Johnson combining and meandering down to the Pacific Ocean through heavily wooded hilly terrain. A very clear horizon, and in the sky above the explorers full name and commemorative dates the full commemorative details in a border around the edge. On the reverse a Floral and scroll design, presumably to take the engraved name of any recipient – here still blank.

The designer is associated with Sir Kenneth George Lake (1896-1971) who had a very successful business making all things requiring metal design … he was also an important identity in sports administration in Australian particularly the AFL.

George Elphinstone Dalrymple was a legendary explorer, pioneer and pastoralist in northern Queensland. See Robert Logan Jack’s Northmost Australia for a good account of his efforts. He named the Johnstone River in 1873 in honour of Robert Johnstone of the Native Police who had carried out his handy work in the region. Unusually, the river had already been named by Captain Moresby a year or two earlier … his name the Gladys did not stick, thankfully. The Johnstone is a spectacular part of Australia .. the rivers are subject to exceedingly high rainfall and make for the very best of white water rafting. The confluence of the North and South is about five km west of the town of Innisafail. If you go there … watch out for salty crocodiles.

Very good uncirculated condition, strong relief.

Celebrating Northern Queensland Exploration

SO SORRY SOLD

$90.00

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First Edition – Northmost Australia – Robert Logan Jack – 2 Volumes 1921

… Three Centuries of Exploration, Discovery, and adventure in and around the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland.

A first edition set published by Simpkins Marshall, London 1921. Two volumes complete with all 17 separate folding maps.

Robert Logan Jack was the senior Government Geologist for Queensland for 20 years. He replaced Richard Daintree who was the first to hold that position. The best work of its type by far and with a number of unique aspects. Completed in Logan Jack’s final year as he passed away November 1921.

Both volumes in very good condition. Any foxing internally is relatively limited to the title of one volume and near the ends, despite the spongy, period paper. The loose maps are all there and in very good condition.

Volume 1 commences with early exploration – Maghelen, Quiros and Torres and the Duyfken at Cape York followed by the Pera and Aernemdealt. Tasman arrives in 1644 and then pre-Cook the voyages of the Buijs and Rijder in 1756 with Van Asschens and Gonzal. And then we have the Endeavour and Cook’s discovery from the South and East and soon after in 1789 Bligh in the Bounty launch. Flinders with the Investigator and the after “Wreck Reef” the Cumberland and captivity. Philip Parker King in the Mermaid fills the gaps in 1819 and then in the Bathurst a year later. The wreck of the Charles Eaton in 1834. Wickham and Stokes in 1839 to the Normanton and Albert Rivers and Burketown. Blackwood and Yule and the “Fly” and their mark on the Straits.

Then Logan Jack takes us to the interior and much on the great Leichhardt and Kennedy and that other fateful expedition. Back to the coast and Owen Stanley and the Rattlesnake. And then Burke and Wills up the centre and the searching parties … Landsbourough, Walker and McKinley. Closing with good content on the Jardine Brothers up the Cape, the special efforts of first geologist Daintree and then Captain John Moresby (junior) into the Torres Straits.

Whilst volume I contains some hard to find narrative such as the Jardines and Daintree Volume II is a masterclass. After opening comments on Aboriginal and Polynesian labour we commence our explorations with the elusive William Hann and the Palmer River followed by Mulligan and 150 pages of Logan Jack’s own extensive explorations. Ending with some explorations gems with Donald Laing, Embley, William Baird, John Dickie, William Lakeland and William Bowden.

We have gone on a bit but fell justified in attempting to describe the effort put into this book and the scarcity of the accounts. The whole wonderfully illustrated by images of the explorers often from family sources and at the rear separate indexes by persons, localities and subjects.

The Further North you go the better it gets in these Volumes – First Edition – Nice Set

$480.00

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The Great Fitzroy Copper and Gold Mine, Mount Chalmers (Rockhampton District) – Dunstan 1907

Kennedy – The Barcoo and Beyond 1847 – Beale – Limited Signed Edition

Gold Mining in Queensland – Two Original Magic Lantern Slides – 1890’s

James Cook Bicentennial Medal (1970) by Andor Meszaros

Medal in Celebration of the Discovery of the Johnstone River, Queensland in 1873.

First Edition – Northmost Australia – Robert Logan Jack – 2 Volumes 1921

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