Queensland

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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Mount Morgan – Centenary of First Gold Discovery in 1882 – Rockhampton 1982

A nice example of the interesting medal struck by the Rockhampton Coin Club and made in Brisbane by A.J. Parkes in 1982.

An uncirculated commemorative, 40 mm diameter, 40gms in copper alloy. Strong relief and a super example.

The obverse carries a design by artists Don Taylor of a miner / prospector on his knee observing his gold pan with some intensity, other mining accoutrements in the background. On the reverse we have an image taken from a 1908 photograph of the working mine … an image all too familiar to Voyager.

Still with its original information with its brief history of the Mine.

Mighty Mount Morgan commemorated in medal form, and it deserves it!

$70.00

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Triumph in the Tropics (Queensland) – Cilento and Lack – 1959

This substantial book was produced for the Centenary Celebrations of Queensland published 1959 effectively by the Historical Committee of the State Government. It is free from government style and influence and jam packed with facts in a naturally chronological order.

Thick octavo, 446 pages plus index. Illustrated throughout, including charts, coloured frontispiece of the Cooktown Orchid (quite beautiful but we find a slightly strange choice). Facsimile signatures on endpapers and a pretty good example of the decorative period dust jacket. Very clean.

Starts with very early explorers (the reference to first nation people comes later) .. Cook, Flinders, Oxley, Convict establishments, foray into the interior, self Government. Then the development of the “Modern Queensland” … pastoral, maritime and mining (more about Mount Morgan).

It is the depth of information that impresses us most about this book, whilst the content concerning aboriginal people would not meet today’s standards, it is hard to find a book anywhere that addresses progress in Queensland better than this account. Not surprising given the authors [note their humble reference to mere editors] Cilento and Lack.

A Triumph it is … Queensland!

$50.00

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The Opium Smugglers – Ion Idriess – First edition 1948

Idriess back in Cook’s Passage and the Lizard Island. A tale written for boys and now grown up boys. Somewhat of a rarity.

A first edition published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney in 1948. Without the jacket, octavo, 273 pages, original tanned cloth covered boards with shell design to front. End paper maps, ownership signature on front ends. A pretty good copy.

The Lizard and opium

$35.00

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

Australian Eastern Shovelnose Ray – by Shaw & Nodder – 1791

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

Mount Morgan – Centenary of First Gold Discovery in 1882 – Rockhampton 1982

Triumph in the Tropics (Queensland) – Cilento and Lack – 1959

The Opium Smugglers – Ion Idriess – First edition 1948

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