Tasmania

Port Arthur Railway Across Tasman Peninsula – Australia’s First Railway – Bayley

Published in the early 1970’s this is an interesting historical account of what was the first railway in Australia, albeit convict powered.

The author William Bayley self published a number of well researched historical documents. Octavo, 64 pages, illustrated heavily and well throughout. Fine copy.

Much about Booth and his plans, the Port Arthur settlement and discovery of coal on the other side of the peninsula. The need for the railway, its construction and the manpower. The visit of Trollope and other incidentals.

The first railway – no mean feat for anyone.

$25.00

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The Shot Tower [Hobart] and its Builder Joseph Moir – Richard Lord

A special local history item by Richard Lord who also authored the respected book on St David’s graveyard and the Isle of the Dead at Port Arthur.

More than a local history is the shot tower is the only stone and brick built circular shot tower in the Southern hemisphere.

Anyone coming to Hobart may not have a visit here on the agenda … after reading this thorough account I doubt you will neglect the tower.

First Printing 1980, self published, printed by Specialty Press, Hobart. Perfect bound, ninety-one pages, nicely illustrated mainly from historical photographs.

The builder of the shot tower Joseph Moir was an incredibly enterprising individual. Already successful in business. He went to England and came back with a shipload of hardware and set up the Economy House at 49 Murray Street. It did very well.

In the 1860’s his mind turned to making shot … a quite complex process fundamental to which is the action of gravity hence the tower. His careful planning led him to select the perfect site some seven miles form the centre of Hobart. The author goes through the considerations regarding the location, the structure, the outhouses for arsenic, powder etc and the incredible feat in erecting the tower in eight months with the help of only two stonemasons. The process for making shot was designed by William watts of Bristol in the 1700’s. A bit of experimentation was required at Hobart, but Moir eventually cracked the technique … which he guarded for year to come.

The Shot Tower – Tasmania’s finest industrial structure.

$25.00

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They Reigned Supreme [Steam Ships in Tasmania] – Thomas W. Fox

Self published second printing, scarce as hen’s teeth.

Red card wrappers, 50 pages plus advertisements, including one for Purdon & Featherstone Shipyard! Illustrated with a few images of steam boats.

Excellent account of the steam ships that used to ply the Derwent, Tamar and coastal routes in Tasmania. From the very beginning to the very end.

Lengthy list of vessels in alphabetic order with details regarding their construction, when and where they were put to use and by whom. Often ending in a mishap.

After the boats comes a chapter on the famous O’May family who for three generations were at the heart of the Derwent ferry services. Then a brief section on boat builder and a most interesting account of River Steamer racing.

Super primary reference for anyone interested in the now gone steamer activity in Tasmania.

$50.00

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Joseph Conrad and the Barque Otago – Sir William Crowther – 1975

Bound notes by Sir William Crowther for the handing over of the restored companionway superstructure to the officers’ cuddy from the Otago [Joseph Conrad’s ship].

Very few would have been produced so a scarce as it is brief. Quarto in size, bound nicely in blue cloth covered boards with gilt titles. Original photograph of the glorious companionway affixed to front paste down. Title, Preface and five pages typescript one side only. Dated 21st March 1975, fine condition. Our image of the blue covers looks a little drab … that’s just our scanner …

The work represents a brief summary of association of the great writer Joseph Conrad, then Captain Conrad with the barque Otago. The State Library had acquired the structure recovered by Crowther, a great bibliophile and collector, a number of years earlier at Risden, Hobart when the boat was finally broken up. It lay in Crowther’s back garden for many years before being restored by Philip Fowler.

Whilst brief the article gives a nice potted history of Conrad’s early days and how he came to be in charge of the Otago. His novel The Shadow Line, from which Crowther quotes was written about his voyage to Singapore to pick up the Otago.

Sir William Crowther should not be confused with his Grandfather of the same name who committed some rather nasty acts regarding the bodies of aboriginal people. This Crowther whilst still perhaps confused by the right and wrong at least gave up the family collection of indigenous relics to the Museum and these have since been given some final respect.

Regarding this item .. well a unique work in the Conrad genre.

$50.00

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Vanished Fleets [Tasmania] – Alan Villiers

Published by the Cat & Fiddle Press, Hobart a new edition 1974 … first published 1931.

A special maritime history of Van Diemen’s Land by the knowledgeable Alan Villiers. Superbly illustrated.

Villiers himself crewed with the whale-ship Sir James Clark Ross into the Ross Sea in 1923-24.

Covers Captain Kelly (see Voyager book on Kelly); The voyage of the “Woodman”; the loss of the “George III”; the adventure of the whaler “Essex” and Captain Tregurtha’s Log; Hobart Clippers and “Graveyard Island”.

The illustrations include – The “Royal William”; the “James Craig”; the “Hobart Regatta”; the “Fram” (Amundsen) in the Derwent; the “velocity” and the “Tasmanian Cape Horn Trader in Hard Weather”.

A smorgasbord of Tasmanian Sail

$50.00

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Tasmanian Tiger – Original Thylacine Engraving – by Varin – 1830’s

Scarce hand coloured engraving of the now extinct Tasmanian Tiger (Thylacine). A delightful depiction by Pierre Amedee Varin (1818-1883).

Paired with a botanical Thunbergie … as the engravings appeared in la Dictionnaire Pittoresque d’Histoire Naturelle et de Phenomenes de la Nature published in Paris in the 1830’s

28cm by 18cm in dimensions and in very good condition. Stipple engraved probably in steel … you can see the technique reflected in the hairs of the thylacine especially in the enlarged iamge … super technique.

Thylacine lovers often frame their favourite part omitting the botanical. We always leave those decisions to the buyer.

Pierre Varin came from a family of engravers and illustrators who came from Chalons- sur-Marne, now named Chalons-en-Champagne … a really beautiful part of France.

Scarce Thylacine engraving … well they are

SO SORRY SOLD

$170.00

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Port Arthur Railway Across Tasman Peninsula – Australia’s First Railway – Bayley

The Shot Tower [Hobart] and its Builder Joseph Moir – Richard Lord

They Reigned Supreme [Steam Ships in Tasmania] – Thomas W. Fox

Joseph Conrad and the Barque Otago – Sir William Crowther – 1975

Vanished Fleets [Tasmania] – Alan Villiers

Tasmanian Tiger – Original Thylacine Engraving – by Varin – 1830’s

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