Tasmania

Solomon’s Song – Bryce Courtenay – First edition 1999

First edition published by Viking, Melbourne in 1999. Thick octavo, 659 pages; very good condition.

This book is the third of a trilogy of books [also The Potato Factory and Tommo & Hake– we should have a copy].

Time has moved on and there are two branches of Ikey Solomon’s family that have deep hatred for each other. Through three generations we see them rise to be monied people … a story that mirrors the development of Australia.

Solomon descendants make their way but stay bitter.

SO SORRY SOLD

$40.00

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Tommo & Hawk [Second in the Potato Factory Trilogy] – Bryce Courtenay – First edition 1997

First edition published by Viking, Melbourne in 1997. Thick octavo, 673 pages; very good condition.

This book is the second of a trilogy of books [also The Potato Factory and Solomon’s Song – we should have a copy].

Tommo and Hawk are twin brothers who are separated when young and find themselves re-united in Hobart at the age of fifteen. A life of adventure ensues which includes whaling adventures, Maori Wars and Riots on the Australian Gold Fields.

Courtenay’s Trilogy Continues – one more to go.

SO SORRY SOLD

$40.00

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The Potato Factory – Bryce Courtenay – First edition 1995 – Signed and Inscribed by the Author

A very nice first edition published by Heinemann, Melbourne in 1995 an Australian first edition.

Thick octavo, 665 pages, elaborately signed and inscribed by the author.

This book is the first of a trilogy of books [also Tommo and Hawk and Solomon’s Song – we should have a copy]. The trilogy is based around the life and acquaintances of Ikey Solomon a London Jewish fraudster who finds his way to Van Diemen’s land aka Tasmania. Ikey was for sure the man behind the character Fagan of Charles Dickens fame.

Anyway, lots of goings on in the Old Dart and then Tasmania where Ikey’s old mistress achieves some elevation and starts a Brewery “The Potato Factory”. Ikey’s wife who arrived under her earlier own unfortunate circumstances is not happy.

Ikey Solomon a true Tasmanian character – signed first from star writer Courtenay.

SO SORRY SOLD

$50.00

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Wooden Hookers of Hobart Town & Whalers out of Van Diemen’s Land [Two Works] – Harry O’May

Published by the author a fine copy of the second impression 1978.

Octavo, 137 pages plus 101 pages indices not paginated. Very clean superb dust jacket.

Harry O’May’s compilation of two books packed with historic detail about the Tasmanian early whalers – superb photographic record nowhere else seen.

One of the best Tasmanian Maritime

$35.00

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A Geographical, Historical and Topographical Description of Van Diemen’s Land – by George Evans – First Edition 1822

A very good copy of the first edition of this important early book devoted to Tasmania, published by Souter London in 1822. Octavo, xii, 140 pages with 2 tables and lists plus the famous frontispiece a very early engraved folding view of Hobart after a sketch by the author. Bound in original papered boards [rare to be as issued] with a later somewhat crude calf spine. A hint of foxing and the odd crease otherwise as good a copy as one will find.

Carries the armorial bookplate John Francis Basset (1831-1869), on the front pastedown. The Basset’s were Norman settlers following William the Conquerer. They had a large country home Tehidy Park in Cornwall. A long line of Basset’s were the High Sheriff of Cornwall including John Francis.

and the later bookplate of Salve, Lowenac, Camborne. Cambourne is also in Cornwall and there is a nice Hotel at Lowenac … Salve, we believe, is a local greeting … good wishes, best of health etc.

Title continues… with Important Hints to Emigrants, and Useful Information respecting the Application for Grants of Land; together with a List of the Most Necessary Articles For Persons to Take Out etc. The whole “embellished by a Correct View of Hobart Town”.

Contents include – Advertisement by the Editor (dealing with the Lieutenant Jeffrey’s book that plagiarised Evans). A general description of the discovery and exploration of the island, early population; climate and seasonal issues and a description of its topography and agricultural possibilities; the towns and villages, roads, commerce and field sports and the bushrangers. The appendices detail land granted in the Colony.

A good copy of a scarce early Tasmanian item

$690.00

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Under the Southern Cross – Horace Leaf [Intro by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Spiritualism Down under etc] – First Edition 1923

Scarce book and impossible to find with its dust jacket (albeit chipped). A super copy.

Horace Leaf (1886-1971) was a serious spiritualist, clairvoyant with and interest in psychometry and healing. He was a friend and associate of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – who writes the introduction. The pair worked together to find the missing Agatha Christie and made contact with Lenin when he was on the other side.

Conan Doyle had done his own tour of the Antipodes and had wanted Leaf with him – Leaf couldn’t make it. Afterwards, Conan Doyle persisted with Leaf to make a trip down under … Leaf didn’t think he had the financial wherewithal … Conan Doyle responded by saying he had left five hundred pounds in Australia for Leaf.

The book is a very interesting read. Published by Cecil Palmer, London in 1923. Thick octavo, 263 pages, illustrated from photographs taken on tour. All in excellent condition – accept that there are three strange pin style holes right through the rear board and the last group of pages – strange and almost unnoticeable – could be some strange experiment has taken place?

Leaf arrives in Western Australia and makes himself busy and then off to the Gold Fields; on to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane before a boat to New Zealand, north and south islands. Returning to Sydney he makes a trip to Tasmania [the only addition to the Conan Doyle route].

This all sounds like a regular travel trip but not so. Along the way we have interesting psychic goings on with some startling occurrences particularly the Melbourne readings. Interesting positive references to aboriginal character. Near the end we have a journey up Mt Wellington Hobart to a tea house to have the leaves read by a psychic – who passes the test – this must have been at the Springs Hotel which burned down in the 1967 bush fires.

Leaf wrote Conan Doyle’s obituary published in “Ghost Stories” in October 1930. Unfortunately, Leaf may indirectly have exacerbated Conan Doyle’s health leading to his move to the “other side”.

Psychic tour of Australia by Conan Doyle Associate.

$120.00

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Solomon’s Song – Bryce Courtenay – First edition 1999

Tommo & Hawk [Second in the Potato Factory Trilogy] – Bryce Courtenay – First edition 1997

The Potato Factory – Bryce Courtenay – First edition 1995 – Signed and Inscribed by the Author

Wooden Hookers of Hobart Town & Whalers out of Van Diemen’s Land [Two Works] – Harry O’May

A Geographical, Historical and Topographical Description of Van Diemen’s Land – by George Evans – First Edition 1822

Under the Southern Cross – Horace Leaf [Intro by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Spiritualism Down under etc] – First Edition 1923

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