Prestige Items

Australia – Magic Lantern Slide Set – c1905.

Produced by W. Butcher & sons, London (1870-1906) under the brand name Primus. Sold as a set of eight in cardboard box with Lantern Lecture Reading notes. Complete.

Standard magic lantern glass size 3.5 inch by 3.5 inch. All images square with rounded corners, original black mounting tape along edges. Very bright colouring, super condition apart from a crack in one slide.

The slides comprise

Government House Melbourne
Sydney Harbour – Well before the bridge and heavily treed.
Gold Mining Past and Present
Sheep Shearing
Richmond River [Northern NSW]
In the Bush
A Kangaroo Hunt
Australian Aborigines

There is much more about these images than observed at first glance.

The image of aborigines includes an inset of a proud Murray River Warrior which is clearly derived from a photograph taken in 1880 by Samuel White Sweet. Resplendent in a possum skin coat holding a fighting waddy and decorated malcarra (shield) and string bag the subject cuts a proud figure. Maggs are currently selling a collection including the photograph – eye watering $.

The kangaroo hunt is rather gruesome particularly the practice of cutting the tendon.

The gold mining slide is super albeit cracked with an inset image of the old time cradle against the powerful mechanised image of Ballarat mines.

The accompanying words are fairly comprehensive and interesting but of the period so anti C’s beware.

Australia as it was seen over 100 years ago.

$270.00

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The Hunter Sketchbook. Birds & Flowers of New South Wales drawn on The Spot in 1788 89 & 90 By Captain John Hunter of the First Fleet.

A really rather beautiful and slightly strangely titled work.

We say strangely titled because we do not have to read far about the original sketchbook, (once owned by the great Rex Nan Kivell and now housed in the Australian National Library) to find that the sketches include fishes and people … and of New South Wales and also Norfolk and Lord Howe islands. Peeking at the reproductions of the sketches we can also see a kangaroo and a dolphin. What is really surprising is the rarity now of some of the birds he drew e.g. the Swift Parrot and we wonder where he saw that bird …

Captain Hunter, to be Governor Hunter, known as a skilled sketch artist through the illustrations in his sought after First Fleet journal .. but these images take one’s understanding and admiration to a whole new level.

No expense spared production limited to 500 copies and with a further 50 sets of unbound plates. Edited by John Calaby with assistance. Published in 1989. Quarto, x, 252 pages with 100 full page colour plates and other illustrations in the lengthy introductions. Bound in quarter calf, raised bands to spine, separate green leather title label, exotic marble paper covered boards, original removable glassine protector, silk ribbon release from original open slip cover. A fine copy.

A special edition from a unique work of historical significance – an Australian National Treasure.

$190.00

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Kauri Gum Hair Pieces – Late 19thC early 20thC

Rare and unusual outside museums. See example only at the Kauri Museum, Metakohe, New Zealand.

The Kauri Pine associated with New Zealand and Northern Australia and Papua New Guinea. The trees were harvested in North Island New Zealand for boat building and along with that its unusual gum was collected. At one time Kauri gum was Aukland’s biggest export. Over harvesting almost killed them off and now they are protected.

One of the oddest uses was the making of blonde simulated hair. This was dome by placing a piece of gum onto a heated plate. After a few second it was slowly lifted off. Fine strands formed as the gum was taken away. While still warm this could be arranged or plaited into this mock hair style. If become fragile another reason why examples are hard to come across.

Several groups in a shed made display cabinet approximately 44cm wide.

A postage supplement may be required dependent of any buyers location … don’t be shy ask us to quote best rates.

One of the most unusual curiosities we have ever sold – Kauri Gum Hair

$340.00

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Trial of King Charles the First – England’s Black Tribunal -1737

Published by C Rivington, at the Bible and Crown in St Paul’s Church Yard (London) in 1737. Octavo, xxxi, 308 pages with adverts, index and engraved plate of Charles I as frontispiece. Bound in full contemporary leather, a bit worn but authentic antiquarian. No title label. The frontispiece is a masterpiece of stipple engraving and is often missing.

Carries the bookplate of Victorian gentleman James Barratt of Lymm Hall a magnificent pile which appeared in Twycross’s Mansions of England. later bookplate of Charles J Bewlay of Carleton Hall, partly laid over. This combination has been seen before, also se in the partial laid over manner … Bewlay must have purchased a good slice of Barratt’s library.

A sixth and very much enlarged edition. Set out in four parts. The longer title describes …

I – The complete Tryal of Kind Charles the First, by the pretended High Court of Justice in Westminster-Hall, begun Jan, 20, 1648. Together with His Majesty’s Speech on the Scaffold, erected at Whitehall Gate, on Tuesday Jan. 30, 1648.

II – The Loyal Martyrology: Or, A perfect Relation of the Sufferings and Death of the Nobility, Gentry, and others, who were inhumanly sacrific’d for their Loyalty to the Sovereigns King Charles I and II. Together with several Dying Speeches.

III – An Historical Register of the Lords, Knights, and Gentlemen, who were slain in Defence of their King and Country, during the Unnatural Rebellion, begun in 1641.

IV – The Loyal Confessors: In a brief Account of the most Eminent Sufferers, by Imprisonment, Banishment, or in Estate, for the Cause of His Sacred Majesty.

To which is added An Historical Preface, by a True Churchman.

For those unaware of the general goings on Charles I (Son of James VI of Scotland, England’s first Stuart King) thought he could rule without a Parliament and making up his own laws (read taxes) as he went along. It led to disorder, Civil War (6% of the population died) and much more. He was arrested and charged with everything in the book [interestingly his charges are an early example of being charged with murder committed by his followers]. He didn’t recognise the Court and said so often during the Trial. He was if anything very eloquent and his responses and Dying Speech are good for reading.

Charles I – Lost is Head but not his Voice – Rare engraved frontispiece.

$380.00

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Complete Set – The London Aphrodite – Literary Periodical (in Six Parts) – Ed. Jack Lindsay and P.R. Stephensen.

Six original publications of Jack Lindsay’s London based Franfrolico Press, published in 1929. Banned in the USA for alleged obscenity … quite tame and very artistic really.

Nearly 500 pages in total. A pot-pourri of Australian and European literary and artistic talent. Norman Lindsay contributed with his unusual imagery. Octavo, card covered, some age but generally a good and importantly complete set. Occasionally black and white plates and scattered vignettes by Norman Lindsay. Literary contributions from Aldous Huxley, Norma Douglas, Liam O’Flaherty, Sacheverell Sitwell and other icons of the pen.

Aphrodite – all of them and a wonderful read.

$190.00

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Three 19thC Prepared Microscope Slides of Australian Diatomaceae by J.D. Moller

Three fascinating early microscope slides by preparer Johann Diedrich Moller (1844-1907). The most talented and famous preparer of diatom slides of all time.

Three slides carrying a relatively early version of his distinctive slide labels.

His makers label announcing – Gold Medal St Petersburg & Altona 1869 J.D. Moller Wedel in Holstein [Germany].

The slide subjects being Diatomaceae and further labelled.

Fossils – South Australia
Fossils – South Yarra
Aqua Marina – Carpentaria Gulf Australia.

Fine examples of historical significance, likely harvested during one of the scientific and surveying voyages of the second half of the 19thC.

Price $190.00 the group – if you would like an individual one they will be $80.00 each. Send us a message through our enquiry page.

Postage costs likely to be reduced on final billing.

A trifecta of rather unique 19thC slides top maker and Australian subjects.

$180.00

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Australia – Magic Lantern Slide Set – c1905.

The Hunter Sketchbook. Birds & Flowers of New South Wales drawn on The Spot in 1788 89 & 90 By Captain John Hunter of the First Fleet.

Kauri Gum Hair Pieces – Late 19thC early 20thC

Trial of King Charles the First – England’s Black Tribunal -1737

Complete Set – The London Aphrodite – Literary Periodical (in Six Parts) – Ed. Jack Lindsay and P.R. Stephensen.

Three 19thC Prepared Microscope Slides of Australian Diatomaceae by J.D. Moller

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