Prestige Items

Buffon’s Natural History – 180 Hand Coloured Plates in 31 Volumes – Paris 1827

Oeuvres Completes de Buffon – Mises en order er Precedees d’une Notice Historique Par M.A. Richard Professor Agrege a la Faculte de Medecine de Paris; Suives de Deux Volumes sur les Progress des Sciences Physiques er Naturelles Depuis la mort de Buffon par M. le Baron Cuvier Secretaire Perpetuel de l’Academie Royale des Sciences.

Published by Chez Baudouin Freres and Chez N Delangle Paris in 1827. A full set less volume 8 which is purely narrative – all of the 180 magnificent hand coloured plates are present.

Lavishly bound in full polished tree calf with wide gilt floral design around front and back boards, gilt rolled on board edging, gilt design to spine, with each volume carrying separate black leather title and volume labels themselves gilt styles, marbled endpapers.

Some scuffing and wear to the leather boards and internally occasional foxing and browning and offsetting. On the whole, a handsome set with superior shelf presence – see images – more can be supplied in request – no issue.

Buffon with every hand coloured plate present

$1,590.00

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The Origin of Species – Charles Darwin – Murray of London Edition 1894

Published by John Murray, London, 1894. Sixth edition. Charles Darwin amended each edition – the sixth represents the final text..

In the preferred original Murray green cloth binding and in very good condition. Octavo, xxii,432 pages a tiny bit rubbed and marked, light age – still a very good copy.

Described by Bern Dibner as “the most important single work in science”.

Darwin’s theory of the origin of species by means of natural selection arose out of his studies in the 1830′s during the voyage of the Beagle. In 1856 geologist Charles Lyell, urged him to write a book on the subject. In 1858 Wallace sent Darwin a summary of the views Darwin had formed twenty years earlier. Darwin set about writing “The Origin of Species” which was published in Nov 1859.

Darwin concluded, “There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that whilst this plan has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.”

Darwin – The Origin of Species - The greatest scientific book ever written

$790.00

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The Proposed Chemical Laboratory at the University of Sydney -1888 – A Liversidge – Professor of Chemistry

An understandably scarce document and an unusual one – one that appeals very much to Voyager. Sydney University has been without an adequate science laboratory for many years. Liversidge has risen to be Professor of Chemistry and with a strong hand in geology, metallurgical sciences etc.

This extensive paper was presented before the first meeting of the Australian Association for the Advancement of Science, Sydney August 28^th 1888.

Large sized [foolscap plus?] 4 pages of narrative -equivalent of 4 times that against usual and then twelve plates on 5 pages of various designs highlighting the practicalities required in a modern science laboratory. Bound in stout half red morrocco over morrocco? covered boards – later paper title, end papers darkened – whole supported by bound in blanks at rear [the sign of a top binder] – paper support on internal hinge. Very good condition. Stamp of the Royal Society of N.S.W. who strangely disposed such items – shame on them.

Tours had been taken of European and Japanese then modern equivalents and similar standards were to be achieved albeit for budgetary purposes some of the architectural materials had to be more restrained. Having said this the alcoves of the corridor were to have the busts of great European scientists installed. We particularly like the incorporation of the furnaces for metallurgy and the massive outside hydrogen sulphide generator and that quick egress in the event of explosion was thoughtful.

The Sydney University first proper science laboratory – we find it intriguing

$125.00

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The Voyage of the Batavia – Francois Pelsart – First Published in 1647, reissued with a translation from the original Dutch.

Probably our favourite Hordern House published book and possibly the most sought after.

Published, Potts Point, Hordern House for the Australian National Maritime Museum in 1994.

Octavo, xxvi, 162 pages with 4 illustrations plus a folding page of plates reproducing the 15 engravings of the original work.

Beautifully bound, quarter calf over marbled papered boards with contrasting leather title label. Some spotting to page edges otherwise very good. One of 750 copies produced.

The original account “Ongeluckige voyagie, van’t schip Batavia, nae de Oost-Indien” Jan Jansz, Amsterdam 1647. Comprises the edited extracts from the journal of Francois Pelsaert relating to the disastrous voyage in the Dutch merchant ship Batavia. The ship was wrecked off the west coast of Australia. The fifteen illustrations depict the wreck and the terrible scenes following the mutiny of the crew. The account represents the first representations of the Australian coastline.

The English translation is by Willem Siebenhaar which appeared in the “Western Mail” in 1897. An additional commentary by Martin Terry from the Australian National Maritime Museum.

The Batavia – what more could have gone wrong – a quality production of this important book.

$190.00

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For Whom the Bell Tolls – Ernest Hemingway 1943 Scribner’s US Edition – Nice Copy

Published by Scribner’s, New York in 1943. Technically a first edition cited on copyright page as 1940 although 1943 on title .. so we would call it a second impression of the first.

Bound in the first edition oatmeal cloth covered boards, with red and black titling and banding to spine and facsimile signature to front. Dust jacket in near first state except no price on inside flap and photographers name, for portrait on rear, missing from first.

Thick large size octavo, 471 pages, top edge stained blue, as it should be. A very good copy, the dust jacket with a few minor chips and closed splits, really pretty good and now protected.

Hemingway’s classic about the Spanish Civil War. Tells the story of Robert Jordan a young American volunteer, attached to the Republican guerrilla unit.

Hemingway wrote the novel initially in Havana, Cuba. The work is based on Hemingway’s first-hand experiences as a reporter for the North American Alliance.

For those unfamiliar with where the title came from Hemingway helpfully provided reference to the words of English Poet and Dean of St Pauls John Donne (1572-1631) – it is well worth the understanding – … “never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee” … check it out – it will make a difference.

Ernest Hemingway – Perhaps his Strongest – Ding

$190.00

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Thirty Diatom Species – Mounted Microscope Slide and Catalogued by Bernard Hartley

Bernard Hartley was diatom royalty. He was born in 1917 and lived most of his life at Yoevil in Somerset. He was a civil engineer and began to make prepared microscope mounts of diatoms in 1957. He worked with fellow diatom expert R I Firth and together they identified and systemised the cataloguing of British diatom species. His other close colleague was the undisputed King of diatoms Klaus Kemp who must have had the steadiest hand known to man.

If you know little about diatoms how about this for a start. These tiny marine organisms [phytoplankton] contribute around 50 % of the marine oxygen production. In the right conditions they reproduce rapidly dividing every twenty four hours – but they only live six days. There are 12,000 known species and an estimated possibility of 200,000. The Amazon basin is fertilised by diatoms remains whipped up into the wind currents from the Sahara – an estimated 27 million tonnes per annum. They take two forms one radially symmetric and the other bilaterally symmetric. Lots more look them up – oh and they are very small and it takes great talent to handle them.

Here we have a slide by Hartley with a carefully placed row of thirty varying diatom types and, almost impossible to find, his original list of species types.

50% of the marine generated oxygen – better save them then! Special scientific collectable – with the list!

$190.00

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Buffon’s Natural History – 180 Hand Coloured Plates in 31 Volumes – Paris 1827

The Origin of Species – Charles Darwin – Murray of London Edition 1894

The Proposed Chemical Laboratory at the University of Sydney -1888 – A Liversidge – Professor of Chemistry

The Voyage of the Batavia – Francois Pelsart – First Published in 1647, reissued with a translation from the original Dutch.

For Whom the Bell Tolls – Ernest Hemingway 1943 Scribner’s US Edition – Nice Copy

Thirty Diatom Species – Mounted Microscope Slide and Catalogued by Bernard Hartley

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