Victoria

Victoria’s Forgotten Goldfield – Christie and Gray – Signed by Christie – First Edition 1981

… A History of the Dargo, Crooked River Goldfield.

Super little book and a very details and oft curious story of the goldfield at Dargo, in Eastern Victoria.

Softcover, small format, 136 pages, with illustration, tables of information etc a nice production. Signed on the title by Christie, very good condition albeit the back cover is marked at edges, but with no comprise internally which is bright and clean.

After discovery in 1865, gold recovery peaked in 1868 at 7,652 ounces and soon fell away. Despite this brief moment of glory as with other gold fields it spurred an enormous amount of interest and development in the area. We are off tomorrow to look at a spot not too far away.

Well honed history of one of the lesser known and more curious gold finds in Australia

$35.00

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The Exploration of Australia – Albert Calvert – First Edition 1895

A pretty good copy of the first edition of Calvert’s book much admired and coveted in any collection on the subject. A compendium volume was issued a year later due to the success of this work.

Published by George Philip, London in 1895. Small quarto, 26cm by 21 cm, quarter bound cream buckram (simulated vellum) over deep blue buckram with gild titles and line decoration. Aged to spine as usual, corners rubbed. Pretty good internally the large folding map repaired close tear. Internally a little browned due to the spongy nature of the paper, really quite clean throughout; viii, 26 pages. Frontispiece of Dampier, 16 plates. A solid book 1.4kgs.

The super map is 87cm by 72cm with the routes of the likes of Sturt, Mitchel, great, Winnecke etc marked

Albert Calvert carried out his own explorations often influenced by gold exploration and mainly in western Australia. He was a prolific writer about Australia partly to fund his exploratory activities. He had previously published ‘The Discovery of Australia” concerning the early maritime activities of the Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, French, British etc. In the Preface to this work he describes his pain in working with the early accounts, in terms of their completeness, reliability etc. In this work he is more at ease in that he has the first hand accounts of the various explorers .. on land he mapped out each day of their activities … hence the huge map included.

Exploration covered include in the maritime, Dampier; the Dutch; Cook; Flinders; Phillip; Baudin, Bougainville … in the interior, Wentworth; Sturt; Mitchell; Macquarie; George Grey; Eyre etc

Calvert’s collectable account on the exploration of Australia with valuable map.

$150.00

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Gold Refining – Donald Clark – First Edition Australian 1909

First edition published by Critchley Parker, Melbourne [Pitman’s London] in 1909.

Octavo, x, 124 pages with 12 full page plates. Original cloth covered boards, some foxing otherwise a very good copy of what seems to be an extremely scarce and interesting book. Early ownership signature of Harold Sims, Helensburgh, New South wales.

Donald Clark was born in Geelong in 1865. He studied under the Rev H Stewart who in turn had been a student of the great Lord Kelvin. After graduation Clark was soon made Director of the School of Mines at Bairnsdale and later Director at the School of Mines in Bendigo. He also authored “Australian Mining and Metallurgy”.

This is a sophisticated work, which deals with the methods and systems of gold refining. Includes chapters on … the Occurrence of Native Gold; Refining Gold with Oxidising and Chloridising Agents; Sulfur Refining; Refining by Cementation Process; Refining Gold Bullion by means of Oxygen; Miller’s Process; Parting with Nitric Acid; Parting by Electrolysis; the Treatment of Cyanide Precipitates etc etc.

First edition Australian Reference on Gold Refining 1909

$180.00

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Gold Escort [The Victorian Gold Fields to Adelaide] – L. J. Blake.

First edition published by The Hawthorn Press, Melbourne in 1971. Large octavo, 228 pages, illustrated with good end paper maps. Dust jacket a little rubbed otherwise a very good copy.

The Gold discoveries in Victoria in the 1850’s caused a massive shortage of labour in South Australia with considerable economic effect. Alexander Tolmer who was the South Australian police Commissioner cam up with the idea of providing an armed escort service to bring gold back to Adelaide … it worked. A super story .. Tolmer a quick tempered man made many enemies due to the success of this initiative.

Money to made in gold … the moving of it

$30.00

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Wreck and Relics – Victorian Coastline – Geoff Nayler

Self published, no date, by diver wreck enthusiast Geoff Nayler. Octavo, soft cover, 64 pages, heavily illustrated throughout.

Nayler has put together here, with the assistance of a number of similarly minded friends, a good account of thirty better known wrecks along the central Victorian coast. Wreck finds abound from crockery and cutlery to anchors, wheels, and beautiful bells … the cannon raised by the author our favourite.

Previous obviously knowledgeable owner has made one or tow pencil “correction’ we have left them their for expert review.

Postage likely to be reduced in Australia on this item ..we will do that on billing so ignore the default …

Good Victorian wreck reference by Nayler …

$20.00

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A History of the School of Mines and Industry Ballarat – A History of its First One Hundred and Twelve Years, 1870-1982 — Warren Perry

Published by said “School of Mines” in 1984. A really solid book, small quarto, 635 pages endpaper period images of attendees, illustrated throughout. A very good as if new copy in a like dust jacket.

The author a noted historian and Fellow of the Historical Society of Victoria and for twenty years the Editor of its Journal.

A chronological account (helpfully) from the decision to found the School of Mines in 1851 the first chapter runs to 1870 – so ignore the subtitle to the book. Prosperity through gold and the “Barry era’; difficulties in the great depression; broader objectives through to the modern era and the period of T.A.F.E. expansion.

Ballarat education – 20 million ounces of gold paved the way..

$30.00

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Victoria’s Forgotten Goldfield – Christie and Gray – Signed by Christie – First Edition 1981

The Exploration of Australia – Albert Calvert – First Edition 1895

Gold Refining – Donald Clark – First Edition Australian 1909

Gold Escort [The Victorian Gold Fields to Adelaide] – L. J. Blake.

Wreck and Relics – Victorian Coastline – Geoff Nayler

A History of the School of Mines and Industry Ballarat – A History of its First One Hundred and Twelve Years, 1870-1982 — Warren Perry

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