Non-fiction

New Market, Hobart Town – Original Lithograph – Drawn by William Kay [Hobart] and Lithographed Arrowsmith [London] 1851

A scarce original lithograph of the plans for the New Market at Hobart Town. Produced by John Arrowsmith (1790-1873) from drawings by William Porden Kay (1809-1897) Director of Public Works, Hobart Town. Limited but original colouring.

Shows the monumentally classic front elevation on Macquarie Street with transverse and longitudinal sections and a ground plan detailing the allocation of space to individual shops, the fish market, hay and straw shed, corn exchange and offices. The market was constructed as described in 1851-1853 but unfortunately burned down early in the 20th century and was replaced by the now City Hall.

There do not appear to be any original examples in Australian Libraries. The State library of NSW has a facsimile produced by the Irish Academic Press in 1977

About William Porden Kay

William Porden Kay was born into a family of architects his father was the vice-president of the institute of British Architects. He was the nephew of Sir John Franklin through his first wife and Kay was invited to Van Diemen’s Land because the Franklins objected that the two most highly qualified architects in Hobart Town, James Backburn and James Thomson were emancipated convicts. He arrived in 1842 and was soon appointed Director of Public works. There were claims of nepotism and his appointment was disallowed by the Secretary of State. A spat arose and Kay was in and out of the position several times before matters settled down. He was very active in Hobart until his health started failing around the time of the construction of the New Market. He was pensioned off and returned to England.

Scarce original 1854 architectural lithograph

$390.00

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Polar Exploration Cards – Players Series 2 – Issued 1916

A complete set of 25 cards in very good condition of the 2nd series of Polar Exploration cigarette cards by John Player. Elusive complete.

The Terra Nova Expedition – Scott, Evans, Oates, Wilson (Uncle Bill) and the victorious Norwegian Expedition including “Amundsen at the South Pole”

$90.00

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Polar Exploration Cards – John Player – First Series Complete – Issued 1916

A complete set of 25 cards of the sought after First Series of Polar Exploration cards issued by John Player & Sons. Good bright condition front and back.

Includes – Lieut. Sir E.H. Shackleton C.V.O.; The Northern Party at the South Magnetic Pole; The Aurora Borealis; The Aurora Australis; The British Antarctic Expedition 1910; Dr Fridjof Nansen; The “Nimrod” Picking up the Northern Party; A Remarkable Fumarole in the Old Crater of Mount Erebus etc

First series Complete and getting scarce

$90.00

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Malory’s – Chronicles of King Arthur – 3 Volumes Complete

Published by the Folio Society in 1982. Three volumes in original slipcase. Octavo, 292,348 and 262 pages. Blue cloth covered bindings decorated in red and gold. A super looking production.

Introductions and explanations by experts Sue Bradbury and Kevin Crossley-Holand and nice lino-cuts by Edward Bawden.

The Chronicles comprise … The Tale of King Arthur; Sir Tristam de Lyonesse and The Morte D’Arthur.

The legendary tales were first put down in one place by George of Monmouth in the early thirteen century. In the fifteenth century Sir Thomas Malory produced the definitive work completed in 1470, This was at the time Caxton really got going with his printing press so Malory’s work was destined to be promoted and preserved. Naturally, the language and expression of Malory’s writing reflects the period and “modern” writers have edited the text to be readable nowadays.

What would King Arthur think of a boxed set?

$90.00

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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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Huxley – Evolution’s High Priest – Adrian Desmond.

Author Adrian Desmond a distinguished scientist, University College London and the font of knowledge on the history of the forming and influence of the evolutionary theory. Written several books on the subject and its main promoters …. Darwin, Huxley et al. This monument about Huxley’s later years … and exhaustive biography drawn on, but not only on, five thousand manuscript letters [seems a lot].

Published by Michael Joseph, London in 1997. Thick octavo, 370 pages, illustrated – some great period images – a very good copy.

Thomas H Huxley – more that someone’s bulldog …

PS – Does anyone agree that Michael Palin would make a good Huxley?

$35.00

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New Market, Hobart Town – Original Lithograph – Drawn by William Kay [Hobart] and Lithographed Arrowsmith [London] 1851

Polar Exploration Cards – Players Series 2 – Issued 1916

Polar Exploration Cards – John Player – First Series Complete – Issued 1916

Malory’s – Chronicles of King Arthur – 3 Volumes Complete

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

Huxley – Evolution’s High Priest – Adrian Desmond.

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