Non-fiction

Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania – 1894-5 [Two Years in One] – Important Papers by James Backhouse Walker and others]

Printed by Davies Brothers Limited, Hobart in 1896 a first published.

Another important journal containing special papers particularly by James Backhouse Walker – this is the first appearance of his work on the Deportation of the Norfolk Islanders to the Derwent and his very substantial work – Abel Jansoon Tasman: His Life and Voyages which is accompanied by some very large folding maps.

To complement this latter work by Backhouse Walker, A Mault issued a paper on the Manuscript Chart in the British Museum showing Tasman’s Tracks in the voyage of 1642-4 with a magnificent multiple folding map.

Other interesting papers include the Tasmanian earthquake of 1892; Meridian observations with the Hobart Transit Instruments; various geological reports some relating to glaciation. Super stuff

Original soft wrappers, xxxviii pages followed by 66 pages [1894] and 120 pages [1895]. A very solid edition with special content. Very good condition albeit small chip top front cover.

Backhouse Walker lengthy paper of Tasman and other papers of special interest.

$120.00

Updating cart…

Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania – 1889 [Important Papers by James Backhouse Walker and others]

Printed at the “Mercury” in 1890 a first published. An important journal containing some special papers particularly by James Backhouse Walker – this is the first appearance of his work on “the English of the Derwent and the Risdon Cove Settlement; the Expedition under Lieut-Governor Collins in 1803-2 and The Founding of Hobart by Lieut.-Governor Collins – this later paper including a fine reproduction of an early plan of Hobart.

Other papers of considerable interest include – ‘notes on Charts of the coast of Tasmania, obtained from the Hydrographical Department Paris and copied by permission of the French Government – A Mault – with four super folding facsimile maps. Mault also produces a paper on the detention of Matthew Flinders at Mauritius.

Other papers include notes on the last living Aboriginal, Fanny Cochrane Smith – with some contention still as to whether she was full blood – sorry it’s a suspect term. Also, papers of astronomical, geological, palaeontological etc interest.

Original soft wrappers, xxxvii pages followed by 263 pages including a good index. A very solid edition with much more content than usual.

Backhouse Walker original papers, good maps and Hobart Town Plan

$120.00

Updating cart…

Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania – 1908 [Interesting papers of Aboriginal Interest]

Printed at the “Examiner” Launceston this is a set of papers of special interest as they include five papers by Fritz Noetling – two regarding Aboriginal stone implements; a chipped (source stone) boulder near Kempton; a burial ground near Ross; and an Aboriginal quarry at Syndal.

In addition, there is a paper – an introduction to the study of Aboriginal Speech by H.B. Ritz. And, a rare contribution from esteemed photographer James Beattie on the Gordan River and environs.

Original soft wrappers, xix pages followed by 94 pages including the accounts and list of Fellows.

Noetling was a German born mining engineer and at this stage was an Officer of the Society. He has previously worked in India and produced a similar body of work there. His large collection of Tasmanian Tronattas is held by the Liepzig museum. Unfortunately, after the outbreak of WWI he was interned and after the war sent back to Germany.

Ritz was Swiss and taught foreign languages in Hobart.

Special papers of Aboriginal interest – well worth preserving.

$80.00

Updating cart…

Bridge-Water – with Mount Direction Behind – Original Impressive Lithograph from the Dumont d’Urville Voyage – Tasmania – Published 1840

An original lithograph from a drawing by Louis Le Breton (1818-1866) lithographed by Leon Jean Baptiste Sabatier published as part of the great “Atlas Pittoresque” to accompany “Voyage au Pole Sud et dans l’Oceanie sur les corvettes l’Astrolabe et la Zelee … sous commandement de M.J. Dumont d’Urville”.

A delightful view of Bridgewater looking across the river Derwent to the imposing Mount Direction

Lithographed on sturdy paper size 54 cm by 35 cm. Very good clean condition. A scarce Hobart image.

Price $190.00 unframed – rare and fine

Striking image of Mount Direction looking north across the river Derwent, Tasmania

$190.00

Updating cart…

Byron’s Journal of His Circumnavigation 1764-1766 – Edited by Robert E. Gallagher

Another well produced book by the distinguished Hakluyt Society and in our view one of the better ones for its special illustrations and fold out maps.

John Byron of Wager fame (the poets Grandfather and Voyager hero) came in for some criticism regarding his circumnavigation of 1764-1776. The were some controversies and there were “secret instructions”.

Sent by the Admiralty in HMS Dolphin to search for Pepys’s Island and the Southern Continent and then up to the North Pacific to find the “other end” of the North West passage. He re-discovered the Falkland Islands (but was beaten by Bougainville) and when in the Pacific decided for his own reasons to go in a more direct route and hence all around the globe back to England..

His journal is at the mecca of all journals marine, the National Maritime Museum, London. And, here it is published with super supporting items by editor Robert Gallagher. Much about the giants of Patagonia.

Printed by the Cambridge University Press for the Hakluyt Society in 1964. Octavo, 230 pages with, as mentioned, numerous illustrations and maps and charts many folding or multiple folding. A particularly good thoroughly clean copy.

John Byron first the Wager then the circumnavigation in the Dolphin; one of the great naval heroes of the 18th Century.

$50.00

Updating cart…

Atomic Energy for Military Purposes [the “official” book about the making of the first Atomic Bomb] – Henry Smyth – 1945

Full text of the Official Report … subtitled A General Account of the Scientific Research and Technical Development That Went into the Making of Atomic Bombs.

This is the new and enlarged edition, which includes statements by the British and Canadian Governments.

Not everyone’s cup of tea. For scientists particularly physicists and physical chemists a startlingly frank book about the Manhattan Project and what went on about, and into the making of, the first atomic weapon.

Published by the Princeton University Press in 1945, described as a fifth printing. Paper covered octavo, 308 (previously 264) pages, with photographs of the facilities and the first boom. The front covered has been repaired at the hinge, otherwise a pretty good copy.

The back history is well laid out, the fundamental science and the challenges. The simplicity of “critical mass” has always amazed Voyager. But it was the speed that CM is attained that was the key before all sorts of other leakages could take place in that extended micro-second. Typical of what can be achieved during wartime. The management (laboratory) structure … the heads of each, all famous scientists. Voyager hero, British Nobel Prize Winner, James “Neutron” Chadwick spent three years there and is recognised here as making a fundamental contribution.

Oppenheimer is the first name that comes to most. His organisational ability could not be questioned. The speed at which the first device was manufactured after the science was decided upon is nothing mor than remarkable. On the night of the first test they were delayed by a significant lightening storm … Oppenheimer went out into the darkness and at the first sight of stars declared the experiment on …

The First Atomic Bomb – the whole official story – like it or not … it makes interesting scientific and historical reading.

$50.00

Updating cart…

Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania – 1894-5 [Two Years in One] – Important Papers by James Backhouse Walker and others]

Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania – 1889 [Important Papers by James Backhouse Walker and others]

Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania – 1908 [Interesting papers of Aboriginal Interest]

Bridge-Water – with Mount Direction Behind – Original Impressive Lithograph from the Dumont d’Urville Voyage – Tasmania – Published 1840

Byron’s Journal of His Circumnavigation 1764-1766 – Edited by Robert E. Gallagher

Atomic Energy for Military Purposes [the “official” book about the making of the first Atomic Bomb] – Henry Smyth – 1945

Product Categories