Anthropology

Romantic Java – As it Was and Is – H.S. Banner FRGS – First Edition 1927

First edition of a super book dedicated to Java. The longer title assists.

“A description of the diversified peoples, the departed glories of and strange customs of a little known island, remarkable both for its arts, decorative and dramatic, and for its natural beauty and the richness of its resources.

Thick royal octavo, 282 pages. Printed on that tick spongy paper typical of Seeley of London, the publisher, so some foxing near the edges and page edges – not bad. Many period photographs relevant to the extensive travels. Bound in the crimson cloth covered boards with gilt decoration to front gilt title to spine. Has its rare dust jacket albeit chipped – done a very good job of preserving the boards which are super clean and crisp.

Travels take in Jocjakata, Surakarta, a view of Krakatau, Bhima, Bonan, Gambang Gangsa, Volcano Bromo in “full blast’, strange collection of “heads’ the Temple at Borobudhur etc etc

Well informed and written Banner was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society of London.

$160.00

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Diamond River [Venezuela] – Sadio Garavini Di Turno

First published in Italy – this the super English translation published by the Travel Book Club, part of Hamish Hamilton, London in 1963.

Octavo, 208 pages, dusty edges otherwise a very good copy.

An exploration, adventure book with a touch of the “Wild West” but set in the jungles and rivers of Venezuela.

The author one very tough cookie smelled diamonds in and about the remote river known as Liparu by the natives. Encounters with the Taurepan Tribe, Mundo and the beautiful Lolomai. Potent aphrodisiacs are offered and Turno describes the effect and provides the recipe.

Diamonds found and Turno devises his ambitious plan and sets up a mining camp with all the necessaries attracting wayward prospectors under his terms.

May and may not be the way to go about it!

Venezuela adventure with a bag of diamonds to prove it.

$40.00

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The Lure of The Amazon – Eduardo Barros Prado

First published in Spanish, this the first English edition published by the superb Adventurers Club, London in 1959.

Octavo, 175 pages, illustrated from expedition photographs. A little age – still a very good copy.

Prado already had a reputation as a guide to the Hamilton Rice expedition. In this ‘adventure’ he traces the Amazon tribe of women once regarded as mythical. Hunting jaguar seems like an everyday activity – but comes with its own obvious dangers. Then there are the cannibal Indians – best avoided. And, the girl with the red hair and the man who made “special coffee”.

The Amazon much more than an online mass market retailer of unwarranted unwanted goods.

$40.00

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Piltdown Man [Exposure] – Ronald Millar – First Edition 1972.

Subtitled – “The story, as fascinating as a whodunit, of how the Piltdown skull came to be discovered; how the hoax was exposed and who the hoaxer may have been”.

A very good if not fine copy. Octavo, 264 pages, well- illustrated, great jacket. Published by Victor Gollancz in 1972.

Even if you are from the dark or from the modern ages and have never heard of the Piltdown man this book is a winner.

We had our own feeling about the identity of the hoaxer and the writer agrees – or vice versa. We will not spoil it but an Australian of then some dignity born in Grafton NSW – which is the big clue! We may have some of his work?

Piltdown Man – in some circles, a skull that has caused more controversy than any other!

$35.00

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Fiji and The Fijians (1835-1856) – G.C. Henderson

A first edition on Henderson’s book on Fiji and the Fijians a volume published to elucidate the Journal of Rev Thomas Williams who has spent the period !840-1853 as a Missionary in Fiji. Williams being regraded as the principal authority on the state if society among Fijians when European first came upon them.

Published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney in 1931.

Large octavo, 33 pages nicely illustrated throughout with images from early engravings, early photographs and charts. Very good condition and with the author’s “Compliments”’ stamp on the end paper ad his manuscript note “To dear old Jeff – from the Author”

A very useful Preface sets the scene and purpose for the book. The first chapter proper refers to the “Mitchellian Manuscripts” the Williams Journal and paper held at the Mitchell … and other primary materials held elsewhere including in the UK. Very good chapters on the Discovery of Fiji … the Duff, James cook and often overlooked Bellingshausen among them. The Bellingshausen journals had yet to be translated to English at the date of this book. The work then moves on to a description of the archipelago, centres of interest and the people. Mission work, medical practices and a chapter on Ono-I-Lau first visited by Calvert. Language and literature etc etc.

Well written account regarding an important historical period. A very good copy.

$120.00

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Uttermost Part of the Earth – A History of Tierra Del Fuego and the Fuegians – E Lucas Bridges.

This is a high quality reissue of “The” classic book on this fascinating part of the world and its equally fascinating inhabitants.

First published in 1948, this issue by Rookery, New York in 2007. Thick Royal octavo, 558 pages, illustrated as the original from period photographs, maps including in the end paper. Nice dust jacket, and extremely clean fine copy.

With a new introduction and epilogue by Natalie Goodall.

The author was born in Tierra Del Fuego in 1874, on the southern coast to his missionary parents. He grew up among the coastal Yaghans and later met and hunted with the wild inland Ona tribe.

The book recounts early history and starts with the arrival of HMS Beagle and then the disastrous expedition of Captain Gardiner. The arrival of his parents and as he grew up the many adventures he had and the very extensive knowledge gained. Cannot be overtaken.

Uttermost Part of the World – quality production of this famous account.

$60.00

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Romantic Java – As it Was and Is – H.S. Banner FRGS – First Edition 1927

Diamond River [Venezuela] – Sadio Garavini Di Turno

The Lure of The Amazon – Eduardo Barros Prado

Piltdown Man [Exposure] – Ronald Millar – First Edition 1972.

Fiji and The Fijians (1835-1856) – G.C. Henderson

Uttermost Part of the Earth – A History of Tierra Del Fuego and the Fuegians – E Lucas Bridges.

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