Architecture

The Great Pyramid – Ancient Egypt Revisited – John Romer

A fine copy of this all embracing work about the Great Pyramid at Giza [and others] published by Cambridge University Press, 2007, with all its usual quality.

Quarto, 564 pages, numerous images from photographs, useful diagrams, maps etc. As new condition in a like dust jacket. A heavy book [1.9 kg] not really suitable for Overseas postage.

Not far into the book we come across Voyager hero Scottish astronomer, with an Italian name, Piazzi Smyth who first proposed the bewildering connection between the cosmos and the geometry and dimensions of the Great Pyramid of Cheops. From there the book only gets better and a full reading and understanding will take you to Doctorate level on the subject.

Near the end we have some great analysis of the build plan and proper quantity surveying re the build materials [there were a lot of then]. The estimate of the workforce at circa 25,000 in the first year is well supported yet hard to visualise.

Best “How To” book on building very large pyramids!

$50.00

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The Antiquities of Warwick, and Warwick Castle – Extracted from Sir William Dugdale’s Antiquities of Warwickshire – 1786

Title goes on … To which is added, from an ancient Manuscript in the Possession of the Corporation of Warwick, a Detail of the Earl of Leicester’s Arrival in Warwick, and Celebrating the French Order of St Michael, in the Year 1571: And also, an Account of Queen Elizabeth’s Reception in Warwick, in 1572. Embellished with a Copper Plate Print of St Mary’s Church.

Printed by and for J. Sharp; and Sold by Messrs. Rivingtons, St Paul’s Church-yard, London MDCCLXXXVI [1786].

Octavo, 163 pages, large folding plate of the South East Prospect of St Mary’s Church by B Cole. Bound half leather over marbled boards, gilt embellishments to spine. Top of spine “pulled” a little age, otherwise a pretty good antiquarian copy.

Dugdale’s earlier book is the major reference on early Warwickshire and Warwick. Here we have a reduced version which made it accessible. The additions make the book, and the descriptions of Elizabeth I visit a highlight.

Warwick one of the more fascinating Castle Towns of England and a visit from Elizabeth I.

$170.00

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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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Strawbale Homebuilding – Alan Gray.

An “Earth Garden Magazine Publication” i.e. self published by Alan Gray of PO Box 2, Trentham, Victoria – love it!.

The title more or less explains all. Octavo, perfect bound, 156 pages with numerous illustrations from original photographs of the magnificent constructions. This method may have gone out of fashion with the move towards stainless steel, glass and posh bathrooms.

Time for a resurgence we would say – the economy monetary and environmental should be promoted by Governments and all of their cascading authorities.

Every public servant should be made to build one – sorry if you live off the purse.

More money and delight can be made from this book over any other

$25.00

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Large Scale Copper Engraving of the Façade of Amsterdam Town Hall – Jacob van Campden – 1661

Original large folio copper engraving of the Amsterdam Town Hall. The western façade showing ground floor entrance and first, second and third floor windows divided into upper and lower sections. A fronton with a statue either end and in the middle Atlas carrying the world globe. The actual length of the building is 79 metres.

See National Library of Australia for an example reference 226808

Central fold – paper xxcm by xxcm. Apologies that it is too big to get a full image on our large scanner .. but almost. Sowing some age as you would expect but still a very worthy example and would make a superb architectural framed item .. if you are Dutch even better.

Represents plate E from Afbeelding van’t Stadt Huys van Amsterdam in darigh coopere Plaaten / geordineert door Jacob van Campden; en geteeckent door Jacob Vennekool. Tot Amsterdam: Bij Dancker Danckerets … 1661.

Price $120.00 unframed
One of a number of 17th century architectural engravings at Voyager.

$120.00

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Sydney Centennial Park – Unusual Period Ephemera – Design for the Main Gates – Self Measuring Pocket Book – J Moore 1886

This little self measuring pocket book could be found at W.E. Smith, bookbinder printer etc of bridge Street Sydney in the 1880’s.

Original owners name J Moore and dated Feb 16th 1886. Contains a number of architectural sketches and notes and financial doodles.

Most interestingly are the notes re ”3 Gateways for Centennial Park”. We have Moore’s rough notes re dimensions – 122 ft in total with various access for Carriage and Horse, below that a lightly scribbled concept. To the right some finer work on the suggested pillar work and wrought iron embellishments.

Overleaf a much fuller concept. All of which would have made for a fine set of gates.

The actual gates were in fact built between the date of these sketches and the official opening of Centennial Park in January 1888 – three trees were planted in a rather [then barren plot. Sadly for Moore the gates were not to his design – but not completely dissimilar – we prefer our man.

Some interesting little sketches and the odd house and kitchen design elsewhere but also, as with many similar items, rather a lot of blank pages.

An interesting architectural conversation piece.

Sydney Centennial Park Gates the Preferred Design

$120.00

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The Great Pyramid – Ancient Egypt Revisited – John Romer

The Antiquities of Warwick, and Warwick Castle – Extracted from Sir William Dugdale’s Antiquities of Warwickshire – 1786

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

Strawbale Homebuilding – Alan Gray.

Large Scale Copper Engraving of the Façade of Amsterdam Town Hall – Jacob van Campden – 1661

Sydney Centennial Park – Unusual Period Ephemera – Design for the Main Gates – Self Measuring Pocket Book – J Moore 1886

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