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  • My Fourth Tour in Western Australia – Albert F Calvert – Illustrated Walker Hodgson – First Edition 1897 – A Presentation Copy and Interesting Provenence

    My Fourth Tour in Western Australia – Albert F Calvert – Illustrated Walker Hodgson – First Edition 1897 – A Presentation Copy and Interesting Provenence

    A first edition of Calvert’s most impressive book published in 1897. A presentation copy from publisher William Heinemann, London to Herbert Ingram … compliments slip bound in at title page.

    The illustrator Walker Hodgson completed the tour and is described by Calvert in his Preface as “the Lion of the Party”.

    The copy was later purchased by Victor Deuters and gifted to his son David. Deuters was a close acquaintance of the illustrator, Walker Hodgson. The book contains a copy letter from Hodgson to Victor … for the purposes of the gift to his son. Hodgson’s in true “artistic hand” runs to four sides, mentions david as a little boy, many reminiscences and then a lengthy section on this Calvert book … where it can be found; contents; his involvement in illustrations and also contributing the last two chapters; its good reception at the time etc. Hodgson refers to himself as “the Old Scarecrow” obviously feeling his age and signing of with a scarecrow decoration at signature. The letter is dated 1940 and he concludes “We can hear the sounds of War from here, quite clearly!”

    Large quarto, xxvi, 359 pages, catalogue. Tissue guarded frontispiece portrait of Calvert, ten plates – some double page, 400 in text illustrations. Coloured folding map of Western Australia showing the Gold Fields, minor tape repair at map hinge. Half bound dark blue over lighter blue cloth covered boards, gilt title front and spine. A really nice clean and bright copy.

    In the 1890’s Calvert became and authority on Australia and published important books about its early discovery and exploration. His works on western Australia are unique and based on his own experiences. He first cam to Australia in 1890 in the company of his grandfather and perhaps his father, both of whom were involved in mining. Their first trip under the umbrella of the General Exploration Company was largely unsuccessful. Further trips ensued with greater success … this the fourth trip the most expansive and best recorded. The illustrations, particularly of mining towns and activity are special.

    Sir Herbert Ingram was the 2nd Baronet Ingram. His grandfather founded the Illustrated London News which his father later managed. The lithographed bookplate carries an image by Alphonse Mucha maybe the most sought after illustrator of the period.

    Calvert’s superior book on Western Australia and Mining with a special enchanting provenance.

    $690.00

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  • The Great South Land – Searching for the Antipodes from Classical Scholars to Quiros & Dampier.

    The Great South Land – Searching for the Antipodes from Classical Scholars to Quiros & Dampier.

    Published by Hordern House in 2011 another scholarly catalogue of key works presented in a depth and standard unlikely to be surpassed.

    Hardback quarto, in dust jacket, unpaginated but circa 180 pages with 127 rare items. A fine copy.

    After a useful introduction we start with “Ideas of a southern continent” … Classical Geographers with works by Strabo, Mela, Macrobious, Ptolemaeus … the Renaissance and later. Leading to Marco-Polo, Mandeville and the “travellers and story tellers”. Dutch exploration and the VOC … Duyfken, Tasman, Pelsaert. Before the Spanish and Portuguese … Varthema, Quiros, Mendana. The “English Adventurers make Landfall” .. Drake, Woodes Rogers, William Dampier. Hakluyt wraps it all up. All up 104 voyagers, travellers or distinguished authors.

    The period up to Dampier explained by reference to key works

    $40.00

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  • Map of Van Diemen’s Land or Tasmania – A.K. Johnston FRGS – 1844

    Map of Van Diemen’s Land or Tasmania – A.K. Johnston FRGS – 1844

    A large scale quality map engraved by W & A.K. Johnston and published in Edinburgh in 1844.

    The cartographer was Alexander Keith Johnston (1804-1871) and it was published in the National Atlas of Historical, Commercial and Political Geography both by the cartographer and his bother William in Edinburgh and by Robert Weir and James Lumsden in Glasgow. Alexander Johnston had been apprenticed to James Kirwood and the great William Home Lizars. His brother, later knighted, became the Lord Provost of Edinburgh.

    Large scale with central fold the printed area 57cm by 47cm. Thick paper and very good condition with strong pastel colouring. The whole of map image is difficult to photograph due to its size so we have scanned various sections on our A3 machine so you can see the extent of the detail and the quality of the map.

    An interesting historical map. The odd historical note is added such as the discovery of Adventure Bay by Furneaux in 1773 and Cook’s anchorage there in 1777; Baudin’s discovery of Oyster Bay in 1802 etc.

    A summary note states “Van Diemen’s Land was discovered by Tasman in 1642 & is hence sometimes called Tasmania, it received its present name in honour of Anthony Vandiemen, Gov General of the Dutch E. indies. It was visited by Cook & Furneaux 1773-7 & was found to be an island by the discovery of the Bass’ Strait, 1798, in 1804 it was formally taken possession of in the name of Britain; and the site HOBART TOWN fixed on for the Capital. Emigration from England began in 1821, when the V.D. Land Bank was established, in 1825 it was declared independant (sic) of N.S. Wales & the chief authority vested in a Lieut. Governor & Council.”

    Tooley reference 780 and Tooley maps of Tasmania 315, National Collection 22985553

    Price $340.00 unframed.

    One of the best maps of the 1840’s a full of interesting detail. Very good condition and would frame to make a significant statement.

    $340.00

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  • Map of the World “Mappmondo” –  Antonio Zatta – 1790

    Map of the World “Mappmondo” – Antonio Zatta – 1790

    An unusual copper engraved map of the world in two hemispheres by Antonio Zatta published in Venice in 1790.

    Map dimensions … 26cm by 18cm to the plate mark, 28.5cm by 22.5cm to the edge. Fold marks as issued, page edges slightly askew.

    For the date, post Cook, the depiction of Australia is very strange. Fictitious lines connect Western Australia with the south coast of Tasmania and, from there north east and out to the Solomon Islands and back around to New Guinea. The Gulf of Carpentaria is connect to New Guinea. Australia is named N Olanda. Other curiosities include a strangely drawn Japan and an unnamed Company’s Land peeps out from the extreme north east, for those that are familiar with this curiosity.

    The map appears at first rather basic but on closer inspection one can see topographical features, major mountain ranges are depicted and a number of the worlds major river systems. Uncoloured as it should be. Showing some age but a good honest map of some scarcity and peculiarity.

    Little is known about Antonio Zatta (1757-1797). Even his year of birth and death, usually quoted as above are challenged in some sources which suggest 1722-1804 … maybe the shorter period reflects his map making activity. We can see that this map is by him as his signature appears in the engraving bottom right … we cannot help feel the plate is based on another map, of smaller scale, usually attributed to Giovanni Rizzi Zannoni, also active in Venice during the period.

    Price $290.00 unframed

    Distinctive and Scarce 18th Century World Map with Curiosity

    $290.00

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  • Geological Survey Cape York, Horn Island, Possession Island Queensland etc –  C.F.V Jackson 1902 – Excellent Maps

    Geological Survey Cape York, Horn Island, Possession Island Queensland etc – C.F.V Jackson 1902 – Excellent Maps

    Queensland Department of Mines Geological Survey Report No 180.

    Report on a Visit to the West Coast of the Cape York Peninsula and Some Islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria also, Reports on the Horn Island and Possession Island Gold Fields, and the Recent Prospecting of the Cretaceous Coast of the Cook District.

    By C.F.V. Jackson, Assistant Government Geologist.

    Octavo, staple bound. 23 pages with images from photographs and four maps, a broader map of the regions and three folding coloured maps of the South Wellesly Islands (Bentick, Fowler and Sweers); the Horn Island Goldfield and Horn Island. Slight browning to map edges, still a very good copy of a scarce item. Good maps.

    As often the geologist travels significant ground taking in Cox Creek, Wilkinson range, Mitchell River, Wellesly Islands, Horn Island, Possession Island etc with good detail on the topography of the land and various anthropological finds along the way. He discovered aboriginal middens of enormous proportions estimated to have taken several hundred years to form. He mentions bauxite at Weipa … to become one of the world’s largest deposits of that mineral.

    Clements Frederick Vivian Jackson (1873-1955) was a very talented engineer, initially in the Civil file and then Mining. He designed an built bridges over the Bremer River near Ipswich and received the London Institute of Civil Engineers Prize for his bridge over the Burdekin an Charters Towers. He moved into the geology / mining filed and after conducting the work subject to this reports was involved in the geological survey of Western Australia. Returning to Queensland he rose to the highest position, that of State Mining Engineer

    Scarce report on important locations with excellent maps.

    $90.00

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  • The Journal of George Blaxland (Across the Blue Mountains) 1813 – Centenary Issue 1913

    The Journal of George Blaxland (Across the Blue Mountains) 1813 – Centenary Issue 1913

    Full title … “A Journal of a Tour of Discovery across the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, in the Year 1813, by George Blaxland, with References and Explanatory Notes, Maps etc by Frank Walker – president Australian Historical Society.

    Octavo, original red cloth binding, 56 pages with the new illustrations to support the journal. Map of the Route Across the Mountains. Missing the front blank endpaper, someone has pasted maps inside rear board as reference. A little loose as usual, still a good to better copy.

    The first crossing of the Blue Mountains by Europeans, an expedition led by Gregory Blaxland, William Lawson and William Charles Wentworth in 1813. All three wrote accounts, only Blaxland’s was published in 1823, in England. Early editions near impossible to come by.

    Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson in the Blue Mountains …

    $60.00

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