Curiosities

1600 Years Under the Sea – The Quest for a Sunken City – Captain Ted Falcon-Barker

Scarce unusual book. Published by Frederick Muller, London in 1960. Octavo, 225 pages, the odd mark, fading to board edges faded, cocked but excuse it, endpaper maps, better dust jacket than usual.

Ted Falcon-Baker was a most mysterious figure. Born in France in 1923 to a diamond prospector father and Cuban mother. He skipped school at fifteen and ran away to Australia [people grew up more quickly then!].

When WII broke out he joined the army and in Europe became a spy, spending time in Damascus. He was still only twenty-one when the war ended. He bought a yacht [after other adventures], learned to dive and set off on the adventure recorded in this book to find Epidarous a legendary submerged city in the Adriatic – they found … along with a few unexploded WWI ordinance.

Actor Jon Pertwee was one of his backers although commitments meant he makes a brief appearance … all this before Doctor Who.

Epidarous found by the mysterious and adventurous Falcon-Baker

$35.00

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Little Ragged Blossom and more about Snugglepot and Cuddlepie – May Gibbs – First Edition c 1920

Published Sydney: Angus Robertson no date but 1920 and a First Edition.

Quarto. Cloth backed pictorial boards with a colour vignette of Little Ragged Blossom pasted on with some wear. The odd mark – on the whole a very good copy.

The wonderful fantasy world of the gum-nut babies portrayed in glorious detail. Illustrated by Gibbs with two full colour plates and twenty wonderful sepia plates as well as pictorial end papers and many line illustrations in-text. Scarce in any condition. Reference the authority Muir 2752.

Little Ragged Blossom a May Gibbs Delight

$190.00

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The Fossil Fishes of the Hawkesbury Series at Gosford – Robert Etheridge Jnr – 1890

A very good copy of this rare report issued by the New South Wales Department of Mines – Memoirs of the Geological Survey of New South Wales – Palaeontology No 4.

Thick hard cover, cloth crimped spine, as issued. Large format 30 cm x 25 cm.

Begins proper with a letter from Wilkinson Geological Surveyor in Charge to the Minister setting out the background and content. A railway was being built in the Hawkesbury region, and a superb group of fish fossil remains were found … they were examined by non-other than T. W. Edgeworth David who provides a “Stratigraphical Note” as an introduction along with a geological section of the “find”.

55 pages of scientific narrative are followed by ten full page plates on very thick paper / card with interwoven explanatory notes. An impressive set of engravings lithographed by Berjeau & Highley printed by Mintern Bros.

Philibert Charles Berjeau [1845-1927] was a leading London based natural history lithographer who worked hand in hand with Percy Highley [1856-1929]; the printers Mintern Bros were also London based and produced work of a high technical standard including John Gould’s Birds of New Guinea.

Rare work edited by Etheridge introduced by Edgeworth David and lithographed by a top London outfit.

$140.00

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TRUMP – Strategies for Real Estate [Billionaire Lessons for the Small Investor] George H Ross

Topical. And an alternative or companion to the Art of The Deal. Published by John Wiley in 2005 a first edition. Octavo, 232 pages with the odd image of the TRUMP successes in New York real estate.

Forward by TRUMP … who much admires George Ross who in turn much admires TRUMP … we think that is rule number one.

We could be critical and make more corny remarks but in reality [no attempted pun] the book is very informative, and the TRUMP tactics and ploys make a lot of sense … suggestions of a very through approach even if masked as casual. Enough said.

Can we learn from TRUMP … swallow hold breath – we think so!

$30.00

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Sarah Island – The Penal Settlement at Macquarie Harbour [West Coast Tasmania] 1831

A short historical brochure produced by the entertaining and hard working Round Earth Company – a good bunch.

Card covers 16 pages, including exterior, nice graphic production with a multi pot purri of facts about this once hell on earth convict establishment – or was it – they had a very nice bakery and a forge to die for – there again probably someone did!

A small item that will be reinvoiced at letter rates – or best with something else related … check our site.

Sarah island – a fascinating place with an equally fascination history – worth the trip out West.

$8.00

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Armorial Book-Plates. Their Romantic Origin and Artistic Development – Signed limited edition [Includes Mawson's Bookplate] Neville Barnett – published in 1932

Sought after reference and a beauty in itself.

Unusual faux snake-skin binding. Excellent condition 172 pages. Signed numbered limited edition of 300 copies.

With numerous book-plate illustrations with 17 tipped in originals from those of great fame (our favourite being that of Polar Explorer Douglas Mawson).

Chapters on the Origins of Armory; the Age of Chivalry; the Pageant of Heraldry; the Romance of Arms; German, French and British Book-plates the latter extensive and importantly Australian and New Zealand Armorial Book-plates.

Collectable work from the doyen of Australian Bookplates – Neville Barnett – Numbered Limited Signed edition with Sir Douglas Mawson’s bookplate.

$190.00

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1600 Years Under the Sea – The Quest for a Sunken City – Captain Ted Falcon-Barker

Little Ragged Blossom and more about Snugglepot and Cuddlepie – May Gibbs – First Edition c 1920

The Fossil Fishes of the Hawkesbury Series at Gosford – Robert Etheridge Jnr – 1890

TRUMP – Strategies for Real Estate [Billionaire Lessons for the Small Investor] George H Ross

Sarah Island – The Penal Settlement at Macquarie Harbour [West Coast Tasmania] 1831

Armorial Book-Plates. Their Romantic Origin and Artistic Development – Signed limited edition [Includes Mawson's Bookplate] Neville Barnett – published in 1932

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