Curiosities

The Awakening of the Soul – Ibn Tufail – from the translation of Paul Bronnle -1907

A scarce translation of Hayy ibn Yaqzan a 12th Century work by Moorish philosopher Ibn Tufail. The first philosophical novel ever written.

Small octavo, 87 pages, missing blank free end paper, clean inside, good green cloth covered boards with title and design to front, titles similarly on spine. Very scarce.

Published by the Orient Press, London as part of the Wisdom of the East Series. We believe this publisher was part of the John Murray enterprise.

The work not only had an influence or later Arabic work but also, over time, a significant influence in Europe, especially during the period of European Enlightenment.

An allegorical novel which recounts the story of a feral child who is brought up by a gazelle alone in the desert. Without any human contact the child discovers ultimate truth through a process of reasoned enquiry. The child, Hayy, meets a castaway Absal through whom he understands the human desires for material goods … Hayy concludes that such things are distractions and should be abandoned to maintain ultimate truth.

As an aside the author had a varied career including physician to the Almohad King and was a supporter of dissection and autopsy .. expressed in the novel.

Small but powerful first philosophical novel – scarce in this form.

$45.00

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Folding Georgian Guinea Scales c1805

A good set of early Guinea Scales with contemporary instructions label. Likely by Stephen Houghton who took over from Anthony Wilkinson at Ormskirk, Lancashire. Wilkinson had died in 1804.

The end pin is bit tight which means the set need to be pulled gently to open.

Self-erecting and known generally as the Lancashire Gold Balance. The brass beam is rectangular in section and has a hinged “turn and swing” overweight which counter poises the beam for the guinea or half-guinea. This set has an uncommon variation with the weight having two components, clearly designed for additional weighing standards.

A small rectangular sliding weight on the load arm registers in graduations to show discrepancies in of under-weight coins.

The collapsing mechanism makes the whole entirely portal in the gentleman’s trouser.

Functioning Georgian Gold Sovereign Scale

$220.00

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Relic from the Otago – Skuttled in the Derwent, Tasmania – Past Captain being the Distinguished Author Joseph Conrad.

A solid piece of wood with some remnant attached claimed to be from the vessel “Otago” which was sunk in the Derwent before bits were reclaimed – in particular scrap metal which went to Japan much to the chagrin of the locals.

18cm by 13cm by 3cm.

The inscription reads “Otago 367 ton Barque – 1869 Built Glasgow – 1900 Used as a coal hulk, Hobart – 1931 Stranded, Otago Bay Derwent River, Tasmania. – She was the only command of the Author Joseph Conrad”.

See also our scarce publication by Crowther relating to the Otago hatch in the Hobart Maritime Museum … perhaps the best Museum in Australia! .

Conrad’s Otago – A remnant – and an unusual artifact with a literary connection.

$60.00

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Map of the Eastern Hemisphere – Allain Manesson Mallet – 1683

An unusual original copper engraved map of the Eastern Hemisphere or “Ancien Continent” by Mallet published in Paris in 1863.

This is an early depiction of the West Coast of Australia and the Southern extremity of Tasmania following the exploratory efforts of the Dutch.

A worn track of the printed area and deficiency way bottom left otherwise a good strong example

A massive hypothetical “Terra Incognues” appears in the south in order to “balance” the world.

Mallet (1630-1706) was a French cartographer and engineer. He started his career as a soldier in the army of Louis XIV became a Sergeant Major and an Inspector of Fortifications. His maps have a beautiful decorative and unique style.

Striking early map of the Eastern Hemisphere

$140.00

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Exchange of Letters between Sir Leslie Orme Wilson and the Maharaja of Gondal on the former’s appointment as the Governor of Bombay – 1923. Subsequently Wilson to become Governor of Queensland

An official exchange along with a corrected draft from the Maharaja so clearly from the files of his office.

Military man and parliamentarian Leslie Orme Wilson (1876- 1955) was appointed Governor of Bombay (1923-1926). His formal advice to His Highness Sir Bhagwatsinhji Sagramji – Thakor Saheb of Gondal ((1865-1944) was sent dated 13 December 1923 on the rather striking elaborately bordered paper of the day and regime. It is framed with a “Friendly disposition”.

The delightful response was not made until 5th February the following year and I have no doubt there may have been an underlying message despite the responses carefully crafted words “great pleasure to receive the assurance of the friendly disposition”. We also like the fact that the Maharaja’s similarly elaborate paper has retained far more gold over the years than his British counterpart.

There relationship did in indeed prove friendly and Wilson was “sent on” to Brisbane to become it’s longest serving Governor from 1932 through the war years to 1946. He was the head honcho in the Queensland masons and did a lot of tress planting including sone of the nice ones down around the beginning of Coronation drive – have they survived the continuous development?

An unusual and friendly piece of history with a Queensland connection

$80.00

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The Convict King (Jorgen Jorgenson) – James Francis Hogan – Rare Walch of Hobart issue 1891.

Rather scarce and no wonder given the paper wrappers. The long title worth detailing

The Convict King being The Romantic Life and Adventures of Jorgen Jorgenson who was for a time Monarch of Iceland, helped to Discover Bass Strait, was at the Founding of Hobart etc etc. and Closed His Extraordinary Career in the Hobart Hospital in 1845.

Published by J Walch & Sons, Tasmania. No date but 1891. Authority Ferguson 104889.

Interestingly for a book published by the famous Hobart printing firm – this book was actually printed by Kelly of London and Kingston on Thames, England.

Octavo, 235 pages, with advertisements for other contemporary Walch publications in the ends and on the back cover. Splitting a bit down the spine edge, now repaired and secured with acid free archival Japan paper.

Published as part of Walch’s Series of Books on Old Van Diemen’s Land – No 3. A very good copy despite any deficiencies given its rarity and obvious vulnerability.

The story of Jorgen Jorgenson is a full and strange one – at first hid life appears surely a fiction … but no this man was out for adventure and mixed with many who were making their own mark on the World and its History.

The Convict King a scarce edition for sure.

$180.00

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The Awakening of the Soul – Ibn Tufail – from the translation of Paul Bronnle -1907

Folding Georgian Guinea Scales c1805

Relic from the Otago – Skuttled in the Derwent, Tasmania – Past Captain being the Distinguished Author Joseph Conrad.

Map of the Eastern Hemisphere – Allain Manesson Mallet – 1683

Exchange of Letters between Sir Leslie Orme Wilson and the Maharaja of Gondal on the former’s appointment as the Governor of Bombay – 1923. Subsequently Wilson to become Governor of Queensland

The Convict King (Jorgen Jorgenson) – James Francis Hogan – Rare Walch of Hobart issue 1891.

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