Poetry and Plays and Music Scores

My Life as a Fake – Peter Carey – First edition

Peter Carey had already won the Booker Prize twice, and other literary awards before he released “My Life as A Fake”.

Published by Knopf, Sydney in 2003. A first edition in great condition. Octavo, 280 pages, rough cut edges (trendy) as published. Unusual endpapers one half Kuala Lumpur image [as with the dust jacket] other stark pink.

Whilst given an international mystic flavour this book is partly based on the real life faking of the poet Ern Malley by the promotors of the superb Angry Penguins. Not only was the poet Ern Malley a fake he was also considered a bit rude which got the inventors into a little bit of trouble and consequently financial difficulty.

Back to Carey and we have the works of Bob McCorkie entirely the invention of Christopher Chubb who wants to teach the pretentious a lesson. There is a twist though and it has something to do with the phrase Voyager has some difficulty truly understanding … “be careful what you wish for”. When we say twist – it is Peter Carey so more to it that that.

Peter Carey First edition – maybe our favourite.

$60.00

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A Season in Hell – Arthur Rimbaud – special edition – c1930

With and introduction by George Frederick Lees. No date but circa 1930.

Small octavo, 78 pages, dust jacket shelf worn, chipped edges, fading to spine. Title page printed in red and black, limited to 600 copies. Previous ownership details on free end paper, still a pretty good copy of a sought after Rimbaud translation.

Arthur Rimbaud (1854-1891) a unique poet and writer, often described as the ‘Father” of modern poetry. This was his masterpiece. A long prose poem recording his spiritual revolt and struggle. Originally published in 1873.

If you are not familiar with Rimbaud, then you should get to know him. How could someone experience so much so early in life? Set out in nine parts of varying length differing markedly in tone and ease of understanding. Persevere though as here we have a sure piece of genius. At the time of writing Rimbaud had been through a tempestuous homosexual relationship with poet Paul Verlaine. Ending the relationship Verlaine shot Rimbaud and was imprisoned. Rimbaud went to London and took to opium and gin … returning to France to finish and publish A Season in Hell. He never wrote again after the age of twenty years. He then became a merchant and explorer overseas and sadly died of cancer at the age of 37.

Arthur Rimbaud’s Hell – such an influence

$60.00

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Sarah Bernhardt – Francoise Sagan – First UK Edition

The late 19th century stage legend – has anyone really matched the talent and reputation of Bernhardt. Her talents as a sculptor and painter underestimated.

Here we have a real twist a fictionalised biography / autobiography through letter exchanges between the author and Sarah – long after the latter’s death. The author, a sensational writer who had already had great success with the provocative “Bonjour Tristesse”.

A fist UK translation published by Macmillan in 1989. Octavo, 232 pages with illustrations from period photographs. Good condition albeit the pages toasted a bit as common with the issue.

Exotic treatment of Bernhardt’s Life

$25.00

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Complete Set – The London Aphrodite – Literary Periodical (in Six Parts) – Ed. Jack Lindsay and P.R. Stephensen.

Six original publications of Jack Lindsay’s London based Franfrolico Press, published in 1929. Banned in the USA for alleged obscenity … quite tame and very artistic really.

Nearly 500 pages in total. A pot-pourri of Australian and European literary and artistic talent. Norman Lindsay contributed with his unusual imagery. Octavo, card covered, some age but generally a good and importantly complete set. Occasionally black and white plates and scattered vignettes by Norman Lindsay. Literary contributions from Aldous Huxley, Norma Douglas, Liam O’Flaherty, Sacheverell Sitwell and other icons of the pen.

Aphrodite – all of them and a wonderful read.

$190.00

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Smoky Dawson’s Cowboy and Mountain Songs (with instructions for Rope Spinning Tricks)

A super music sheet from Australia’s first and greatest Country and western singer songwriter. Smoky Dawson was Herbert Henry Brown (1913-2008). Hall of fame and all that he kept going until the end. Had a terrible childhood nut grew up to lead a talented positive life. A mate of Glen Campbell .. another super talent.

Published by Allan & Co, Melbourne in the late 1940’s (Trove suggest their copy is 1941 but we know for sure that Smoky was off to the War that year so we doubt it). Could be earlier than the war … some references say its his first published songbook.

Music arranged for voice, piano, guitar, ukulele and piano accordion. 24 Cowboy, Hill-Bily, Railroad, Mexican, Hobo Songs.

And we simply love the instructions for rope spinning… so much Voyager has purchased his first spinning rope … albeit still an step number 1.

Starts with notes and images from photographs of Smoky and his mates and what they have been up to.

Very good condition, 46 pages, aside from an innocent splosh (weak tea?) top near the spine … evident on a couple of early pages.

The second verse of Texas Lil goes like this …

“Oh she rustles cattle and she cheats at cards
An’ rattlesnakes an’ coyotes are her pards.
She’s as tough as prairie cactus and just for rifle practice
She’s amputate your ears at sixty yards”

Smoky Dawson – Australia’s First Country and Western Cowboy and a first class Legend

PS – You will see the retailers stamp of Suttons of Ballarat on the front. The Suttons Music Emporium was started in 1891 and a Suttons Music shop still exists today. Must be one of Australia’s oldest retailers and undoubtedly by World standards one of the oldest music retailers. the original magnificent building housed grand piano’s and had stained glass windows of the great European composers.

$30.00

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Nugae Canorae Medicae – Sir Andrew Douglas Maclagan – First edition 1850 – With Additional Contemporary Manuscript Content

Translates literally “Silly Medical Songs” and they are. Andrew Douglas Maclagan (1812-1900) was an eminent Scottish surgeon and toxicologist. In his lifetime he was President of five of the mots distinguished Societies in Scotland. As a toxicologist he was called to Court to give evidence … as a young man he supported the prosecution in the Burke and Hare affair.

Printed by Thomas Constable, Edinburgh in 1850 – a first edition (it was reprinted in 1873). Effectively self published. Maclagan vaguely covered his identity as the author is names as “The Poet Laureate of the New Town Dispensary”. Octavo, bark brown embossed cloth covered boards with gilt titling to front, 82 pages with manuscript additions to rear end paper. Remnant seal to back paste down.

Given the period any reader will be pleasantly surprised how amusing the said poem/songs are … and much fun must have been had with them. Footnotes have been provided which explain the circumstances and sometimes individuals at fault or lampooned. No punches held.

What makes this copy more charming is the manuscript addition. Internally they sometimes correct the events suggested. At the rear we have in neat manuscript further ditties by Maclagan that are not in the published work. Clearly someone who knew the great man very well. 19thC press clipping re Maclagan affixed front free end.

Silly Songs by a most distinguished physician.

$180.00

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My Life as a Fake – Peter Carey – First edition

A Season in Hell – Arthur Rimbaud – special edition – c1930

Sarah Bernhardt – Francoise Sagan – First UK Edition

Complete Set – The London Aphrodite – Literary Periodical (in Six Parts) – Ed. Jack Lindsay and P.R. Stephensen.

Smoky Dawson’s Cowboy and Mountain Songs (with instructions for Rope Spinning Tricks)

Nugae Canorae Medicae – Sir Andrew Douglas Maclagan – First edition 1850 – With Additional Contemporary Manuscript Content

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