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  • In Unknown New Guinea – W.J.V. Saville (Intro Malinowski) – First Edition 1926

    In Unknown New Guinea – W.J.V. Saville (Intro Malinowski) – First Edition 1926

    Longer title explains … In Unknown New Guinea – A Record of Twenty-Five Years of Personal Observation & Experience Amongst the Interesting People of an Almost Unknown Part of the Vast Island & a Description of Their Manners & Customs, Occupations in Peace & Method of Warfare, Their Secret Rites & Public Ceremonies.

    Published by Seeley, London in 1926 a first edition.

    Thick octavo, 316 pages and sixty very good illustrations mainly from period photographs, folding map near rear. Original red cloth covered binding with the striking gilt design to the front. Very good if not better condition.

    A superb work based the authors lengthy experiences on and around Mailu Island. To have the introduction written by the great anthropologist of the era Bronislaw Malinowski is testament to its quality and importance.

    Rare early New Guinea Anthropology

    $160.00

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  • Les Voila! – Gazette du Bon Ton Pochoir – Andre Marty -1920

    Les Voila! – Gazette du Bon Ton Pochoir – Andre Marty -1920

    Beautiful and one of our favourite hand coloured pochoir by Andre Marty (1882-1974) for the Paris Gazette du Bon Ton published in June 1920.

    “Les Voila” with summer dresses by Doeuillet.

    The ultimate in fashion print from a perfect era.

    Price unframed $160.00

    Stylish summer and I can see it too!

    $160.00

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  • Wallace’s Tree Swift  (Dendrochelidon Wallacei ) John Gould – The Birds of Asia – 1860

    Wallace’s Tree Swift (Dendrochelidon Wallacei ) John Gould – The Birds of Asia – 1860

    Original hand-coloured lithograph produced on limestone from John Gould’s most impressive series “Birds of Asia” completed and published in London circa 1860.

    Gould writes in the accompanying narrative “After carefully comparing Indian specimens .. and Javanese specimens … with examples of a bird of the same form sent from Macassar by Mr Wallace, I could come to no other conclusion than that the latter is a very distinct and undescribed species, and I therefore took the opportunity of naming the bird D. Wallacei, in honour of its discoverer; not that there is any necessity for me to attempt to perpetuate the name of this gentleman as a promoter of natural science, since his writings sufficiently attest his devotion to more than one of its departments”. Gould very humble and obviously likes long sentences.

    Gould goes on to say that the birds are figured a natural size. Little was then known about them … the accompanying narrative describes their colouring is some detail. The execution of the lithograph is excellent, it is very clean and the colouring still very bright and full and enhanced by the use of gum arabic which creates a sense of richness and depth

    Tree swift named by John Gould in honour of Alfred Russell Wallace

    $390.00

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  • Les Travestis Dans Le Parc – Gazette du Bon Ton Pochoir – Brissaud 1913

    Les Travestis Dans Le Parc – Gazette du Bon Ton Pochoir – Brissaud 1913

    A most striking hand coloured double Pochoir (Multiple Stencil) by Pierre Brissaud (1885-1964) for the Paris Gazette du Bon Ton published in September 1913.

    Costumes and disguises in the park from different epochs and fantasies.

    One of the rare double page pochoir images … frames flat and with little impression of the fold…. highly collectable

    Price $240.00 unframed.

    A rich unusual pochoir – beautiful deep colours

    $240.00

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  • British Mineralogy; or Coloured Figures intended to Elucidate the Mineralogy of Great Britain – James Sowerby Volume I and Volume II – Baron Stanley of Alderley’s Copy

    British Mineralogy; or Coloured Figures intended to Elucidate the Mineralogy of Great Britain – James Sowerby Volume I and Volume II – Baron Stanley of Alderley’s Copy

    One of the Greatest Illustrated Coloured Plate Books of all Time

    Printed by R. Taylor and Co, London 1804 – 1806. The first two volumes of what would eventually become a five volume set.

    Containing 200 stunning hand coloured engraved copper plates representing the first comprehensively illustrated reference on Mineralogy. Many of the plates have applied gum arabic which gives them a more intense image. Each plate has a strong plate impression and is engraved with the date of publication and the engravers name, Jas Sowerby, London.

    Octavo xii, 223 and 199 pages plus corrigenda to each volume. Plates not included in the pagination, but all present. Plates bright and clean … a very good set. Binding half leather with original marbled paper covered boards. Re-backed well at some time with separate black leather title labels, volume number in gilt applied direct. Original end papers retained.

    Volume I commences with a dedication to Sir Joseph Banks, as the “Grand Promoter of every Science connected with Natural History”. A three page Preface explaining the volumes to come. A “Sketch of a System for British Mineralogy” introducing the classifications of Combustibles (Homogeneous, Compound and Aggregate), Earth and Metals. Followed by certain “Observations on the System”. Each plate is followed by a two page description of the mineral depicted.

    The work was originally issued in parts commencing with Volume I Number I in November 1802 which contained only the first four plates. Subsequent issues came out monthly with a similar number of plates, so Volume II was not complete until December 1806. Full sets of five volumes are very rare and respected reference … Mineralogical Record Volume 26 Number 4 (Mineral Books) suggests there are less than 100 and is aware of only 50 as at 1995.

    Carries the bookplate of John Thomas Stanley (1766-1860) who was technically the first Baron Stanley of Alderley in the County of Chester, England. We say technically as his family had been Baron Stanley since 1485 … but titled Earl of Derby. The Stanley’s were bestowed the Baronetcy of Alderley Hall from 1660 and later collected Baron Sheffield, Baron Stanley of Alderley and Baron Eddisbury … presumably only one “Sir” applies. At the time of the bookplate John Thomas was a simple Esquire as his father, also John Thomas was the then Baron. He died in 1807 … so we can be very sure that our John Thomas was the first owner of these special volumes.

    SO SORRY SOLD

    $5,900.00

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  • The Big Game of Central and Western China – Harold Frank Wallace FRGS, RZS – First Edition 1913

    The Big Game of Central and Western China – Harold Frank Wallace FRGS, RZS – First Edition 1913

    Being an Account of a Journey from Shanghai to London Overland Across the Gobi Desert by Harold Frank Wallace.

    A first edition published by John Murray, London in 1913. Royal octavo, 318 pages after preliminaries and including appendices and index.

    Bound in original yellow cloth covered boards with decoration and facsimile signature of author to front. Top edge gilt. Some rubbing externally and a hint of glue in the front hinge. A very good copy with barely a mark internally. A sought after travel and hunting account written in a very readable style. Well illustrated with a frontispiece and 22 illustrations from drawings by the author (very talented) and thirty-eight illustrations from photographs.

    In 1911 the author accompanied the experienced George Fenwick-Owen into the interior of China. Their primary objective was to secure a specimen of the Takin of which then little was known in the west, along with a collection of smaller animals for the British Museum. Their journey lasted precisely one year. The course of their journey had to be varied because of the outbreak of the Revolution. The book on the whole is well balanced towards a special travel account with excellent observations on the topography, the people, customs, manners, law etc the latter could not be more demonstrated by the sad image of the man caged for opium crimes.

    Chapters include … the Call of the Red Gods; Shanghai; the Father of rivers [Yangste]; Hwa-Shan the Flower Mountain; Sian -Fu the Magnificent; Notes on caves and the Home of the Takin; Fensiang-Fu an inland town; Modern Rehoboam and His Capital; the Western Kanus; Rumours of war; On the Fringe of the Desert and Across the Desert. Animals sought include the aforementioned Takin … White-maned Serow; Roe deer; Wapiti; Przewalski’s Gazelle; Mongolian Gazelle etc.

    The appendices make interesting reading with Field Measurements; Estimates of Expenses and Tables of Distances and Stages.

    Central and Western China in 1911

    $240.00

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