New Acquisitions

Our April 2025 list has 130+ items: rare voyage and travel books, nineteenth-century photographs, early New South Wales imprints, Australian counterculture ephemera 1960s-80s, antique games – and much more!

  • The Australian Magazine; or, Compendium of Religious, Literary, and Miscellaneous Intelligence. Volume 1. For 1821.

    # 29073

    HOWE, Robert (1795-1829) (printer and publisher); MANSFIELD, Ralph (1799-1880) (editor)

    The Australian Magazine; or, Compendium of Religious, Literary, and Miscellaneous Intelligence. Volume 1. For 1821.

    Sydney : Printed by Robert Howe, Government Printer, 1821. Volume 1, Number 1, May 1 1821, to Volume 1, Number 8, December 1, 1821 (i.e. the first eight issues). Octavo (190 x 125 mm), contemporary half calf over pink papered boards (heavily rubbed, with some surface loss), spine with contrasting red morocco title label lettered in …

    $45,000.00 AUD Read more
  • Relation und gründtlicher Bericht von dess Königreichs Voxu im Japonischen Keyserthumb

    # 17466

    AMATI, Scipione; HENDSCHEL, Tobias (translator); [SOTELO, Luis, 1574-1624]

    Relation und gründtlicher Bericht von dess Königreichs Voxu im Japonischen Keyserthumb

    gottseliger Bekehrung und dessentwegen außgefertigter Ambasciada : an Päbst. Heil. gen Rom Paulum den fünfften, und an die Cathol. May. Philip. den dritten König in Hispania etc. Anno 1615. durch Ludovicum Sotelum S. Francisci Ordens … und … Don: Rocuyemon Faxecura … … Ingolstadt: in der Ederischen Truckerey, bey Elisabeth Angermayrin, Wittib, 1617. Small quarto, recent …

    $35,000.00 AUD Read more
  • Speculum orientalis occidentalisque Indiae navigationum.

    # 42374

    SPILBERGEN, Joris van (1568-1620)

    Speculum orientalis occidentalisque Indiae navigationum.

    Lugduni Batavorum [i.e. Leiden] : Nicolaus van Geelkercken, 1619. Small oblong quarto (190 x 250 mm), contemporary limp vellum with early manuscript title and collection number to spine; title with large engraved vignette (early ownership signature to upper margin); pp. [4] (blank), 175, [5] (blank); with folding engraved world map and a further 24 engraved …

    $35,000.00 AUD Read more
  • The universal spelling alphabet. An amusing parlour game

    # 46664

    Anon.

    The universal spelling alphabet. An amusing parlour game

    S.l. : s.n., circa 1840. Cedar box 125 x 180 x 30 mm, sliding lid with engraved decorative title label, instruction sheet pasted to underside (titled ‘The Moveable Spelling Alphabet’), containing numerous letters and punctuation marks printed on white and blue cards. A charming Victorian spelling game, probably English, in original box.

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  • A souvenir of the Great World War and the glorious part played by Australia and New Zealand.

    # 46815

    [Maker unknown].

    A souvenir of the Great World War and the glorious part played by Australia and New Zealand.

    [United Kingdom? : s.n., c.1915]. Cotton handkerchief, 450 x 600 mm, recto lithograph printed in colour, with patriotic illustrations featuring a large central cartouche captioned ‘The Landing of our Gallant Sons of Empire on the Gallipoli Peninsula’, smaller uncaptioned cartouches at each corner depicting ships of the Royal Australian Navy (including HMAS Sydney), and at …

    $750.00 AUD Read more
  • The game of British Empire, or, Trading with the Colonies

    # 46640

    GLEVUM

    The game of British Empire, or, Trading with the Colonies

    “Glevum” series.. [Gloucester] : [Roberts Bros / Glevum Games], circa 1920. Cardboard box 235 x 332 x 38 mm., lithographed pictorial title label. Instructions pasted inside the side, folding card game board 305 x 610 mm., printed in colour, with a map of the British Empire, die and shaker, three lead steamship game pieces, small …

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  • Fish Dainties

    # 46591

    WICKEN, Mrs. H. (1847 - 1937)

    Fish Dainties

    Melbourne : Mutual Provedoring Co. Ltd, 1892.Octavo, lettered papered boards with decorative design (worn and chipped), blue paper spine, offsetting to endpapers, pp. 56, light scattered foxing, a good copy. Born in Lambeth, cookery writer Harriet Frances Wicken emigrated from England to Australia in 1886. Having studied at the National Training School for Cookery in …

    $300.00 AUD Read more
  • "Group of Blacks, Swan Hill, Victoria" (1862).

    # 46575

    BURNELL, George (1830-1894)

    “Group of Blacks, Swan Hill, Victoria” (1862).

    [Title from contemporary inscription in ink verso]. Stereoscopic albumen print photograph, each image approximately 70 x 75 mm (arch-top format), on original flat mount of yellow card, 83 x 173 mm; fully contemporary inscription in ink verso: ‘Group of Blacks, Swan Hill, Victoria’, with the original owner’s initials ‘M.A.H.’ and their collection number ’74’; some …

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  • "Group of Aborigines, Lake Alexandrina" (1862).

    # 46579

    BURNELL, George (1830-1894)

    “Group of Aborigines, Lake Alexandrina” (1862).

    [Title from contemporary inscription in ink verso]. Stereoscopic albumen print photograph, each image approximately 70 x 75 mm (arch-top format), on original flat mount of pale green/azure card, 85 x 180 mm; fully contemporary inscription in ink verso: ‘Group of Aborigines, Lake Alexandrina’, with the original owner’s initials ‘M.A.H.’ and their collection number ’79’; the …

    $2,200.00 AUD Read more
  • Studio portrait of Māori chief Wiremu Tāmihana (aka William Thompson), "The Kingmaker", 1865.

    # 46462

    [WEBSTER, Hartley]

    Studio portrait of Māori chief Wiremu Tāmihana (aka William Thompson), “The Kingmaker”, 1865.

    Albumen print photograph, carte de visite format, 105 x 63 mm (mount); no photographer’s imprint; verso with fully contemporary note in pencil: ‘Wiremue Tomsana [sic] or William Thompson, The King maker’; both the print and the mount are in very good condition. This would appear to be a pirated copy, probably circulated after the death …

    $750.00 AUD Read more
  • [Primera Parte de los] Commentarios Reales, que tratan del Origen de los Yncas, reyes que fueron del Peru, de su idolatria, leyes, y gouierno en paz y en guerra

    # 38359

    Garcilaso de la Vega, "El Inca", 1539-1616

    [Primera Parte de los] Commentarios Reales, que tratan del Origen de los Yncas, reyes que fueron del Peru, de su idolatria, leyes, y gouierno en paz y en guerra

     … Con licencia de la Sancta Inquisicion, Ordinario, y Paco. En Lisboa: En la officina de Pedro Crasbeeck, 1609 [but 1608]. Small folio (240 x 170 mm), later full vellum with ornate gilt-tooled decoration; [9] preliminary leaves, 264 ff (colophon to verso of leaf 264, with date of 1608), [1 errata] page with woodcut decorations; …

    $10,000.00 AUD Read more
  • Fala que fes o P. Fr. Manoel da Crus,

    # 38379

    CRUS, Manoel da [CRUZ, Manuel da]

    Fala que fes o P. Fr. Manoel da Crus,

    Mestre em S. Teologia, Deputado do S. Officio, & das Ordens Militares na segunda instancia, Vigairo Geral da Ordem dos Pregadores da India. Lisbon : Lourenço de Anveres, 1642. Second edition. Small quarto (200 x 150 mm), vellum boards gilt, front pastedown with ex libris of H. P. Kraus and cutting from the 1929 Maggs Bros. …

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  • The origin of species (1889)

    # 40453

    DARWIN, Charles (1809-1882)

    The origin of species (1889)

    by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. London : John Murray, 1889. Sixth edition, with additions and corrections to 1872 (thirty-seventh thousand). Octavo, original publisher’s gilt-lettered green cloth (edges and corners rubbed, slightly bruised with short tear at head and foot of spine) original endpapers (lightly …

    $750.00 AUD Read more
  • The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex (1882, Sir Charles James Martin's copy)

    # 41941

    DARWIN, Charles (1809 - 1882)

    The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex (1882, Sir Charles James Martin’s copy)

    London : John Murray, 1882. Second edition, revised and augmented. Fifteenth thousand. Octavo, gilt-lettered green cloth (edges slightly rubbed, upper hinge tender), pale foxing to endpapers, slight marginal stain to lower portion of text block, pp. xvi; 693; blank, 78 text illustrations, ownership inscription of C. J. Martin 1883 to preliminary blank, annotated below ‘fr. …

    $750.00 AUD Read more
  • Lettere del Giappone dell'anno M. D. LXXVII. Scritte dalli Reverendi Padri della Compagnia di Giesù.

    # 42443

    Fróis, Luís (1532-1597) et al.

    Lettere del Giappone dell’anno M. D. LXXVII. Scritte dalli Reverendi Padri della Compagnia di Giesù.

    Rome : Francesco Za[n]netti, 1579. Octavo, later panelled red calf, boards with gilt central device and borders, spine with raised bands decorated and entered in gilt; gilt dentelles; pp. 72; title with woodcut device; first few leaves with small expert restoration at lower fore-edge, otherwise excellent throughout, a near fine copy. Very rare collection of …

    $18,500.00 AUD Read more
  • Journal of an overland expedition in Australia from Moreton Bay to Port Essington, a distance of upwards of 3000 miles, during the years 1844-1845.

    # 29462

    LEICHHARDT, Ludwig (1813-1848)

    Journal of an overland expedition in Australia from Moreton Bay to Port Essington, a distance of upwards of 3000 miles, during the years 1844-1845.

    London : T. &​ W. Boone, 1847. First edition. Octavo, bound in period style with half-calf over marbled papered boards, spine in compartments with contrasting morocco title labels, pp. xx, 544, 8 (publisher’s advertisements); frontispiece and [6] aquatint plates (1 folding), internally clean; with the rare separately issued, hand-coloured map on three sheets (as issued: …

    $11,000.00 AUD Read more