Astronomy for beginners, who live in the southern hemisphere

Wellington, N.Z. : T.A. Bowden, 1874. Duodecimo, original cloth backed printed card covers, endpapers with advertisements for The Colonial Series of Elementary School Books, early printed ownership label of ‘Mr. R. Wilson, Craigielea, Benhar, Otago’ to blank facing title page (mild off-setting), pp i-iv, 5-44, illustrated with diagrams; a very good copy.

The first edition of a scarce primer in astronomy, designed specifically for antipodean enthusiasts, by one of New Zealand’s most significant nineteenth century astronomers, the Venerable Archdeacon Stock. Stock had arrived in New Zealand as a member of the Church Missionary Society in 1853. He took up residence in Wanganui, before being appointed Vicar of St. Peter’s in Wellington, where he not only conducted his own private astronomical observations but also acted as the official Astronomical Observer at the Colonial Observatory. A second edition (with two maps) of his Astronomy for beginners was published in Wanganui later in 1874.

Only two copies of the first edition are recorded in Australian collections (National Library of Australia; State Library of New South Wales).