Rare books from Antipodean Books, Maps & Prints

Paris: Didot, 1761. First edition. A significant collection, which includes accounts of many early voyages. It includes accounts of all the principal early Australian voyages as well as an account of the discovery of Australia by the Dutch including Roggeveen's voyage to the Terres Australes (this features the great Bellin map with the hypothetical east coast of Australia.) "Particularly full accounts are given of the Dutch and the French voyages to the East Indies, voyages to China, and the British East India Company's voyages to India and Ceylon" (Hill). The Pacific voyages include those of Magellan, Schouten, and Le Maire, Drake, Sarmiento, Cavendish, Spilbergen, Narborough, Rogers, Cowley, Frezier, and Anson. Other world voyages include African voyages, the early Portuguese and English voyages to West Africa and the Cape of Good Hope, with a general account of the Dutch at the Cape. The set of 17 volumes includes the first 15 volumes and a general index numbered volume XVI, titled "Table… Read More

London: John Webber, 1820. Two versions of Webber's print of Macao; the rarest Lifetime Issue colored by Webber himself & the Boydell Issue. The rare lifetime issue was self-published by Webber and is a soft ground etching. This is an extremely rare hand colored copy, which Sir Maurice Holmes states in his "Captain James Cook RN FRS, A Bibliographical Excursion" (1952) that the original drawings were "etched and coloured by himself". Impression mark 450 x 323 mm with large margins, 539 x 390 mm. With notations in pencil, quite possibly by Webber - "Pl.13" penciled in the top right corner, along with "1st Augt. 1788" in the lower right. Soft ground etching with hand color. Watermark J. Whatman. Joppien 3.372A.a. [with] The Boydell issue, published in John Webber's "Views in the South Seas", which has been called "the most striking publication resulting from Cook's expeditions". (Parsons Collection 136). Vide Cook's Last Voyage Vol. 3 Chap. 11. London. Pubd. April 1, 1809 by Boydell & Compy. No. 90… Read More

London: John Webber, 1820. The Lifetime Issue and the Boydell Issue of this print by Webber. The extremely rare life time edition was self-published by Webber and Sir Maurice Holmes states in his "Captain James Cook RN FRS, A Bibliographical Excursion" (1952) that the original drawings were "etched and coloured by himself". Soft ground etching tinted in brown and grey wash; Holmes suggests colored by Webber himself. J. Webber fecit. 1788. London Pubd. Augt. 1, 1788 by J. Webber No. 312 Oxford Street. Vide Cook's Last Voyage Vol. 3 Chap. XI . "1 Augt. 1788' penciled in the lower right margin, "Pl. 12." in the top right, likely by Webber himself. Impression mark 17 1/2 x 12 13/16"; 445 x 325 mm, with margins. With some light toning at edges o/w very good condition. Paper watermarked "Whatman" but without a date. Joppien & Smith 3.372B.a. [with] the Boydell issue, London. Pubd. April 1, 1809 by Boydell & Compy. No. 90 Cheapside. Vide Cook's Last Voyage Vol. 3 Chap. XI. Impression mark 450 x 323 mm with… Read More

Wonderful photograph album of Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania, with large photographs and manuscript titles. A total of 47 photos, with 33 of Victoria, 6 of New South Wales, 5 of Tasmania, 1 of New Zealand, and 2 others. Each photograph is lightly tipped on to the album paper, with blank verso. Most of the photographs are by an unknown photographer; there are also some signed by J.W. Beattie, Thomas Foster Chuck, Frank Arnold Coxhead, C. Rudd, and J.P., possibly John Paine. One of the most striking & largest photograph is of "Aboriginals of Lake Tyers". It is an outdoor view of a family group of aborigines, from children to grand parents, dressed in western clothing, with spear, boomerangs and lean-to behind them. Others include some rather poetic views of woodcutters at Black Spur & Fernshaw; a couple of gold mining at Bendigo including Garden Gully United Gold Mining Company, with houses in fore and background. There is a series of some very striking studies of Melbourne buildings… Read More

London: J. Webber, 1788. Three views are UNPUBLISHED views by Webber. They are monochrome aquatints, a different process used in others of Webber's views. They were not published in either the extremely rare lifetime edition of "Views in the South Seas" nor the more common but still rare 1809 (1820) edition of "Views in the South Seas". They seem to have been bought together by an early collector, one being marked on the verso "3 views L 10" (sterling) in the 1950's. 1. "A View in Annamooka, One of the Friendly Isle's" is not directly recorded in Joppien & Smith, but this view with the date of Feby. 1, 1788 is obliquely referred to in the reference notes to Joppien & Smith 3.44b as a lone copy with this publication date in the British Museum, Dept. of Prints and Drawings. It could possibly be recorded as Joppien & Smith 3.44c. "Drawn & Etch'd by J. Webber. Aquatinta by M.C. Prestel. London Pubd. Feby. 1, 1788 by J. Webber No. 312 Oxford Street. Vide Cook's Last Voy. Vol. I Ch. IV". Printed on laid… Read More

London: Dr. Thornton, 1799. Elephant folio aquatint, stipple and line, printed in color and finished by hand from Dr. Thornton's landmark work the "Temple of Flora". This stunning image depicts a majestic orange & yellow tinted lily in the foreground, with a background of mountains and cliffs. Reinagle, pinx., Earlom, sculp. 1st June 1799. Two different plates of the same composition, this is State B, which measures slightly larger than State A. A very vibrant, strong impression, the impression mark 36 x 48.5 cm, with margins, beautifully framed. Dunthorne p.249.

London: J. Farrell, No. 7 Paternoster Row, Cheapside, 1790. First printing. Ephemera. Very good overall. An unrecorded 'Christmas Piece' broadside or children's exercise sheet, with manuscript verse at the center, signed by a young American, "Samuel Lefferts Scripsit", dedicated to his "much respected Grandfather Lefferts Hagewought (sic)", and dated December 24th, 1791. Christmas broadsides were published and printed in London by John Farrell during the reign of George III, with contemporary and historical engravings around the perimeter, a large central engraving at the top, and blank space at the center for the scholar to write some lines of verse to the recipient. These Christmas Pieces were also for the student to show off his penmanship, and possibly win a school prize; they were referred to as "scripsits". In this case the student is an [American] young man, Samuel Lefferts. He has written 12 lines of verse having to do with the birth of Jesus and he dedicates the Christmas piece to his… Read More

London: W. Byrne, No. 79 Titchfield Street & J. Webber, No. 312 Oxford St., 1784. First printing. Print. Very good condition. The separately published image by Webber of one of the iconic images of the 18th century. Cook, already a successful navigator, was immortalized after his death at the hands of Hawaiian natives at Karakakoa Bay. Cook had spent two months on the Big Island in 1779 and was well received, the natives believing he was a god. When he was forced to return due to a damaged mast, he was viewed as a mortal who had already sorely stretched the supplies of the Hawaiians. It is also thought that his handling of the natives was uncharacteristically brusque, leading to conjecture that this consummate traveler's judgment was somehow impaired. Copper engraving, published as the Act Directs 1st Jan. 1784, by J. Webber, No. 312, Oxford Street, and W. Byrne, No. 19, Titchfield Street, London. 22 3/4 x 18 1/4" image size. A very crisp impression on laid, watermarked paper. Without the impression… Read More

London: G. Carter, 1784. Proof. A notable rarity in a proof edition with scratched text below the image, after letters of the most beautiful depiction of the death of Captain James Cook. The artist, George Carter, was not an eyewitness to the events in Hawaii, but his imagery and care in reconstructing the event places it as the most moving depiction of the event. Long a regular exhibitor at the Royal Academy and an accomplished portrait and historical painter, the tragedy of Cook's death on 14 February 1779 was an ideal subject for his talents. His depiction is vivid, showing Cook standing on the shoreline facing his attackers, holding his rifle as a club. The detailed portraits of the Hawaiians and the English seaman are done with great intensity and variety and number more than 30 individuals. In this effort, he was aided by John Hall, who engraved the portrait of Cook, and the other figures were engraved by I. Thornthwaite. The landscape was engraved by S. Smith. Carter painted the image in… Read More

New York: Associated American Artists, 1970. Limited edition. Hardcover. Fine. Stunning set of 6 color etchings, of which this is number 4 of an edition of 60, each signed by the artist. Four of the prints are framed; 2 are unframed, and housed in the original linen covered portfolio. The two unframed are titled, 'Sphinx Covered by Sheet' and 'Sphinx in May'; all original paper sleeves with original tissue guards present. These striking erotic prints are of strange and beautiful creatures, part woman, part Sphinx, part angel by the renowned engraver, painter, illustrator, sculptor, ceramist and film director whose originality defied traditional Japanese categorization. The four framed prints are titled: 'Sphinx with the September'; 'Sphinx of the Woods', 'Sphinx With Little Longer Finger', and 'Seated Sphinx'. Ikeda (1934 - 1997) graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts in 1952 and began to travel, establishing a reputation in the western art world. He won numerous art awards including… Read More

London: Printed for Sherwood, Neely, and Jones, 1811. First edition. Hardcover. Fine. The very scarce account of the second mutiny against William Bligh, the most important historical event in the early history of Australia, after the arrival of the First Fleet. Bligh was the fourth governor of New South Wales, offered the position by Sir Joseph Banks based on his reputation as a strict disciplinarian. The mutiny, named the Rum Rebellion, took place when then Governor William Bligh of New South Wales was deposed by NSW Corps officers led by Major George Johnston, working closely with wealthy landowner John Macarthur, on January 26, 1808, the 20th anniversary of the founding of the colony, the first European settlement in Australia. Wantrup calls the book "the long and enthralling record" of Johnston's trial. "The trial provides a detailed account of the mutiny and the events which preceded and followed it. Long and detailed evidence from Bligh, Johnston, Macarthur, Blaxland, Grimes and others… Read More

London: Mining Publications, 1949. A long run of this monthly magazine, which published the Herbert & Lou Hoover translation of Agricola's "De Re Metallica", which was issued in limited edition. Covers of the magazine in the period of 1912-14 often referenced the Agricola publication- "How Many Should We Publish?" and "He who is not familiar with the progress of yesterday will not go far tomorrow" alongside an image of Agricola, "De Re Metallica and Agricola 1556 ; Hoover 1912." A near complete run from Vol 1, No. 1 in 1909 through 1939 (lacking only Nov 1910); and scattered from 1940 on (1940- only Jan & Feb; 1944- Jul-Dec; 1945 - Jan-Dec, (missing Oct); 1948-1949 complete. Missing 1941-43 & 1946-47.) From the library of the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, with infrequent stamps. It appears that only electronic versions (with subscription) are available in Australia. OCLC: 1757555.

China, 1870. Fine. A splendid series of pith paintings from the Doheny collection. The watercolor and gouache paintings are splendidly preserved, displayed and housed. The bookplates of Carrie Estelle Doheny and Edward Laurence Doheny are mounted on acid free board which sits atop the images and the totality fits snugly into the box. The images are in the traditional format, in this case illustrating nine subjects - Royal Procession (6 images); Birds (11 images); Ships & Barges (5 ); Tea Cultivation (7); Punishments (11); Butterflies & Flowers (2 ); Butterflies & Insects (8); Court life (5); Flowers (Camellias etc.) (9). Each is protected in an archival paper sleeve 13 x 8.25 inches and numbered in pencil on the wrapper. Images 33 x 21 cm. The stability of these images is greatly enhanced by their conservation. Each pith image has been backed on acid free tissue, supporting the pith which is quite fragile. The vast majority of the images are complete and undamaged. A minority have small… Read More

A valuable reference collection of images and articles that shaped perceptions of Australia to the wider world in the 19th century. This is a collection of over 800 woodcut illustrations and articles from the 19th century, from the Illustrated London News, The Graphic and The Illustrated Times & other less successful periodicals. The images of the ILN and Graphic are a comprehensive and systematic collection of Australian related images and articles from 1842 (ILN) and 1870 (Graphic) through the end of 1899. This collection was started in London in the late 1970s. It was our intention to create a comprehensive reference of every woodcut image of Australian interest in the two major British periodicals from their start date to 1900. We were living in North London, not too far from Omniphil Limited, a company based in Chesham, Bucks. They were the preeminent dealers in woodcut images from British periodicals in the 1970s and 80s. We visited their premises repeatedly and sat and turned the pages of… Read More

London: C. Buckton and sold by P. Elmsly, 1788. ARGUABLY ONE OF THE RAREST PUBLICATIONS ON COOK'S FIRST VOYAGE. This is the first scientific publication relating to Captain Cook's first voyage on HMS Endeavour (1768-1771) to the Pacific. Officially it was to observe the transit of Venus in the South Pacific but secretly it was to search for the mythical Southern Continent. In the process Cook became the first European to set foot on New Zealand and the east coast of New Holland or Australia. Of all the works associated with the First Voyage, this is one of the rarest. Only two examples of this work are recorded at auction on Rare Book Hub since 1985. It was not in the Parks collection, arguably one of the finest in living memory on the works of Cook. It was also not in the libraries of Davidson or Parson's. It includes two large charts representing the east coast of Australia and New Zealand, much improved from those published in John Hawkesworth's official account of the first voyage. William… Read More