Birds from Rare Illustrated Books

Montpellier, 1925. Limited Edition. 'Dieu fait le mal sans malice; Avec des oiseaux tués Et le ralenti des limaces Il commence ma statue Il répare les garnitures De la mer, ses haies de houx, Son système de granit, Toujours mû par les mêmes roues. Maintenant, stupides oiseaux, Vous abandonnez la cage; Oui, la cage des mes os. … Read more about this item

London: T. Nelson & Sons, 1937. A contribution based chiefly on a study of the Black-Headed Gull. "The Black-headed Gull owes its name to its hood. As the hood is brown, although it may seem black from a distance, the name is not happily chosen. It stresses, moreover, a feature that serves as identification mark in the breeding… Read more about this item

Printed by Pepperday and Company: Sydney, 1933. Quaint book of Australian bushland poems, signed by the author and dated 1936. Large octavo, original boards within green dust-jacket, colour illustrations of Australian parrots throughout; some foxing and a little wear affecting the paper label, this is a very good copy.

Sydney: Privately Printed by the Beacon Press, 1953. This is copy no. 10 from a total issue of 200 standard deluxe copies, the first 40 of which are bound in quarter vellum. A remarkable published celebration of the Japanese Ukiyo-e woodblock tradition, lovingly prepared with original tipped-in Japanese woodblock prints by Neville Barnett in a strictly limited edition… Read more about this item

London: Andrew Melrose, 1902. First Edition. Percy F. S. Spence. Victorian collection of bedtime stories classically illustrated by the Australian artist, Percy F.S. Spence (1868 -1933). Oblong octavo, cloth boards, 76 pages, black & white illustrations, a very good copy of an uncommon book.

Paris: Editions Marcel Gasnier, 1945. Beautiful French children's book about a young sailor called Jean-Francois Popineau, his ostrich, and their adventures among the Moouri Tahitiens. Large slim quarto, original papered boards, vibrant colour photolithographic illustration throughout; front board moderately damp-stained, otherwise a very good copy, internally fine.

Perth, Western Australia: Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union, 1949. Limited Edition. Edition limited to one hundred and fifty copies only. Rare ephemeral publication illustrated by Eric Thake. Jocularly claims to include: notes on the Genera Synecdoche, Oxymoron and Anacoluthon; an Account of the Reaction of Caged Parrots to the Affectations of the Human Voice; Land Birds of the Sargasso… Read more about this item

Raphael Tuck & Sons Ltd, 1923. Mabel Lucie Attwell. Collection of fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen with delightful illustrations by Mabel Lucie Attwell. Includes "The Steadfast Tin Soldier", "The Ugly Duckling", "The Flying Trunk", "Little Tuk" and "The Little Shepherdess" Octavo, 64 pages, colour frontispiece + one full page colour plate, black & white illustrations throughout, original owner's… Read more about this item

New York: R. Shugg and Co, 1872. First Edition. Very rare story about Cockie, a mischievous and loquacious sulphur-crested cockatoo, published in America. The author describes Cockie's life in the Melbourne suburb of Collingwood and his voyage across the Pacific to his new home in America where Cockie scandalises the household maid and local clergyman with his outrageous commentary.… Read more about this item

Sydney: Printed by D. Smith, 1932. Lovely book of Australian bushland poems with bird themes, signed by the author. Second edition. Large octavo in blue wrappers and outer dust-jacket; hand-coloured illustrations, foxing, a very good copy.