A selection of 30 items featuring a fine colonial view by George Halsted; two interesting sketches relating to Sydney's early defences; botanical engravings from James Smith's Specimen of the  Botany of New Holland, and a rare and remarkably large photographic panorama of the Sydney Royal Agricultural Show in 1897. 

A remarkable book, very rare indeed on the market, describing an imaginary voyage by flying machine to Australia by Nicolas Edmé Restif de la Bretonne. The work is as famous for its strikingly beautiful suite of engravings as for its remarkable text. An illustrated utopia, and a pioneering work in the genre of air navigation, it was published just two...

One of the finest Pacific illustrated books of the nineteenth century. This is a beautiful copy of the rare coloured issue, complete in the original illustrated wrappers. The superb handcoloured lithographs are by the naval commander Richard Aldworth Oliver (1811-1889) who commanded the HMS Fly on survey voyages of New Zealand and Pacific waters between 1847 and 1851.

Two highlights from our new catalogue to be shown at the forthcoming Melbourne Rare Book Fair include: a recently-discovered, fine pastel portrait of Sir Joseph Banks  by Amelia Susannah Petty. This remarkably fresh portrait in its original frame shows Sir Joseph Banks at the height of his powers wearing his Order of the Bath sash; and a fine illuminated presentation address to...