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November news & the Sydney Rare Book Fair

Wednesday November 4, 2015

Our November list highlights a few treasures relating to some remarkable colonial women: Mary Reibey's copy of the NSW Directory printed by Anne Howe; a fine rare drawing by Ann Piper; a study of Homebushby Louisa Ann Meredith; a manuscript letter by the grand voyager Rose de Freycinet; and a fine copy of Mary Ann Parker's Voyage round the world, containing the first commentary of life in Australia by a woman. In addition we have some fine caricatures of  life...

October News & Longitude List

Tuesday October 13, 2015
Our October list presents a selection of rare printed and manuscript material relating to the discovery of longitude. Following the disastrous loss of life at the Scilly Isles in 1707, resolving the problem assumed unprecedented importance and the famous reward was instituted by an Act of Parliament in 1714 (see item number 7). Other items of interest include an astronomy textbook from the library of John Harrison with his inscription, and a letter from d'Entrecasteaux's...

Our September Catalogue and new on-line lists

Wednesday September 16, 2015
Hordern House is please to announce our September 2015 catalogue which offers a select range of early printed and visual material from broad Pacific interest to First Fleet and early colonial settlement of Australia. The full catalogue can be downloaded or viewed on-line here
 
A few highlights are the unpublished journal of Pacific coastal exploration by Moraleda Y Montero; a marvellous copy of Barros' 16th century Chronicle of Portuguese exploration; voyage accounts by Cook...

Inspiration by design: Word and Image from the V&A

Tuesday August 11, 2015 - Sunday September 27, 2015

Don’t miss this stunning free exhibition at the State Library of New South Wales that showcases some of the world’s finest book art, graphics, photography and illustration. From London’s acclaimed Victoria and Albert Museum, Inspiration by Design celebrates 150 years of collecting by the National Art Library. Immerse yourself in the book beautiful, from historic illustrated manuscripts and rare artists’ books to modern graphic design and fashion photography.

 

Curiosity & Discovery our new catalogue

Friday June 5, 2015

Hordern House is delighted to announce our new catalogue, which takes as its theme the spirit of Enlightenment in terms of exploration and voyages. The great explosion of late eighteenth century voyages is represented by important works by many of the key figures, naturally enough focussing on Cook and La Pérouse, but with forays into all manner of works which reveal the scale of the ambition which underwrote them, whether it be the travels of...

Enduring Civilisation: Indigenous Australia at the British Museum

Saturday May 23, 2015 - Sunday August 2, 2015

The first major exhibition in the UK to present a history of Indigenous Australia through objects, celebrating the cultural strength and resilience of both Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders. This culture has continued for over 60,000 years in diverse environments which range from lush rainforest and arid landscapes to inland rivers, islands, seas and urban areas today. Hundreds of different Indigenous groups live across this vast continent, each with their own defined areas, languages...

Sailing with Flinders: a new publication by Hordern House

Wednesday December 17, 2014

18 July 2014 will mark 200 years since the publication of A Voyage to Terra Australis, the classic account of the voyage of HMS Investigator written by Matthew Flinders.

To celebrate, Hordern House has published in full an important eyewitness account of the fate of the Flinders expedition originally written in 1806. As is discussed in the introduction and notes, this anonymously published Narrative was almost completely overlooked for more than two centuries, but is now...