Highlights

ALBRECHT DÜRER (1471-1528) GERMAN SCHOOL 1496-1497 Woodcut The Martyrdom of the Ten Thousand revels in displaying brutal methods of torture and execution. In this woodcut, Dürer portrays a popular medieval legend, telling the story of ten thousand Roman soldiers who converted to Christianity. The Persian king stands at the bottom left of the piece, overseeing the torture of Saint Acacius, who had encouraged the soldiers to convert. Note: 18th century impression Bartsch 117; Meder 218, Meder g/g 440mm x 307mm [sheet] Condition: Light foxing distributed on the sheet. Otherwise good.

A superb Sydney Harbour scene, sweeping from Elizabeth Bay House in the middle-ground around to the lower north shore, showcasing Martens’s remarkable talent at capturing the shimmering waters and the intense light of the city.

EILEEN MAYO (1906-1994) c. 1959 Colour Process Lithograph Original poster promoting the Great Barrier Reef as a tourist destination, showing three black striped cream fish with yellow fins swimming amongst two types of coral, one red the other cream brown. One fish is central and oversized. Includes a sea snail. 775mm x 605mm Held in the National Gallery of Australia.

W.H. Smith. Seoul. 1896. A short run of six consecutive issues of the pioneering nineteenth century Korean newspaper "The Independent" (Tongnip Sinmun), published bilingually in English and Korean from November 21st to December 3rd 1896. This newspaper was founded by the renowned Korean intellectual Soh Jaipil (Philip Jaisohn,1864-1951) and was the first in which Korean-language reports were printed solely in Hangul (Korean phonetic script), making them accessible to a relatively broad readership, including women (Soh was an advocate of political rights for women).

As it was read in the House of Commons, and attested under the hand of Phelps, Clerk to that Infamous Court. Taken by John Nalson, LLD. Jan 4, 1683. Lond. By H.C. for Thomas Dring. 1684. Sm.folio. Old full leather (rebacked) viii,70,ii,134,ipp. Engraved frontispiece plate, portrait of the King and a view of the interior of the court. Some browning else a Very Good copy. Scarce. Many marginal notes on the persons involved, the endpapers filled with relevant anecdotes and an index, all in contemporary or early 18th century hands. "The only day-to-day account we have of what went on."

REMBRANDT HARMENSZOON VAN RIJN (1606-1669) Dutch School “The Flute-player” (het Uylenspiegeltje) 1642, ETCHING AND DRYPOINT Fourth state of four, without the face among the branches. Barstch 188, Hollstein Dutch 144, New Hollstein 211 Very good impression on fine 17th century laid paper. Trimmed outside the copperplate, 4mm margins on right, left and lower side, 2mm margin upper side. Upper left corner of the margin reinforced.

London: Ward, Lock, and Co., 1891. First English. 4to. original pictorial red cloth gilt (sl. sunning to spine and upper board, a trifle rubbed, occ. spots, prev. owner's name and discreet blindstamp to prelims., occ. creasing to corner of final leaves, else clean & bright throughout); pp. xviii, 598 (last blank), with numerous illustrations and folding colour map. A very good copy of a scarce book. An account of the 1888-1890 German expedition mounted for the relief of Emin Pasha, German born governor of the Egyptian province of Equatoria, trapped by the Mahdist uprising in Sudan since 1881.

LAWRENCE, D.H. Birds, Beasts and Flowers; Poems by D.H. Lawrence. London: Martin Secker, 1923. First U.K. Edition, First Printing. Octavo (23x14.5cm) : pp. (6) 7-207 (1, blank) : untrimmed leaves : plain e.p.s : t.e. dyed (black) : quarter cloth over yellow papered boards : paper label to spine : most of the scarce jacket present in two pieces. Preceded by the U.S. edition, the UK edition was limited to 1000 copies. [Roberts A27b.].

Artist book produced by Annie Sprinkle and Veronica Vera. Numbered edition of 1,000 copies, of which this is number 704. An A-Z series of photographs with short text of sexual behaviour. Annie Sprinkle (1954-) is an American sex worker cum sexologist, artist, and ecosexualist. In 1996 she became the first known porn star to get a doctoral degree and has been a champion of sex education and sex-positive feminism.

This collective publication of Transactions of the Royal Society for 1776, running to altogether 53 articles on a rich variety of subjects, includes two original works by James Cook, who appeared in print surprisingly little during his illustrious career. The first piece (pp. 402-6) is Cook’s famous account of the measures taken on the Resolution during the second voyage to combat scurvy, in which he discusses the merits of malt, “Sour Krout”, “portable soup” and citrus fruit. Cook’s piece is addressed to the Royal Society’s president, Sir John Pringle, who read it on Cook’s behalf.

CHŌBUNSAI EISHI (1756-1829) "BIJIN WITH TWO YOUNG WOMEN WALKING A DOG" c.1795 Woodcut in colour Oban print depicting a Bijin walking a dog with two young women. Signed on right. Publisher: Nishimuraya Yohachi Rare NOTE: Original woodcut printed on rice paper in colours. Publisher: Nishimuraya Yohachi 383mm(H) x 242(L) [oban] In good condition, doubled on thin Japan paper. Slightly discoloured.

Syd. A & R. 1905. Or.cl. xviii,270,32pp. (sl foxing) Two b/w plates by Norman Lindsay. The cloth a little flecked else a very good copy. 1st ed. Scarce. Inscribed & signed to Bland Holt by Henry Lawson, & dated Feb 2nd 1906. Bland Holt bookplate. Holt was a famous theatrical producer, active in Australia for 30 years from about 1876 and produced the principal melodramas of the time.