$1000000 Reward [Hyakumandoru no Kensho].

Tokyo, Shunkodo 1920 (Taisho 1920). Octavo publisher's illustrated wrapper printed in red and black and colour illustrated dustwrapper (the spine of this insect nibbled); two photo plates and illustrated title. Stab holes indicating this had been in some outer binding; natural browning of the paper; an outstanding copy. An owner's seal and brushed inscription inside the front cover and on the back cover suggests this is some kind of file copy.
¶ A pulpish film edition in Japanese translation of the 1920 serial thriller $1,000,000 Reward starring Lillian Walker. The film itself is lost and from what I can figure out not much more than production credits and a partial list of chapter headings survives in English. This book is near as lost, I can find only one record of another copy - not in a library.

Richard Neylon, BooksellerProfessional seller

Book number: 10471

Keywords: literature fiction thrillers c20th Japan modernism film cinema

[ERSKINE, Thomas].

Armata. A fragment. [with] The Second Part of Armata.

London, John Murray 1817. Two volumes octavo, together in 19th century half calf, spine elaborately gilded. A bit of browning, a handsome pleasing copy.
¶ Second editions of both parts. This now obscure Antarctic imaginary voyage to another world connected to ours at the south pole might have been popular, in a mild and genteel way: there were supposedly five editions of the first part in 1817 and the second part likewise reached five editions by 1819. It is possible they were manufactured as part of Erskine’s joke in the preface of part two that histories such as this were doomed to obscurity whereas if he called it a romance it was guaranteed two editions at least by the lending libraries alone. While the first and second edition of the first part are different settings, the second and fourth editions are from the same setting. The first and second editions of part two are from the same setting, as is the fourth edition up until signature K which is where Erskine added some footnotes. Erskine's Armata is dystopian in intent but he is too polite and good natured to go overboard about it and although a couple of hundred or so sailors, from earth and from Armata, are obliterated at each end of the book they are dispatched in a sentence each. Even the narrator's beloved Morvina, who is literally killed by her induction into society, is done to death in a quiet half page, the narrator apologetic for being tactless enough to mention it. But, skimming past the legal religious stuff - I couldn't follow the outrageous fraud the clergy put over the government and justice system - there are some delightful scenes of bone crunching mayhem once Armata society sets off for an evening out. Erskine, also now obscure, was once described as the "greatest advocate as well as the first forensic orator who ever appeared in any age" (James High as quoted in Patterson's 'Nobody's Perfect'). He remained all his life a fierce defender of freedom of speech and the liberty of the press with one startling lapse: after defending Thomas Paine at the cost of his own position he prosecuted a bookseller for distributing Paine's writing. Apparently he later returned the retainer in remorse but he remained open to accusations of self interest in that case.

Richard Neylon, BooksellerProfessional seller

Book number: 10416

Keywords: literature science fiction fantasy utopia imaginary voyages c19th Antarctic thrillers Antarctica

Barque "Norna." (Correspondence relative to). [with] ... Further Correspondence.

Sydney, Govt printer 1861. Foolscap disbound; 6pp and 1 page on blue paper.
¶ A sordid story of the treatment of Lascar seamen and, to me, surprising use of authority. Seems if a ship's officer complains to the Water Police that his crew are refusing to obey orders said crew is rounded up and thrown into gaol. The Norna's crew were arrested on the charge of Captain Crawford. The Water Police Magistrate's account here is more defensive than clear but it emerges after much to and froing that one seaman had possibly been murdered at sea and another came close to death in Sydney, due to mistreatment by the captain and second officer. These two were held and charged. Then, the near dead sailor was put back on board the Norna, told that sea voyage would be good for his health and the Norna set sail with a new captain. Probably not a great decision: the Norna was wrecked somewhere round the Coral Sea and most of the crew pretty much marooned by the new captain. But that's another story.

Richard Neylon, BooksellerProfessional seller

Book number: 9769

Keywords: maritime history c19th Australia race racism law crime nautical

[STEELE, John V].

The Bush Pets' Party.

n.p. [c1938-39]. Largish quarto (320x270mm); eight leaves stiff card, all printed in colour. A little used, quite good. A shabby copy of the companion Mrs Possum's Adventure can be thrown in if wanted.
¶ Four of these large colourful cardboard books, three illustrated by John V. Steele, are known. This is one of the more socially acceptable these days, they are about bush animals. The third is an Australian version of Ten Little Niggers.Having them printed in Japan and saying so on the front cover maybe wasn't great timing. Of the surviving handful of copies known, of all four, a high percentage are missing their front covers. Presumably the rest of the copies went straight into the fire or paper drive bins after Pearl Harbour and Singapore.

Richard Neylon, BooksellerProfessional seller

Book number: 10668

Keywords: literature childrens juvenile illustrated c20th Australia

Exhibition - London 1885-86.

Colonial and Indian Exhibition, 1885-86. Report of the Royal Commission for Victoria ...

Melbourne, Govt printer 1887. Foolscap original half morocco; xii,103pp, six autotype or woodburytype photo plates (two folding), six wood engraved plates and a plan. Foxing at each end, still a pleasing handsome copy.A specially bound presentation copy to Melbourne bigwig, Jenkin Collier, one of the commissioners.
¶ The four autotypes are from Lindt photographs and I wondered why they were there until I figured out they must have beeen exhibited and that Lindt gave 6000 copies to the Commission. Among the reports on each class, wine gets the most extensive treatment with a long report by Richard Bannister, a report of Joseph Bosisto's tour of vineyards in France and Spain and a further paper on colonial wines from Bannister.

Richard Neylon, BooksellerProfessional seller

Book number: 10858

Keywords: international exhibitions catalogues c19th Australia trades technology material culture applied arts wine

Exhibition - Tokyo 1890.

[Dai Sankai Naikoku Kangyo Hakurankai Shinkei].

Okada Chubei 1890 (Meiji 23). 38x53cm engraving. Folded, rumpled with some smudges and a short tear in one margin.
¶ The Third National Industrial Exhibition was, as often, a scaled back event: it was planned as an Asian exhibition. I can't find the first electric street car in Japan, unless what looks like an old locomotive with no smoke stack is a lazy artist's stand in. Still, there's no laziness anywhere else here.

Richard Neylon, BooksellerProfessional seller

Book number: 11062

Keywords: technology international exhibitions material culture c19th Japan Asia modernism maps birds eye

Exhibition - Osaka 1903.

[Daigokai naikoku kangyo hakurankai jonai jitchi shukuzu]. Fifth National Industrial Exhibition ... Osaka.

Osaka 1903 (Meiji 36). Colour lithograph 55x79cm; folded as issued. A couple of smudges and spots; a rather good copy with its original colour illustrated outer wrapper,
¶ A pretty good bird's-eye view. The Fifth National Industrial Exhibition in Osaka in 1903, while the last of the series begun in 1877 was the largest and included a lot of firsts. It was the first with a court for foreign countries - quite a few exhibited their wares. It was the first held at night - electricity and illumination was a great feature - and the Japanese public was introduced to wireless telegraphy, American automobiles, x-rays and cinema. A sixth exhibition scheduled for 1907 was to be an international exhibition but that plan fizzled. The Tokyo exhibition of 1907 was pretty grand but not what was hoped for after 1903. It was 1970 before Japan held an international exhibition.

Richard Neylon, BooksellerProfessional seller

Book number: 10263

Keywords: graphic art international exhibitions c20th Japan progress modernism manufactures bird's-eye reform meiji

Exhibition - Osaka 1903.

[Daigokai naikoku kangyo hakurankai mesaizu].

Osaka, Azuma Shintaro 1903 [Meiji 36]. Colour lithograph 40x54cm.
¶ A strong if roughly printed bird's-eye view. The Fifth National Industrial Exhibition in Osaka in 1903, while the last of the series begun in 1877 was the largest and included a lot of firsts. It was the first with a court for foreign countries - quite a few exhibited their wares. It was the first held at night - electricity and illumination was a great feature - and the Japanese public was introduced to wireless telegraphy, American automobiles, x-rays and cinema. A sixth exhibition scheduled for 1907 was to be an international exhibition but that plan fizzled. The Tokyo exhibition of 1907 was pretty grand but not what was hoped for after 1903. It was 1970 before Japan held a true international exhibition.

Richard Neylon, BooksellerProfessional seller

Book number: 11112

Keywords: graphic art international exhibitions c20th Japan progress modernism manufactures bird's-eye reform meiji maps

Exhibition - Nagoya 1910.

[Daijikkai Kansai fuken rengen kyoshinkai zenzu].

Nagoya Yodatsu Goshigaisha 1910 (Meiji 43]. Colour lithograph 54x78cm with b/w map and photos of Nagoya on the back. Rather good with illustrated outer wrapper.
¶ A handsome large birds-eye view. The 10th Kansai Prefectural Union Exhibition was a big jump from previous shows, held every three years since 1883. This was meant to put Nagoya on the map and so it did. Apparently more than two and a half million visitors went through.

Richard Neylon, BooksellerProfessional seller

Book number: 11113

Keywords: graphic art international exhibitions c20th Japan progress modernism manufactures bird's-eye reform meiji maps

[RYMER, James Malcolm].

The Dark Woman; or, the Days of the Prince Regent.

London, John Dicks 1861-62. Two volumes largish octavo half gilt calf; 104 wood engravings after Gilbert, Sargent and Standfast.
¶ Rare - any and all of Rymer's novels are rare - and an outstanding copy, made more so by being in a handsome contemporary binding of dark green half calf, spines satisfyingly rich with gilt and contrasting labels (the labels consign authorship to Errym, Rymer's most common pseudonym) - almost unknown on penny (or halfpenny) dreadfuls. On the endpapers is the inscription of John Gordon Edward Sibbald, 7th December 1866 and the bindings speak of a well-heeled reverence for what was a trashy thriller but the book itself is unthumbed. Perhaps Sibbald had another reading copy? It seems inconceivable that it was an unwanted gift. According to Summers, The Dark Woman was issued in 104 weekly parts at a halfpenny each; in monthly parts at threepence (which seems dear) and as two volumes supplied with titles and contents on completion - as here. All are made up of the weekly parts. One of Rymer's later novels, well after his successes of the forties like The Black Monk or Varney the Vampyre, but Rymer never ran short of thrilling deeds - dastardly, dare-devil or gruesome. Any page or two will exhaust the meek reader.

Richard Neylon, BooksellerProfessional seller

Book number: 8023

Keywords: literature fiction thrillers penny dreadful horror c19th England

[DILLON, John].

The Decision of the Three Judges of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, pronounced seriatim Monday, 11th of April, 1836, on the Applicability of the Marriage Act of England to this Colony; with a report of the case, and a review of the arguments.

Sydney, printed by William Jones 1836. Octavo unbound as issued (an early if not original strip of paper down the spine); [2],40pp (last blank), [1] (blank). Title and last blank quite dusty. Inscribed and signed by Dillon - then a solicitor to the Supreme Court - to John Gurner who arrived in Sydney in 1817 as Barron Field's clerk, became the chief clerk, and later a commissioner of the Supreme Court.
¶ Rare and one of the earliest authoritive attacks on legal judgments published in the colony - and worthy of notice as the case hinged upon the concept of legal independence from Great Britain. Ferguson (2116) appends an uncommonly long note indicating that he at least found it of interest ("important case" are his words). A John Maloney was convicted of bigamy but made representation that as he had first married after, and not in accordance with, the passing of the Marriage Act then his first marriage was invalid. The Chief Justice (Forbes) and Justice Dowling determined the Marriage Act had no application in New South Wales and found him guilty; Justice Burton disagreed as does Dillon in this pamphlet. He has found himself unable to merely report the case without comment as this decision now left the colony with "no law prevailing here as to marriage". Ferguson found three copies including his own and since then only one more copy seems to have found its way to an Australian library.

Richard Neylon, BooksellerProfessional seller

Book number: 7558

Keywords: law social sciences history c19th Australia marriage bigamy

[Eiji Kunmo Zukai or Ei Kuno Zukai depending on the transcriber].

Kyoto, Ogawa Kinsuke 1871 (Meiji 4). 225x155mm publisher's wrapper with title label; woodblock illustrations throughout. Some worming and a marginal stain, neat repairs to the first few margins. A very decent copy with its colour illustrated outer wrapper, this smudged and rumpled but complete and untorn.
¶ A rare and most appealing illustrated introduction to English. To an extent unseen in any other non-western culture faced with the colonial ambitions of the west the Japanese controlled their own re-education. They were not showered with unwanted primers by missionaries and other pious businessmen. They produced, printed and determinedly digested their own, using whatever sources they could find, the occasional hired expert and their imagination. The more I look at books like these, which were assiduously studied, the more I wonder how anyone learnt any English. How many Japanese went to their graves calling a camera a desk and hoping for an opportunity to introduce 'pluckant' into conversation? Leaving aside errors, books like these make no sense as tools to me but tens, hundreds of thousands of Japanese students set out with these as guides on the road of bunmei kaika - government sponsored enlightenment and civilization - and got there way faster than anyone should have. In fact the more I think about it the more I wonder how anyone learns any language.

Richard Neylon, BooksellerProfessional seller

Book number: 9673

Keywords: social sciences language linguistics dictionaries vocabulary c19th Japan progress trade Asia education reform meiji

[HARRIS, Alexander].

The Emigrant Family: or, The Story of an Australian Settler.

London, Smith Elder 1849. Stout octavo, the three volumes bound together in contemporary quarter calf and cloth. An occasional spot but a pretty good copy in what looks like a colonial binding (plain and a bit awkward); bound without half titles.
¶ First edition of this well meaning but somewhat documentary novel.

Richard Neylon, BooksellerProfessional seller

Book number: 8348

Keywords: literature fiction Australia c19th three deckers

English, Japanesh, Small Dictionary; [Eiwa haya-gaku jibiki Binran].

Tokyo, Osaka? 1872 (Meiji 5). 16x6cm publisher's wrapper with title label; illustrated title in English on red paper, 30pp accordian folding, first page printed in blue. Owner's inscriptions on the covers. A pleasing copy, a most pleasing book.
¶ Perfect for the narrowest pocket, or sleeve maybe. The explanatory Japanese with each of the 509 entries is tiny and clear. Osaka Women's University has a copy and that's all I could find anywhere. The NDL database lists it only on microfilm as part of a collection of English studies titles issued in the seventies.

Richard Neylon, BooksellerProfessional seller

Book number: 10069

Keywords: social sciences language linguistics dictionaries vocabulary c19th Japan progress trade Asia education reform meiji

Euthanasia Or Turf, Tent and Tomb.

London, Routledge 1893. Octavo publisher's illustrated glazed boards (rubbed with wear to edges and hinges). Certainly read but a very decent, even proper, copy.
¶ First edition, yellowback issue. It was also issued in cloth at a higher price. A title for every reader; the cover of this romantic thriller might convince us that is a book for the horsey set but what is that monk doing on the field? Newcastle University attributes this to E.W. Hornung. What did their librarian know that no-one else does? If true then Hornung has masterfully assumed the style of a less facile author who seems expert in the daily routine of an English officer in the Austrian cavalry. What shines through here is that the aristocracy must be judged by different standards to the rest of us. The hero, the poor younger brother Lord George, is seen as the "soul of honour and loyalty and truth" by all around him while he behaves appallingly by lower class standards. The Euthanasia of the title is indirect, by way of expiation, but I guess it is there. The rest of the title takes place in England, Hungary and Naples. Despite its inclusion in Hubin this is not crime fiction, there is no murder here except of ethics.

Richard Neylon, BooksellerProfessional seller

Book number: 10137

Keywords: literature fiction c19th England yellowbacks