Rare Books

5:00PM 3 Abbey Street, Newton, Auckland

Art+Object is delighted to offer a major collection of rare books from the library of John Pritchard in our September auction.

John fostered an interest in New Zealand history and book collecting from an early age and continued throughout his long career in law in Southland and Otago. In the mid-1980s he acquired a significant New Zealand book collection from his friend Nigel Eccles, the great grandson of Johnnie Jones the Otago Whaling Pioneer of the 1830s, and son of Alfred Eccles, early colonist, historian and author.

This collection features important southern histories by Robert McNab, Herries Beattie and F. Hall-Jones, amongst others. Many are signed copies.

Also included are a first edition copy of Alfred Duncan’s ‘The Wakatipians’ and a copy of ‘Reminiscences’ by M.C. Orbell.

The New Zealand & Maori histories section features works by E. Best, Polack, Dieffenbach, Cruise, Nicholas, Earle, Wakefield, and others. Of particular interest is ‘The History of Tattooing and its Significance’ by W.D. Hambly, London 1925.

John’s other interest has been military history, and the sale includes his complete sets of New Zealand WWI and WWII official histories as well as numerous other military items related to the New Zealand Wars and the Boer War.

Other important items are:

a complete set of ‘The Voyages of Captain James Cook’, 9 volumes and 2 folios;

Sydney Parkinson ‘A Journal of a Voyage to the South Seas’ London 1784;

Edward Jerningham Wakefield ‘Adventure in New Zealand’ including the rare folio of plates;

‘A History of the Birds of New Zealand’ by W.L. Buller [2^nd edition];

a long run of British Nautical Almanacs from 1832;

a first edition of Augustus Hamilton’s ‘Maori art’;

several works by Elsdon Best including ‘Tuhoe’ and Dominion Museum bulletins;

a 19^th century Fern Album by Eric Craig with carved kauri boards;

a collection of original typescripts signed and inscribed by Hone Tuwhare.