Lomography

Debonair camera, made in Hong Kong 1967
Observer books, published 1958- 1975

I love old cameras – which now have a new life as lomography cameras. This Debonair “all plastic” camera was made in the 50s- it takes 120 film, and had a ‘super lens no. 809’.

It’s a point-and-shoot camera, fixed f/8 lens. Luckily 120mm film is still available – and – did I mention that lomography photos are uber cool?

Meanwhile, I also collect Observer books. This lovely series [1-100] started in the UK with no.1 British Birds published in 1937; and to collect all 100 in series is a prise.

Here we have a couple of my doubles:
1          Birds                1971
11        Aircraft             1958
21        Automobiles    1975
41        Heraldry          1966

However- you have already seen that the first in the series has been reprinted under many titles, and dates. And- to add to the collector enthusiasm- real enthusiasts only collect nos. 1 – 79, when the outer cover became hardback [with an image, no less.] So gauche.

Some Observer collectors just collect every edition of one published number. Some Observer collectors collect the first editions of every title. The rest of us are happy to have as many of the 1- 100 series in our collections.

The Debonair camera is for sale: $AU18
Observers [with dust jackets]: AU$10 each

Oak bookends

Oak bookends
made in Australia, 1940s

A lovely pair of oak bookends, lined with green felt – for those of us who still read/collect/store books. The bookends are solid timber, made in the 40s from English Oak grown in Australia.

The timber bookends, though made in the 40s presage the modernist 50s whilst harking back to art deco of the 20s. They are a bit of an amalgam – but then so is harvesting an English Oak for an Australian bookend. If these were made today, there is any number of Australian hardwoods that could have been used.

I have styled the bookends with a small sample of our Observer book collection. Observer books are quite collectible; there is one hundred in the series starting with ‘British Birds’ in 1937 [no 1] and finishing with ‘Wayside and Woodland’, 2003 [no 100.]. They are pocket-sized field-research books and naturally to have all 100 would be a collectors dream.

The oak bookends are for sale: $AUD80

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40s bookends

Mulga wood book ends
made in Australia, 1940s

These 40s bookends are made from Mulga wood- which has been cut to show off its famous bi-colouring, and still has the bark of the tree intact. Mulga wood was used in 1940s souvenir works like these as it is a hardwood –unusual in a native from the wattle family – and was considered ‘export quality’. The wood is heavy and dense and so- makes for fantastic book ends.

With the bookends are part of our Observer book collection. These little ‘field’ books run from 1 through 100; 1 is British Birds and 100 is Wayside and Woodland. Some collectors collect only 1-79 [the purists] ; or collect every edition of one of the series. I like the idea of 100 coloured spines lined up- and we have around 30 or so still to collect. One can buy them from specialist booksellers, natch- but I like to discover them in second hand bookshops across the world [we found one in Berlin whilst there.]

So – the bookends are in perfect condition. For collectors of Australiana, Australian timber, or those who just need a decent pair of 40s bookends- here they are. I also have a marvellous pair of bookends with Mulga wood & pewter kangaroos [see previous post.]

The bookends are for sale: $AU40

Buy Now

Oak bookends

Oak bookends
made in Australia, 1940s

A lovely pair of oak bookends, lined with green felt – for those of us who still read/collect/store books. The bookends are solid timber, made in the 40s from English Oak grown in Australia.

The timber bookends, though made in the 40s presage the modernist 50s whilst harking back to art deco of the 20s. They are a bit of an amalgam – but then so is harvesting an English Oak for an Australian bookend. If these were made today, there is any number of Australian hardwoods that could have been used.

I have styled the bookends with a small sample of our Observer book collection. Observer books are quite collectible; there is one hundred in the series starting with ‘British Birds’ in 1937 [no 1] and finishing with ‘Wayside and Woodland’, 2003 [no 100.]. They are pocket-sized field-research books and naturally to have all 100 would be a collectors dream.

The oak bookends are for sale: $AUD80

Buy Now