Tales of the Convict System.
Sydney: The Bulletin Newspaper Co., Ltd., 1892. First printing. Cloth over original wrappers. The author's first published book, with an interesting and early cloth wrapper and title label, booksellers label for Dunedin and previous owner signature for 1895. 8vo. iv, (ads) (iii) 193pp, 7pp (ads), last page the illustrated back cover ("Bar Scene" printed in red.) Complete with all adverts. There is a later hand written spine title detached but present. Front wrapper printed in red, "Bulletin" Series No. 2. At the head of the title page, there is a bookseller's label "Philip Mitchell... Corner of High Street & Arcade, Dunedin". Miller & Macartney p. 482. Wrappers dusty, title label has closed tear, internally clean. Signed by a previous owner in 1895, John Manard or Mahan "16-2-95". Warung was a journalist and short story writer who drew much from personal contacts. "'His surviving papers reveal that he relied heavily for his information on personal testimony, particularly from old hands of the convict days; the Bulletin claimed that in the 1890s there were 'marvellous collections of old ghosts about Old Sydney '85 and Astley was on hand-shaking terms with them all'. (Australian Dictionary of Biography.). Good + overall. Item #27861
Price: $175.00