I don't wish to be a Sydney Rare Book Auctions apologist, but SRBA are handling the estate of Ion Idriess and items from that estate have featured in a number of auctions including the last two. For collectors of Idriess, this is a one off opportunity (albeit spread over a number of auctions: how many more I do not know).

These last two auctions included photos and letters from the Idriess estate and some unpublished Idriess manuscripts. Most were sold - some for over the estimate and some were passed in. A photo of Idriess in front of a gate with the sign "Shut the Bloody Gate" sold for $475.

There were also various editions of Idriess presented at these auctions, not necessarily from his estate, including first editions, some with dust jackets and some facsimile editions. A 1999 Guerilla Series set of 6 went for $225 and a first American ed. (I think there was only one) Dog of the Desert for $140. A first ed. Cyaniding was passed in, I think for $2000. There was also a very good first ed. of Prospecting with DJ in the March auction which I was tempted by, but which eventually sold for $750. Some 1st editions of the Guerilla series also sold: Tactics for $250, Trapping the Jap for $475 and Sniping for $300, as well as a nice copy for Yellow Joss with DJ for $350. But of course as an on line bidder I would have to add 25% to the sale price + P and P.

But I did pick up a 1st ed Nemarluk with DJ (with a 2nd ed Great Trek in the Lot) for $200 (+25% = $250) and a Cyaniding facsimile for $120 (+25% = $150) in the Feb Auction.

In the March Auction I acquired another Cyaniding facsimile (in a little better condition) for $110 (+25% = $137.50) and a Madman's Island facsimile (of the 1927 ed) for $100 (+25% = $125). These were all probably reasonable buys. The Cyaniding facsimiles (Idriess Enterprises, 2000, Uralla) were a limited edition of 500. The Madman's Island is the Idriess Enterprises 2002 limited edition of 250 copies. The Bibliography in this site estimates the Cyaniding facs. at $350 - $450! - but doesn't have an estimate for the (rarer) Madman's.

So I'll see what future auctions have re Idriess. There may yet be more items from the Idriess estate - or just more Idriess items. Whether I can afford them is another matter.