1889 - 1979
Dedicated to the Life and Works of
Ion Llewellyn (Jack) Idriess
The Desert Column (1932)
Leaves from the Diary of an Australian Trooper in Gallipoli, Sinai, and Palestine.
Publishing - 1st edition published 15 Apr 1932, 2nd ed 18 Apr 1932, 3rd ed 10 Aug 1932
Book - Linen cloth boards (with slight pinkish tone) with red lettering to front and spine.
Dust Wrapper - Priced at 6/- on top of front flap. Designed by Edgar A. Holloway, the rear flap lists Lasseter’s Last Ride (Fifth ed, 6/-) and Flynn of the Inland (2nd ed, 6/-). The first and second edition dust wrappers (which are identical) both have an error at top of rear flap which states “Sixth Edition” and does not relate to this edition (nor to any other book!).
TitleVerso - Blank except for “Set up, printed and bound” etc
Guide to Current Values
1st Edition - Very Good (no DW) $250 - $500. VG in a VG DW $1000 +.
2nd Edition - Very Good (no DW) $150-$250. VG in a VG DW $300 - $700.
3rd Edition - Very Good (no DW) $100-$200
Men of the Jungle (1932)
A thrilling pen picture of a few years in the author's prospecting life in the Far North.
Publishing - 1st edition published Sept 1932, 2nd ed Oct 1932, 3rd ed Dec 1932
Book - Red cloth boards with red title to front and spine. 267 pages, 23 pages publisher's catalogue, 9 pages black and white plates, front endpaper map, index.
Dust Wrapper - Priced at 6/- on top of front flap. the lower part of front flap mentions the 9th ed of Lasseter's Last Ride, and 3 newspaper comments. Rear flap lists 5th ed of Flynn of the Inland with comments.
TitleVerso - Blank except for “Set up, printed and bound” etc
Guide to Current Values
1st Edition - Very Good (no DW) $200 - $400. VG in a VG DW $1000 +.
Gold-Dust and Ashes (1933)
The Romantic Story of the New Guinea Goldfields.
Publishing - 1st edition published March 1933, 2nd ed Apr 1933, 3rd ed May 1933.
A special limited edition of just 200 copies was also published in 1933, which was bound in a brown art leather with gold titles to spine, and signed and individually numbered by the author. The front of the dust wrapper is bound in as a preliminary page.
Book - Orange with black lettering.
Dust Wrapper - Priced at 6/- on top of front flap. The spine is yellow with black inserts and white lettering. Front has a black background with an orange circle containing the title plus 'Romantic story of the New Guinea Goldfields' in black lettering.
TitleVerso - Blank except for “Set up, printed and bound” etc
Guide to Current Values
1st Edition - Very Good (no DW) $200 - $400. VG in a VG DW $1000 +
2nd Edition - Very Good (no DW) $50 - $100. VG in a VG DW $100 - $200.
1st Special Limited Edition - Near Fine (with DW bound in as issued) $500+. Very Good $300-600.
Drums of Mer (1933)
A story woven round the people of Mer and the other islands of Torres Strait.
Author's Note: "This story is in all essentials historical fact. Almost every chapter contains an incident in the comparatively recent history of a little understood but once remarkable people".
Publishing - Angus & Robertson. 1st edition 30 Sept 1933, 2nd ed 4 Oct 1933, 3rd ed 18 Oct 1933
Book - Red cloth boards with black lettering to spine and front cover.
Dust Wrapper - Priced at 6/- on front flap with the title and 2 write-ups. The rear flap has 5 other titles.
TitleVerso
Blank except for “Set up, printed and bound” etc
Guide to Current Values
1st Edition - Very Good (no DW) $200 - $400. VG in a VG DW $700 +.
