Absolute Rarities & Private Curiosities

Absolute Rarities & Private Curiosities

A rare manuscript diary from the New Zealand Wars period will be put to auction at Webb's on Wednesday 8 September. The untapped text provides a fascinating insight into the life of a young Auckland Volunteer soldier. The author is William Henry Churton (brother-in-law of the renowned Charles Heaphy VC), who was just sixteen when he began the diary on 1 January 1863. Fresh accounts of this important period in our nation's history always attract attention, and this diary holds a special interest in that it covers nineteen months in the life of an enterprising teenager, describing both his daily doings in colonial Auckland and his experience of active service in Wairoa.

Another curiosity up for sale is Nature Speaks!, a manuscript-style collection of poems gifted by the author William Rudolf Gopas to beloved poet Hone Tuwhare. "Of all the items in the sale, this is the one I most covet for my own collection," says Francis McWhannell, Head of Rare Books at Webb's. "Besides the excellent Tuwhare association, the text crackles with Gopas's eccentricity, providing an insight into the attitudes of this fascinating figure, a self-described 'poet, painter, astronomer', who contributed so much to the arts in New Zealand."

The manuscript consists of approximately 120 pages of poems, sketches, astronomical images and diagrams, photocopied from manuscript and typescript originals, and pasted to blank pages. There are various annotations in Gopas's hand. Also enclosed is a short note (torn in four but taped back together) from art dealer Kobi Bossard to Tuwhare stating that Gopas wants to give Tuwhare a manuscript.

Although the piece was produced with the aid of a photocopier, as McWhannell states, "we cannot know how many copies were issued, but it would be fair to assume that they were few. Only one is held by a New Zealand library, and this copy is ostensibly an abbreviated version of the one offered here."

The auction also features the collection of William Vance of Timaru, comprising a quality selection of books, maps and ephemera concerning New Zealand history. A strong offering of Maori books and printed materials rounds out the sale.

Bethunes at Webb's operates as the rare book department of Webb's Auctions, dealing in collectable books, maps, historical photographs, documents and ephemera - adding another string to the bow of Webb's expertise.

Bethunes, one of New Zealand's oldest auctioneers and retailers (established 1877), joined Webb's in 2004. The department holds four major auctions each year, supplying collectors from New Zealand and around the world.

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