Signed & Inscribed

Edward Gibbon Wakefield. The British colonization of New Zealand: being an account of the principles, objects, and plans of the New Zealand Association: together with particulars concerning the position, extent, soil and climate, natural productions, and native inhabitants of New Zealand. London: John W. Parker, 1837.

A copy of Edward Gibbon Wakefield’s British colonization of New Zealand contains the autograph of his son E.J. Wakefield, dated 1862, the year of his mercurial father’s death.

E.G. Wakefield (1796-1862) was a theorist on colonisation and a principal figure in the British settlement of New Zealand. His only son, Edward Jerningham Wakefield (1820-1879) was likewise closely associated with his father’s interest in colonisation. A restless traveller and explorer, he is best remembered for his 1845 book Adventure in New Zealand, a lively narrative of English settlement which doubled as propaganda for the New Zealand Company.

The copy is also marked by the distinctive hand of A.H. Reed, who records his purchase of the book for one guinea in 1958.

Edward Gibbon Wakefield. The British colonization of New Zealand: being an account of the principles, objects, and plans of the New Zealand Association: together with particulars concerning the position, extent, soil and climate, natural productions, and native inhabitants of New Zealand. London: John W. Parker, 1837.
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Walter Nash. New Zealand: a working democracy. New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1943.

The autograph of Walter Nash appears on the title page of this copy of his book New Zealand: a working democracy.

Sir Walter Nash served as Prime Minister of New Zealand in the second Labour government of 1957-1960. He was also an influential Minister of Finance in the first Labour government.

During his tenure as Minister to the United States, Nash wrote New Zealand: a working democracy, a discussion of New Zealand’s economy, war effort and foreign relations, intended for the American market. As a wartime leader, Nash reluctantly abandoned his earlier pacifism.

Walter Nash. New Zealand: a working democracy. New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1943.
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George A. Lawrence. Silverland. London: Chapman and Hall, 1873.

The Reed Collections copy of George A. Lawrence’s Silverland, (a little-known account of the novelist’s travels in America) contains the rare bookplate of Dunedin businessman and politician William James Mudie Larnach (1833-1898). Larnach is famed for his residence The Camp (popularly known as Larnach’s Castle) and for his death by suicide at Parliament Buildings.

Larnach’s library was sold by auction at Dunedin in April 1900. His very substantial collection included rare and valuable books on the early history of Australia and New Zealand, and attracted widespread interest from representatives from both countries.

George A. Lawrence. Silverland. London: Chapman and Hall, 1873.
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