I am no longer collecting mining books. We are now into Lego. If you have any to sell / donate / swop etc. I will be pleased to hear from you.
I have moved to a smaller house and need to sell my collection of mining books. Postage extra. The more books you buy, the cheaper the postage. Revised 01/11/2010
WE ALSO STOCK CAVING BOOKS, CAVE POSTCARDS AND CAVE ENGRAVINGS - ASK FOR A LIST
By popular request - the abbreviations: HB = Hard Bound, usually in publisher's cloth; SB = Soft bound; DW = Dust wrapper; G = Good; VG = Very Good etc. pf post free
MINES OF IRELAND is long out of print but is available on a CD-ROM. A more useable format as one can do word search etc. Winword6 format. Also includes many colour photographs. £5.00
MENDIP MINING COMPANY - Share Certificate No 995 dated 14th November 1856. A genuine reproduction in a nice glazed mahogany looking frame. £10.00
INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE ISLE OF MAN by T A Bawden et al. 1972 266 pp 25 photos, 18 maps and illus. Definitive book on the mines of the Isle of Man. HB DW VG £38.00
THE UNDERGROUND WORLD: / A Mirror of / Life Below the Surface / with vivid descriptions of the / Hidden works of Nature and Art / comprising / Incidents and Adventures beyond the light of day. / Interesting Sketches / of Mines and mining in all parts of the world - caves and their mysteries - famous tunnels - down in the depth of the sea. Volcanoes and their eruptions - petroleum - underground life of man and lower animals. Subterranean work of the Ancients. Buried treasure etc, etc. Profusely illustrated by Thos W Knox 1876 Hartford USA. 1016 pp 125 steel engravings. Despite this book's verbose title, (and its description of the 'Gambling Hells of Baden') this is a nicely illustrated mining book. HB some wear, title page in photocopy. £39.00
IDROGEOLOGIA DEL BACINO MINERARIO DELL’IGLESIENTE [Hydrogeology of the Mining River Basin of the Iglesiente] by Massimo Civita et al 1983 137 pp, 21 colour photos, 2 large colour maps in a folder at the rear, hydrology of Iglesiente and Geology of Iglesiente, numerous illus and tables. Published as Part 2, Series II, Memorie dell’Istituto Italiano di Speleologia. This is a detail account of the Pb, Zn mines of the area. Large scale mining started very early and reached ground-water level in the 18th century. Since 1870 better technology enabled miners to reach a depth of 200 m below sea level. SB In Italian with English summary £9.00
CAVE PHOTOGRAPHY Practical guide by Chris Howes 1987, 67 pp numerous plates and diagrams. Long out of print. covers equipment, preparations, flash etc. The same principals apply to mining photography. SB£9.00
FRAGMENTS OF MINE AND MILL IN WALES by A J Richards 2002 128 pp illus A collection of mining photos taken over the last 40 years. £9.50
THE ABANDONED MINES OF WEST CARBERRY /Promoters, Adventurers, and Mines by D Cowman and T A Reilly 164 pp, illus. SB. A true account of daring and skulduggery. SB £12.00
GEOLOGY OF THE COUNTRY AROUND DUNGANNON by A Fowler et al, Memoirs of the Geological Survey. 1961 274 pp illus. HB ex library. £25.00
GRAZING SLATE The North Wales Slate Landscapes by Roger Tilley 1994 with an introduction by Dr Merfyn Jones 35 pp, and 41 plates and 41 pages un-numbered, location map. A fine record of a fast disappearing landscape. SB £15.00
THE MINES OF MENDIP by J W Gough rare 1st edition 1930 269 pp There is a close correlation between caves and mines, hence the inclusion of this book in a caving library. A definitive history of the long and chequered career of these ancient and once famous industries. Interesting anecdote here. When this book was reprinted in 1967 the author was only able to add 2 pages of corrections / addition information. If any of my books get revised after a few years we are talking about a 100% re-write. The 1967 edition is long out of print and is selling at £35.00. This copy, HB original publishers cloth binding. Spine shabby and corner bumped o/w VG a bargain at £49.00
REGIONAL GEOLOGY OF NORTHERN IRELAND, Geological Survey of Northern Island by H E Wilson 1972 115 pp, illus. SB £5.00
A GAZETEER OF THE WELSH SLATE INDUSTRY by Alun John Richards 1991 239 pp, maps etc. SB £6.90
THE MINES OF SCOTLAND: A BIBLIOGRAPHY by Tony Oldham Feb 2009 100 pp. It could be argued that if you want to research the mines of Scotland, all you would need are Landless 1993, Wilson 1921 and access to Google. The bibliography goes a little further. It lists some national grid references and some mines discovered after 1993. The mines are listed first by minerals and then by counties. To save paper the bibliography is available on a CD for £3.00 or free as an attachment from:
[email protected]MINE ENGRAVINGS Please quote list ME1/2009
1. Fahlun-Minen. A Swedish Iron Mine which could be mistaken for a cave, except for the gantry above it. 10.5 x 16 cm £5.00
2 Fammer Przykos in dem Salzberwerken von Wielietzka. C Reiss del. B Metzroth sc. Showing a boat on a lake in the Wielietzka Salt Mine, Poland. 11 x 14.5 cm. £5.00
HALF HOURS UNDERGROUND / Volcanoes, mines and caves 1905 369 pp numerous steel engravings including: Explosion of fire-damp; Tin mine ar St Just; Woman of the mine; Miners at work; Explosion in a coal mine, etc. In publishers original blue cloth, with picture cover in gold of the Grotte of Antiparos. HB tight binding,spine rubbed top and bottom, with foxing on the new eps and title page, but cover and rest of book very bright. HB £9.00
YESTERDAY’S GALCONDAS / notable British metal mines by R H Bird 1977 140 pp, photos average, more than one a page. Ex library. DW HB £9.00
THE RISE AND FALL OF MINING COMMUNITIES IN CENTRAL AYRSHIRE IN THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES by Gavin Wark published by the Ayrshire Archaeological and Natural History Society - no 22 Sept 1999. Chapters include: The Geology of the Central Ayrshire coalfield; The rise of mining communities in the Drongan area; etc; also has a list of mines, owner, number of employees, when closed etc 53 pages SB £3.00
MINING / AYRSHIRE’S LOST INDUSTRY by Guthrie Hutton 1996 112 pp, many photos, about 2 a page. key words: the coal mines of Auchinlech, Cumnock, Dalmellington ,Patna etc. SB New £14.45
SUNART STRONTIAN LEAD MINES SCOTLAND Sunart Change and Survival. This an A3 sheet, folded up to make 12 pages in colour. One page is devoted to the Strontian Lead Mines. £1.00 or free with order.
HAFODLAS SLATE QUARRY by Griff R Jones 1999 209 pp 58 plates, 37 drawings. This is the finest example of Industrial Archaeological research of the decade, probably the century! A group of five dedicated enthusiasts spent 7,500 man hours over a period of four years investigating this little known slate quarry. The entire quarry was densely covered with undergrowth and heavily wooded. But like an Inca Temple in a Peruvian jungle, the remains of a slate mill poked through the foliage. This book describes their findings, a unique slate quarry that employed labour saving techniques years ahead of the neighbouring quarries. Also included is a thorough in-depth archival research bringing to life, the story of the owners and workers. SB £16.00 post free
CONISTON COPPER MINES / A FIELD GUIDE by Eric G Holland 1981rare first edition 119 pp 54 figs surveys etc. Describes 62 mines, essential reading for every explorer. Long out of print SB £8.00
THE OLD METAL MINES OF MID-WALES PART 2--CARDIGANSHIRE----THE RHEIDOL TO GOGINAN, FIRST PUBLISHED 1975. AND PART 4--WEST MONTGOMERYSHIRE FIRST PUBLISHED 1977, both by David E Bick, usual handling wear on well read books, all pages present and none loose, some interesting b/w photos of old mine workings/machinery etc long out of print £6.00 each
MINING IN THE HRVATSKO ZAGORJE [meaning Croatian upland or hinterland. It is a historic region north of Zagreb, Croatia. It comprises the whole area north of Medvednica]by Vlasta Krklec 2009 51 pp, many illus, about one a page many in colour. Mainly coal mining although clay and sulphur were also quarried. In Croatian and English, half and half. SB £10.00
A HISTORICAL SKETCH OF BRITISH MINING being Book 1 and Appendix to British Mining by Robert Hunt 1887 reprinted 1978. vii+ 186 +885-935 pp, HB DW with plastic cover. Price on the net £43.35 from us, only £25.00
GEOLOSKI VJESNIK [Geological Bulletin] Vol 43 Zagreb 1990 120 pp, illus. mainly geological papers, in Croation with English summaries. Also contains 4 papers on mining:
Bauxites of the Sinj area in Middle Dalmatia with mine section
Siderite-baritepolysulfide deposits and early continental rifting in Dinarides [in English]
Iron-ore Deposites in the Kosna re Fiels, Trgovska Mountain, Croatia [in English] with mine plans
Paragenetic and Genetic Characteristics and Mode of Occurence of some Gold-bearing Copper Deposits in Island Sumatra, Indonesia [in English]
SB £10.00
MINING IN A MEDIEVAL LANDSCAPE. The Royal Silver Mines of the Tamar Valley by Stephen Rippon, Peter Claughton and Chris Smart 2009 207 pp, numerous illustrations.
The royal silver mines at Bere Ferrers which started operating in 1296, to provide silver for minting coins, represented a major departure in medieval English industry. Directly controlled by the Crown, they were deeper, more intensive, and employed many more workers than anything that had gone before, requiring the founding of what was probably Britain's first town purpose built for miners at Bere Alston in the Tamar Valley on the Cornwall / Devon border. SB £20.00
THE ROMAN GOLD MINES AT DOLAUCOTHI by Dr G D B Jones anf Dr PR Lewis 1971 20 pp, 14 illus (maps, photos etc), location map. Published as Carmarthen county Museum No 1 SB £5.00
THE TUNNELS OF CUCHI / The remarkable story of the Vietnam War by Tom Mangold and John Penycate 1986 287 pp, illus. These are not caves but man-made tunnels dug by the Viet Cong. For 12 years no-one knew of the savage and silent battles fought between the cunning Viet Cong and the elite teams of hand-picked American killers called “The Tunnel Rats”. SB £5.00
THE VALLEY SERIES
The Valley Series divides the South Wales Coalfield into localised areas and then gives information on the collieries of that area including, where known, operating dates, owners, seams worked, manpower’s, depths and much more. They are ideal for the local historian as a reference for deeper research or for anyone with a general interest in history. They are mainly text documents and the few photographs included are generally of a poor quality.
THE COLLIERIES OF THE AMMAN VALLEY AREA: This publication gives information on this part of the Anthracite section of the South Wales Coalfield and on about 112 collieries that worked in it. It consists of over 80, size A4 pages and is priced at £6.00
THE COLLIERIES OF THE AFAN VALLEY AND PORT TALBOT AREAS
This publication gives you information on the coal seams of that area and of 110 collieries that worked them. It consists of 76, size A4 pages and is priced at £6.00
THE COLLIERIES OF THE ELY VALLEY AND LLANTRISANT AREAS: This publication gives you information on the coal seams and sixty of the collieries that worked in this area, including comprehensive listings on the Cwm/Coedely complex. It consists of 60, A4 size pages and is priced at £6.00
THE COLLIERIES OF THE GWENDRAETH AND LLANELLI AREAS: This publication gives information on approximately 100 mines in this part of the Anthracite section of the South Wales Coalfield and on approximately 150 of the bituminous mines of the coastal strip. It consists of 150, size A4 pages and is priced at £10.00
THE COLLIERIES OF THE LLYNFI, GARW, AND OGMORE VALLEYS AND THE BRIDGEND AREA: This publication gives you information on the coal seams of that area and of 43 collieries in the Llynfi, 30 collieries in the Garw, 34 collieries in the Ogmore valley 72 collieries in the Bridgend area that worked them. It consists of 160, size A4 pages and is priced at £10.00
THE COLLIERIES OF THE SWANSEA AND SWANSEA VALLEY GENERAL AREAS: This publication includes an NCB report on Swansea and its relationship with the Anthracite Districts plus information on nearly 200 mines in the Swansea, Gower, Gorseinon, Grovesend, Morriston and Llansamlet general areas and 190 mines in the Swansea (Tawe) Valley. Ring bound it consists of 190, size A4 pages and is priced at £10.00
THE COLLIERIES OF THE EBBW VALLEYS: Gives you details on the collieries of the Ebbw Fach, Ebbw Fawr and lower Ebbw Valley and is a concise version of parts of the Blaenau Gwent and Caerphilly books. It is ring bound with a laminate cover and consists of over 90 size A4 pages,
It is priced at £6.00
THE COLLIERIES OF THE SIRHOWY VALLEY: Gives you details on the collieries of this valley from the northern outcrop of the coal seams above Tredegar and down to below Crosskeys. It is a concise version of parts of the Blaenau Gwent and Caerphilly books. It is ring bound with a laminate cover and consists of over 90 size A4 pages, It is priced at £4.99 plus £1.90 p & P.
THE COLLIERIES OF THE RHYMNEY, DARRAN AND ABER VALLEYS: Gives you details on the collieries of those valleys from the northern outcrop of the coal seams above Rhymney and down to the southern outcrop of the same coal seams below Caerphilly. It is a concise version of parts of the Caerphilly books. It is ring bound with a laminate cover and consists of over 90 size A4 pages, It is priced at £6.00
ADD
COPPER KINGDOM by Iris Gower, first published 1983, this edition, 4th reprint 1987 320 pp SB, front cover, dog eared otherwise, good condition. Copper Kingdom is the first in a sequence of romantic sagas set in South Wales at the turn of the century. Each novel will centre around the life of one woman in the community. In this book, the reader follows the story of Mali Llewelyn - a copper worker's daughter who faces triumphs and sorrows in a struggle to better herself when she falls in love with Sterling Richardson, heir to the local copper-smelting factory. Iris Gower, who lives in Swansea, brings to the novel not only her own love of Wales, but also her knowledge of the little-researched copper-smelting industry, with all its power, wealth and inevitable corruption. £3.00 post free
THE CAVES AND MINES OF ANGLESEY by Tony Oldham January 2006 ix + 57 pp, illus, surveys, 3 pages of colour photos. Anglesey is overshadowed by the great Parys Mountain copper mine. This book describes many of the smaller mines including the long forgotten coal mines at Berw. Usual gazetteer style: name, NGR description and references. SB £7.50
Cutting coal in my spare time.