"This impressive two-volume Illustrated Australian Encyclopaedia represents one of the most ambitious scholarly publishing projects undertaken in Australia during the interwar period. Edited by historian Arthur Wilberforce Jose and naturalist Herbert James Carter, the work was conceived as a comprehensive national reference, bringing together authoritative articles on Australian history, geography, natural sciences, Indigenous cultures, flora and fauna, industry, and public life. Published by Angus & Robertson in Sydney, the encyclopaedia reflects a distinctly Australian intellectual confidence of the 1920s, aiming to document the continent and its people through local scholarship rather than imported European perspectives.
Lavishly illustrated throughout, the set includes a rich mixture of photographic plates, finely reproduced drawings, maps, armorial bearings, and natural history colour plates, many prepared by leading artists and scientific illustrators of the period. Of particular note are the detailed entries on Aboriginal languages and customs, early colonial administration, Australian birdlife, and regional natural environments, all presented with a level of seriousness and scope rarely attempted in earlier local reference works. The encyclopaedia is arranged alphabetically across the two volumes—Volume I covering A to Lys (1925) and Volume II M to Z (1926)—and was intended as both a household reference and an enduring national record.
As a complete original two-volume set, this work holds strong appeal for collectors of Australiana, institutional libraries, and researchers interested in early twentieth-century Australian scholarship and visual culture. It is especially desirable for those with an interest in Australian natural history, Indigenous studies as viewed through early academic lenses, and the development of national identity in print, making it a cornerstone reference for serious collectors of Australian reference and historical works."
