Years ago (20+) I lucked on to a full set of the CEW Bean series (12 Vols) at a little known second hand shop calling in on a whim.
I had been trying to get a full set at a good price and these were only on her shelf for 3 days and were in very very good condition being 50 plus years old in some cases.
We really could not afford them but got them they now sit in pride of place as a display set, I eventually over the years built up a bitsa set for reading in average condition.
So the next journey was to get the medical series a 3 volume set and this is one of the hardest journey's I have been on to many hours on the web and second hand shops.
These do not come up very often and I mean that very scarce indeed but luck was with me in the form of another whim to visit a book shop I sometimes go to.
He noted I always go to the military section when I call in I explained to him my passion and am focusing my collection now on AIF WWI 1st Ed's H/C's.
He said I have just received a full Bean series and the Medical editions, wow my ears pricked up do I want the set, I explained I already had 2 Bean sets but no medical ones.
But I would be interested in taking the medical series so asked him what he wanted for them he gave a figure in the $000's for the 2 vols and well here they are.
I'll cool off for a bit then start tracking a similar condition vol III which I hope wont take 20+ years then one of the greatest works on the AIF WWI will be complete.
Some history on the Bean series ~ Charles W Bean was a war correspondent for the AIF and after the war set about documenting everything the AIF did.
This he started in 1920 and finally finished the first 6 volumes in 1942 yep 22 years documenting our WWI fighting history.
The other 6 volumes were done by various other authors along the same vein making up air, naval, Australia, pictorial etc.
The colour of the volumes maroon was chosen by Bean to represent dried blood apparently.
So in a matter of 2 weeks I have crossed off two long term hunts for items, the original AIF poster and 3/4 of the medical series in WWI very happy camper.
Pic # 1 my display set of AIF WWI history
Pic # 2 the medical vol's I & II.
Cheers.
