About Us

Muir Books - Robert Muir Old & Rare Books

[Established 1973]

Located at 17 Lindsay Street, Perth, Western Australia in the Northbridge precinct, just north of Newcastle Street and a two minute walk from the Perth Cultural Centre, Art Gallery of Western Australia, WA  Museum and PICA.  Rare, second-hand and out-of-print books, maps, art, paintings, prints, photographs, posters, curiosities and artefacts fill the ground floor of this converted horse stable built in the late 1890’s and recently renovated to house the books.

 Rob and Janet Muir (owners) together with Tara Surry (manager) operate the bookshop Monday to Saturday.  Janet has been in the business for 35 years having worked with Robert and Helen since 1987. Janet specialises in unique Western Australiana, exploration, natural history as well as manuscripts, documents, diaries and art.  Rob (jnr) has worked as a sound engineer for nearly three decades spending time in the shop when required, and in 2007 after Robert (Snr.) died, he joined the business full-time. Tara commenced work in the bookshop in 2008. She is a graduate of the University of Western Australia earning her PhD in English Literature and prior to joining the bookshop worked in the area of books and publishing both in London and New York. Tara has an interest and a very good knowledge of literature and history and is a well-qualified researcher, cataloguer and a 'book detective' and will find any rare book you have been seeking for some time.

We welcome you to our bookshop. On site parking available with wheel chair access.

Hours of business:

We are open 6 days a week.
Monday to Friday: 10.30 am to 6 pm
Saturdays: 11 am to 3 pm.
Other times by appointment.

Valuations:

Government Approved Valuer :
Janet Muir is an approved Australian Commonwealth Government Valuer for the Cultural Gifts and Cultural Bequests Programs.  We also value Books, Manuscripts, Photographs, Postcards, Ephemera, Australian Paintings, Drawings, Prints and Maps for the purpose of disposal, insurance, probate or family division. Sighting of the items is essential.

Free search service:

We welcome requests to locate any books that out of print or hard to find. We search in Australia and world-wide. We will notify you of availability and price including postage before ordering the book. No matter how obscure and we will find it for you.

Catalogues:

We publish occasional catalogues on various subjects, which are available by post or email.

 We buy and sell:

We buy books, paintings, engravings, maps, photographs, collectables and curiosities.

 Bookbinding & Restorations [NOTE: our Bookbinder has now retired] :

Muir Books regretfully announces the RETIREMENT of our long-standing master Bookbinder and colleague Andy Haycock and the termination, therefore, of our Bookbinding Service.  Andy and Carol Haycock have managed, refurbished and rebound countless precious and beautiful books for our bookshop as well as for our many satisfied customers over the last decade.

We would like to extend our most sincere thanks and gratitude to both Andy and Carol for their friendly patience and sympathy in the triaging process and for their inexhaustible dedication and respect in the execution of the rare craft that is bookbinding. We especially wish Andy clear skies to pursue his passion for miniature aircraft aeronautics and his aspiration to ramble the infinite highways of the sky.

What our customers say ...