Guide du Tourisme Automobile et Aerien au Sahara 1938

Shell Editeur Alger

Description:

This famous but rare guide (in French) may have been the first designed to help both motorists and aviators to navigate the Sahara - for, as the guide puts it, reasons of exploration (such as visiting Timbuctoo), sports, photography and hunting. Indeed, it goes further, claiming that for several years the Sahara has become the region of choice for motoring and aerial tourism.

The guide was based partly on Shell's own expeditions of 1934, 1935 and 1936, partly on reports from Shell's offices in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Dakar, Lagos and Leopoldville, and partly on information from French administrative and military sources throughout this vast region.

Running to 447 pp with index, the book includes many maps and photographs as well as three bound-in postcards for reports by travellers.

The maroon cloth-board covers are intact but well worn and loose, the spine cover is frayed and loose, the front endpaper is cracked at the lower hinge and the back hinges are loose.

There are no ownership or other marks and the text block is complete, firm and clean throughout.

 

Details:

  • Publisher: Service Sahara des Petroles Shell S A a Alger
  • Publisher Place: Algiers
  • Date of Publication: 1937 for 1938
  • Edition: First
  • Binding Condition: Poor
  • Overall Condition: Good
  • Size: 210 x 140
  • Lot No: 186
  • Hammer Price: $65
  • Bids: 1
  • Visits: 20
  • Estimate: $100
  • Reserve: $65

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Seller Details:

  • Name: Fontein Books
  • Address: 27 Voortrekker Street, Philippolis 9970
  • Contact Person: Richard Proctor-Sims
  • Country of Origin: South Africa
  • Email: fontein@wol.co.za
  • Website:
  • Preferred Payment Methods: Internet bank transfer or Visa or Mastercard
  • Trade Association: AA Approved
  • Additional Information: Fontein Books has for several years participated in Antiquarian Auctions and its predecessor. It specialises in historical and contemporary books on the Free State and Northern Karoo, and is also an active buyer and seller on commission in these and other fields. Fontein's owner, Richard Proctor-Sims, was an editor, writer and small publisher until 2005, when he moved from Johannesburg to Philippolis, the first settlement (1822) north of the Gariep or Orange River, where he opened his first physical bookshop (to which buyers and sellers are welcome), with reasonable holdings in Africana, both Anglo-Boer wars, biography, history, military history, natural history and travel. He regularly visits Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town and offers to deliver heavy or valuable books or sets to these cities on such visits. Richard Proctor-Sims retains the copyright of Fontein's Antiquarian Auction descriptions and these may not be reproduced without permission and acknowledgment.