STREETS WITHOUT ROAD - Manuscript Copy with Original Drawings

This is an interesting hand produced book, the story of which is still uncertain. A copy sold on this site(for $2000) was thought to be a one off and unique. However, I have seen several copies of both the English and Afrikaans versions (Strate Sonder Pad). This English version is translated by M.Pienaar. Each copy has handwritten poetry accompanied by 12 tipped in Claerhout graphics or prints. The handwritten poetry is in different hands in the few copies I have inspected. Some copies have original Claerhout drawings on the prelims. This copy has two original ink drawings and is 28pp. The title and dedication pages inscribed in the artist's hand. It is hand bound in book cloth and has the original hand produced dw. (which is always the Afrikaans version ie. Strate Sonder Pad). My belief is that this book was produced by Claerhout as a school or mission project and that the text (in different hands) was written by the pupils. I do not think that there could have been more than 20 or 30 copies produced and it remains a scarce Claerhout item. About fine in a near fine dw. which has a 15mm. closed tear at the top of the front panel. An inexpensive printed version (in larger format in wrappers) was published by Claerhout at a later date. The two should not be confused.