Transvaal Postage Stamps (1940) (from the library of Andre Bezuidenhout)

Curle, J H and A E Basden

Description:

See also Lot 1.

Although the heavy blue cloth-boards, gilt to spine, have bumped corners and rubbed spine extremities, and with the spine lightly sunned, the original fine binding remains almost very good, with a single crack between pp 96 and 97.

The front paste-down of the plain endpapers is lightly stained at the upper corner. The bookplate of H K Berghuus is attached here.

Inside the back pastedown is a pocket for 12 loose plates. These are all present and in fine condition. The 8 in colour are printed on white art. The blue ribbon for pulling the cards out of the pocket remains in working condition.

The rest of the book lives up to these standards - no (second world) war economy here! Heavy smooth wove paper. x + 154 pp of text, annotated catalogue and index, generous margins and an almost cavalier use of blank pages, good large type - all in fine condition and unmarked and undiscoloured.

Augmenting the text is a frontispiece map of the South African Republic in 1868, the year before stamps were first used. This is an extract from the informative and long caption: "In 1969, Potchefstroom was the largest settlement in the country; it had 1200 whites; Pretoria had 300; Rustenberg 200; these were the three centres, the remainder being no more than dorps or hamlets."

Then the illustrations. There are only 4 in the text, but 9 full-page single-sided monochrome photogravure plates bound into the text. All these are present although 2 are loose.

With the Rich book (Lot 13) and possibly others, this copy of Curle and Basden, which is in any event now rare and valuable, is undoubtedly one of the jewels in the Bezuidenhout collection.

Details:

  • Publisher: (Royal Philatelic Society)
  • Publisher Place: London
  • Date of Publication: 1940
  • Edition: London
  • Jacket Condition: No dustjacket
  • Binding Condition: Near Very Good
  • Overall Condition: Near Fine
  • Size: 255 x 195
  • Lot No: 5
  • Hammer Price: $150
  • Bids: 1
  • Visits: 123
  • Estimate: $300
  • Reserve: $150

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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.