Antiquarian Auctions

Auction #114 begins on 11 Apr 2024

Jacob Van Reenen

A JOURNAL OF A JOURNEY FROM THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE UNDERTAKEN IN 1790 AND 1791

By Jacob van Reenen and Others of His Countrymen, In Search of The Wreck of The Grosvenor; to discover if there remained alive any of the unfortunate sufferers. With Additional Notes, and a Map, by Capt. Edw.Riou.

Published: G.Nicol, London, 1792

Edition: 1st.

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The scarce first edition of this work. 1792. Printed for G. Nicol. Small 4to. 51 pages. With large folding map bound in opposite the title page. Rebound in later ½ leather and marbled boards with gilt lettering on the spine and with several blank fly leaves at the rear. According to a current Maggs Bros listing of the first French edition of this work (1798) this English (true first) edition of  the diary, is one of only 100 copies but I am unable to verify this. SABIB Vol. 4, Page 630. Although SABIB identifies several copies, I am unable to find another copy currently on offer online.

The original Van Reenen diary was in Dutch, but was only first published in Dutch in 1793 and so this English language edition is the first published edition of the work. Van Reenen lead a party of twelve men in order to find the wreck of the Grosvenor and determine if there were any survivors. They covered new ground and made contact with a tribe, the Hambonaa's, who had looked after three girls, apparently saved from the wreck. They wanted to stay until their crops had been harvested and were allowed so to do but their fate is unrecorded. (Mendelssohn). The diary also recounts several encounters with and hunting of wild game.

A very good clean copy with some minor spotting.

  • Binding Condition: Very Good Plus
  • Overall Condition: Very Good
  • Size: Small 4to.
  • Sold By: Ronald Levine - Modern First Editions
  • Contact Person: Ronald Levine
  • Country: South Africa
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Telephone: 011643 8437
  • Preferred Payment Methods: EFT for South African customers and International Bank Tranfer for customers abroad. I am unable to accept payment by credit card.
  • Trade Associations: SABDA


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