Die Worstelstryd der Transvalers

This is a desirable copy of a valuable, rare and beautiful book by an authoritative and respected writer. The book contains 72 pp more than the first edition of 1882, which seems to be less scarce.

Lion-Cachet covers the history of the Transvalers from the days of their forebears in the mid-seventeenth century up to the Jameson Raid. Although this edition was completed in Rotterdam as late as 16 December 1898, the author was still not able to forecast that war would break out only a year later. Instead, he ends with a question, which may be translated as: \"Will the Transvaal, as a Republic, fulfil its destiny by finding a way to bring about a strong and prosperous Confederation of United States of South Africa, independent of Great Britain?\"

The original cloth-board covers, finely decorated and lettered, are in place. A professional bookbinder and restorer (Wilson Mokobe of the War Museum in Bloemfontein) has used binding tape to strengthen the covers and form a new substrate for the spine, on to which the original spine cover has been glued. The original plain endpapers have been retained. There is an owner\'s name on the front free page. The restorer has neatly remounted and squared the first three leaves after the half-title and frontispiece (although in the process he has reversed the title page, which now occupies a lefthand-page).

The binding is well rounded and firm. A few early leaves and the last leaf in the book are foxed. The book\'s frontispiece + viii + 660 pages of text (no index) + 5 further inserted plates are all present, unmarked, clean and (except for the foxing already referred to) in better than good condition. The top and front edges of the last two-thirds of the book-block are stained over an average area of 5 x 0.5 cm. Although the notice to binders on p viii (see image) refers to a map of South Africa to be bound at the end of the book, there is no sign that such a map was inserted or removed. It may not have been inserted in this edition or the binder may have overlooked it for this copy.