Official Year Book of the Union of South Africa No 1 - 1917

Containing statistics mainly for the period 1910-1916

Publication of these early official year books (see also the next lot) did not start until 6 years after Union, but covered the intervening years, concentrating on different subjects (see images). In earlier years (1912/13, 1913/14, 1914/15 and 1915/16), statistical extracts were published, but at much higher prices than the later official year books (seven shillings and sixpence for the first volume and ten shillings for the others).

The corners of the light grey paper-boards are bumped. The binding has been attractively strengthened with a new black Skivertex spine and new endpapers, and the binding is now tight, rounded and flexible.

There is a library stamp on the fly-leaf.

The book opens with a 3-fold colour map by Wagstaffe, printed on light paper and in perfect condition. As well as the xvii + 676 pp of text and index, there are 3 other inserted folding colour maps, equally perfect, 4 other full-page maps, 17 inserted pp of illustrations (including locomotives) and diagrams and a 24 pp inserted photographic section - all on heavy art paper.

Although there is no doubt that this wonderful reference book set standards not matched in later years, C W Cousins is modest: "The present issue [for which guidance and assistance were obtained from the Commonwealth Statistician and the authors of yearbooks from other Commonwealth countries] falls very far short of the standard which it was first hoped to attain . . ."

The selling price was three shillings and the print-run was 2000 (much higher than the 350 for the Dutch version).