Antiquarian Auctions

Auction #115 begins on 30 May 2024

Impey (Samuel Patton)

ORIGIN OF THE BUSHMEN AND THE ROCK PAINTINGS OF SOUTH AFRICA

Published: Juta & Co., Cape Town and Johannesburg, 1926

Edition: First edition

Lot closed

Sold for: Register or Sign In to find out

Bids: 1

Visits: 33

Have a similar item to sell? Contact Us with the details.

How it works

Register

First edition: 102 pages, 22 plates, original brown cloth boards, titled gilt on the spine, a very good copy.

Dictionary of South African Biography, volume V, page 374: Samuel Patton Impey was a medical doctor. He assumed the office of chief medical superintendent of Robben Island in 1891 where he was concerned with the leper colony. His chief contribution was to show that not all cases of leprosy need to be isolated for life. As an amateur artist Impey was interested in the rock art of Africa.

In Origin of the Bushmen pages 101 -102 he expresses the view that the best rock art was neither Bushman nor African in origin but the product of earlier inhabitants. . He studied the cave paintings of France and Spain and after reviewing the contemporary palaeontological literature concludes that, 'all the pictures in South Africa were painted by the Grimaldi men who came to this country about 50,000 years ago. A few of the inferior ones may have been done by the Bushmen, but this has not been proved.'

  • Overall Condition: A very good copy
  • Sold By: Clarke's Africana & Rare Books
  • Contact Person: Paul Mills
  • Country: South Africa
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Telephone: 021 794 0600
  • Preferred Payment Methods: Visa & Mastercard via PayGate secure links and Bank transfers.
  • Trade Associations: ABA - ILAB, SABDA


© 2024 Paul Mills trading as AntiquarianAuctions.com. All rights reserved. Use of this website is regulated by our website Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.