SPECIMENS OF BUSHMAN FOLKLORE - INTERESTING ASSOCIATION COPY WITH ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHS

The first edition of this classic text in the original green cloth with a gilt decoration on the front board and gilt lettering. 468 pp. with 8pp. advertisements at the rear. Numerous plates including photographs - some in colour. Introduction by George McCall Theal. Top edge gilt.                                                                                  

A most interesting and unique copy. An inscription on the front pastedown reads "C.W. Black Jr./Mossel Bay 1911/from Dad". Two additional leaves have been skilfully tipped in by hand - each of these leaves has an original photograph tipped on to it. The first of these leaves has been added adjacent to the printed plate of a Bushman Women after pp.69. Tipped on to it is the original sepia photograph from which the plate was made. A handwritten annotation below the photo states: "Taken by S.B. Barnard, Cape Town in whose Studio Mrs. Black & W. Schroder were engaged (previous to 1880) when this was taken". It would thus appear that the inscriber of the book was probably the husband (or other relative) of the Mrs. Black who worked in Barnard's Studio. The second inserted leaf, opposite pp. 401, bears an original sepia photograph of an elderly Bushman (which has not been reproduced in the book) with the following hand written note: "Printed off the Photo Plates taken by Mr. O'Dea in Kinhardt in 1908. Mrs. Black printed these from Mr. O'Dea' s plates lent her for the purpose. The subjects reputed near a century old - Have been clothed for appearance sake."             

S.B. Barnard was an early Cape photographer who opened a Studio in Cape Town in 1865 under the name "Cape Town Photographic Gallery". Several of his prints are in the Stevenson archive. William Schroder was a well known artist, cartoonist and publisher, possibly best known for his volume of political satire, The Schroder Art Memento.     

An excellent copy. The green cloth is in almost fine state and the gilt decorations are bright. There is moderate foxing of the endpapers and intermittent scattered foxing throughout. Many pages are unaffected and the images supplied will illustrate this. The inner hinges are intact and the book is tight and clean. A well above average copy and as described, one of a kind.