The Papers and Diary of H A L Hamelberg (two items, 1907 and 1952)

Hendrik Antonie Lodewijk Hamelberg, who became a leading figure in the Orange Free State Republic, was born in 1826 in the Netherlands and settled in the new Republic in 1856, two years after it was founded, living there until he died in 1896. President Reitz called him "een vader van den Vrijstaat" and President Steyn and State Attorney Jacob de Villiers also praised his outstanding services for the Republic, which included periods of consular service in Europe.

The two titles in this lot provide a complementary survey of his life and work. The first, in Dutch, is "Oude Tyden in den Oranje-Vrystaat naar Mr H A L Hamelberg's nagelaten papieren beschreven"; and the second, in Afrikaans, is "Die Dagboek van H A L Hamelberg 1855-1871" (which includes an English translation by N G Sabbagha of a summarised version of the diary).

Although Hamelberg's diary continued after 1871, his family restricted publication to the entries for that year. Muller's book make use, however, of his papers and letters right up to the time of his death.

A complete set of folded sections and plates of Muller's 1907 book were found perfectly preserved in an envelope bought on auction in Bloemfontein more than a hundred years later. The sections were hand-sewn and half-bound in green morocco and grey buckram, gilt-lettered to the upper panel and spine, with plain light green endpapers, making this a unique copy - xiii + 384 pp of text, appendixes, index and errata + the inserted plates.

The copy of Spies's Van Riebeeck Society volume (No 33 of the first series) is undiscoloured and unmarked except for an owner signature on the front free endpaper - xxii + 273 pp of text, notes and index + frontispiece, other inserted plates and a folding plan of Cape Town.

The two books make a major contribution to our knowledge of the history of the Free State Republic.