Transvaal Philately. The Stamps, Forgeries, Postal History and Miscellanea of the Transvaal Territories from Inception to Union (1986) (from the library of Andre Bezuidenhout)

See also Lot 1.

Printed white paper-boards, black titling and design to covers and spine and full-colour to both covers. Maps on both endpapers, with red pen additions by Bezuidenhout to the more southerly map at the back. Another double-page map of postal routes in the text.

The binding remains sound although there is light cracking between some sections.

The xi + 291 pp of illustrated text and list of subscribers + 2 double-sided inserted colour plates - a bonus, since they seem not to be referred to on the contents page - are all in very good condition. There is no index, as explained in the principal author\'s prologue. Plus some Bezuidenhout additions - particularly 4 pp from a Van den Hurk article stapled to p 190 and a few pencilled notes, as on pp 270 and 275.

The book is a worthy updating of the subject so well covered by Curle and Basden nearly half a century earlier. It was written and produced in a remarkably short time - two years, in fact - something that was made possible only by the collaboration of K A Baker, B J Bowden, David Crocker, Gerrit H Jonkers, John Kaupe, Paul van Zeyl and Michael Wigmore, all of whom wrote chapters, and by the close working relationship between the principal author and editor and the publisher.

This is valuable copy - literally as well as for its contents and additions as its price on publication 25 years ago was already R150.