TWO VERY EARLY AND SCARCE SOUTH AFRICAN STEAMSHIP/TRAVEL BOOKLETS

This lot comprises the following two items:

1. A. (Alexander) Wilmot. F.R.G.S. THE MOST DELIGHTFUL VOYAGE IN THE WORLD - ENGLAND TO THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. A. White & Co., London, 1882.

The very scarce first edition of this book detailing the sea voyage to South Africa. The liv. (54)pp. of preliminaries before the title page contain information regarding the Union Steamship Company's services and two anonymous articles entitled "A Voyage to the Cape and Natal in The Trojan" (Reprinted from the North Devon Herald) and "From London to Cape Town - The notes of a new colonist" (Reprinted from The Cape Argus, March 11th. 1880). This is followed by the 53pp. title piece by Alexander Wilmot.  SABIB. Vol. 4, pp. 793, which only identifies one copy. In the original printed paper covered and cloth-backed boards.

There is some staining of the plain endpapers, a crease at the lower corner of the front board and slight edge spotting. Still a very good copy of this scarce and fairly fragile publication.

2. H. Tiedeman - BEKNOPT HANDBOEK VAN REIZIGERS NAAR SUID-AFRIKA MET DIE STEEMBOOTEN DER UNION STEAMSHIP COMPANY. Union Steamship Company", Rotterdam, 1889, 1st. Dutch edition.

This would appear to be the first brochure published by the Union Steamship Company on South Africa. This is the Dutch edition published the same year as the English edition written by Edward P. Mathers.  SABIB Vol.4 Page 506, but no copies located. (English Edn. Vol. 3 Page 279.) Small 8vo. 94pp. In the original wraps with a colour plate of a Union Line Steamship on the front cover. With 8 black and white plates including two with illustrations of the early Johannesburg mining town. Largely a travel guide to South Africa.

Condition: There is some splitting of the wraps at the junction of the front wrapper and the spine and some early tape repairs to the rear wrapper and a few pages a the rear of the book. Altogether still in very good condition for what is a fragile and very scarce booklet.