Sumptuous 1976 Balkema Facsimile Edition — Copy No. 323 of 550, Signed by Dr Frank R. Bradlow
Description
Overview
A monumental collector's item for enthusiasts of early African exploration, natural history, and colonial art history.
This magnificent piece is the highly prized A.A. Balkema 1976 elephant folio facsimile reproduction of Samuel Daniell's legendary African Scenery and Animals.
Originally published between 1804 and 1805, Daniell's work stands as the absolute pinnacle of early colour-plate book production tracking Southern Africa, predating other iconic albums—such as William Cornwallis Harris's Portraits of the Game and Wild Animals of Southern Africa—by three decades. Because it records a rare milieu preceding the permanent British occupation of the Cape, it provides an unparalleled historical window into an era where European influence was not yet firmly established.
This particular lot represents an investment opportunity: it is Copy No. 323 of a strictly limited press run of only 550 copies, featuring a historical introduction and extensive notes signed by the prominent Africana authority Dr Frank R. Bradlow on the limitation page.
Detailed Specifications
- Author / Artist: Samuel Daniell (1775–1811)
- Editor / Introduction: Dr Frank R. Bradlow
- Publisher: A.A. Balkema, Cape Town
- Year: 1976
- Edition: Limited Deluxe Facsimile Edition (No. 323 of 550 Copies, Signed by Frank Bradlow)
- Format: Elephant/Large Atlas Folio (610 x 460 mm)
- Binding: Half blue leather spine and corners with classic marbled paper-covered boards, finished with clean gilt detailing on the spine.
- Contents: Complete with 30 magnificent, full-page vivid colour plates duplicating the original 19th-century master aquatints alongside detailed historical commentary.
Condition Report
- Binding Condition: Very Good. The half blue leather spine remains structurally square and stoutly bound to the marbled boards.
Overall Condition: Very Good. A well-maintained copy. The 30 internal plate reproductions remain pristine, clean, and beautifully vibrant, retaining their grand visual impact.
- Size: Elephant Folio (610 x 460 mm)
