Publisher's illustrated hardcover binding.
250pp. Illustrated.
Inscribed and dated by the author on the front endpaper, "Piet & Helen, best wishes, Marian Robertson, 28-3-74."
Binding tight. Contents clean. Moderate sunning on spine.
'Diamond Fever - the first fully referenced account of the early diamond history of South Africa.
This book corrects several details of the popularly believed stories of the first known diamond and adds new details, such as the disputes over its ownership and the distribution of the proceeds of the sale. For the first time, too, the full stories are presented of other early diamonds, and of the litigation following the discovery of the 'Star of Africa". This book tells hitherto unknown stories of two important mineral concessions and gives new details about diamond speculating and buying in the latter half of 1869.
Other new information gives details of the Cape Government's reactions to the diamond discoveries, revealing significant action taken in regard to the mineral rights clause in land titles and information about the gun trade to the interior. The distractions of a silver mine in South West Africa and gold in the north show the diamond story in correct perspective.
The book is fully indexed and has a comprehensive bibliography of primary as well as secondary source material.
Events are described that were to have considerable influence of subsequent South African history and Diamond Fever provides background information for history after 1870, in particular the annexation of Griqualand West.' - editor's note
- Binding Condition: Very Good
- Overall Condition: Very Good
- Size: 4to.
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