Antiquarian Auctions

Auction #134 begins on 01 Oct 2026

Van Riet Lowe (C.)

DIE GEDENKWAARDIGHEDE VAN SUID-AFRIKA (1941) - former copy of R.V. Cullinan and Patrick Cullinan with their bookplates

"MONUMENTS OF SOUTH AFRICA". Publisher's full leather presentation binding.

Published: The Government Printer, Pretoria, 1941

Edition: De Luxe First Edition

Reserve: $200

Approximately:

Estimate: $250

Bidding opens: 1 Oct 16:30 GMT

Bidding closes: 8 Oct 16:30 GMT

Ships from: South Africa

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This edition was limited to 1000 copies.

It is a de luxe presentation copy in full leather binding with embossed gilt titles on front panel and spine. 

174pp. Illustrated. Fold-out map at rear. Text in Afrikaans.

This copy belonged to Rowland Vivian Cullinan (1890-1968), a member of South Africa's prominent diamond mining elite and the son of the legendary diamond magnate Sir Thomas Cullinan, the man after whom the famous Cullinan Diamond was named. R.V.'s signature is also at the top edge of the front endpaper (see image).

The bookplate of Patrick Cullinan (R.V.'s son) was at one time pasted over that of his father but seems later to have been pulled off by a curious former owner and is now loosely inserted. Patrick pasting his own bookplate over his father's seems strange at first, but it reflects a family rift. His father wanted him to run the family mine. Instead, Patrick went to Oxford, studied modern languages, and became a poet. His father's early contempt for his writing strained their relationship. 

Binding sound. Contents clean.

An interesting collection of historical South African sites and monuments with descriptive text at each image. 

  • Binding Condition: Very Good
  • Overall Condition: Very Good
  • Size: 4to.


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