Antiquarian Auctions

Auction #128 begins on 15 Jan 2026

Bleek (W.H.I.) & Lloyd (L.C.)

SPECIMENS OF BUSHMEN FOLKLORE

Published: C. Struik (Pty.) Ltd., Cape Town, 1968

Edition: Facsimile reprint

Reserve: $50

Approximately:

Estimate: $70/80

Bidding opens: 15 Jan 16:30 GMT

Bidding closes: 22 Jan 16:30 GMT

Ships from: South Africa

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Facsimile Reprint: 468 pages, colour frontispiece, 49 plates - 8 partly coloured, green cloth gilt, a good copy in frayed dust jacket.

Africana Collectanea series vol. XXVIII, no. 483 of an edition limited to 750 copies.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specimens_of_Bushman_Folklore#:~:text=Specimens%20of%20Bushman%20Folklore%20is,in%20their%20now%2Dextinct%20language.)

Specimens of Bushman Folklore records eighty-seven legends, myths and other traditional stories of the ǀXam Bushmen in their now-extinct language. The stories were collected through interviews with various narrators, chief among them ǀA!kunta, ǁKabbo, Diäǃkwain, !Kweiten-ta-ǀǀKen and ǀHanǂkasso.

These tales were written down and translated by Bleek and his sister-in-law Lloyd. Bleek died in 1875, but Lloyd continued transcribing ǀXam narratives after his death. It is thanks to her efforts that some of the narratives were eventually published in this book, which also includes sketches of rock art attributed to the Bushmen people and some ǃXun narratives.

First published in 1911 Specimens of Bushman Folklore has been considered the cornerstone of study of the Bushmen and their religious beliefs.

  • Overall Condition: Very good
  • Size: 8vo (230 x 150 mm)


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