THOMAS BAINES AFRICAN JOURNAL

Thomas Baines African Journal (Two-Volume Matching Set)

Van Riebeeck Society First Series, Volumes 42 and 45

Bibliographic Specifications

• Title: Journal of Residence in Africa 1842–1853 (In Two Volumes)
• Volume I: 1842–1849 (VRS First Series, No. 42)
• Volume II: 1850–1853 (VRS First Series, No. 45)
• Author: Thomas Baines (Edited with an introduction and notes by R. F. Kennedy)
• Publisher: The Van Riebeeck Society, Cape Town
• Publication Dates: Volume I (1961); Volume II (1964)
• ISBN: Not issued (Pre-dates the ISBN system)
• Edition Details: True First Edition Set thus, published exclusively for members of the Society.
• Binding: Publisher’s signature uniform grey cloth hardcovers with gold gilt emblem on faces and gilt spine typography.
• Physical Format: Octavo (8vo). Enhanced with a portrait frontispiece, collapsing historical route maps, and high-fidelity black-and-white plate reproductions of Baines’ original sketchbooks.

Official Condition Report

• The Books: Very Good (VG) Set
• Exterior: The original grey cloth boards remain structurally square and tight. Displays minor handling friction and slight rubbing along the perimeter margins, corner tips, and spine ends. Spine gilts remain bright.
• Interior: The text blocks are solid, firm, and uniform. Internal pages are exceptionally clean, bright, and free of foxing, thumb marks, or annotations.
• The Dust Jackets: Not Applicable (As Issued)
• Note: Van Riebeeck Society publications from this era were issued directly to subscribers in cloth bindings without dust jackets.

Synopsis & Historical Significance

This magnificent two-volume set compiles the personal diaries and field notes of iconic explorer-artist Thomas Baines during his travels across the Cape Colony and frontier regions between 1842 and 1853. Baines kept these journals as a memory aid to later transform his quick field sketches into completed oil paintings and vibrant watercolours. Edited by respected archivist R. F. Kennedy, these volumes provide a detailed, primary-source record of frontier life, natural history, early colonial encounters, and the wilderness landscapes of 19th-century Southern Africa.

Author & Editor Profiles

John Thomas Baines (1820–1875) was an English-born artist, cartographer, and intrepid explorer whose visual records and diaries remain cornerstones of African exploration literature.

1. F. Kennedy was a distinguished South African librarian, director of the Africana Museum in Johannesburg, and an expert on historical art. His careful annotation of Baines' work provides essential context for modern collectors.