Antiquarian Auctions

Auction #134 begins on 01 Oct 2026

Preller, (Gustav S.)

VOORTREKKERMENSE COLLECTION

Published: Scripta Africana, Melville, 1988

Reserve: $500

Approximately:

Estimate: $650

Bidding opens: 1 Oct 16:30 GMT

Bidding closes: 8 Oct 16:30 GMT

Ships from: South Africa

Lot 213 preview

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A limited edition of 300 sets printed, consisting of 9 volumes bound in deluxe brown leatherette with lovely gold trim.  Voortrekkermense I-VI; Dagboek van Louis Trichardt; Voortrekker Wetgewing; Piet Retief; Voortrekkers van Suidwes; Andries Pretorius.

This whole set is unnumbered and unsigned and in near fine condition.

A combined weight of 22 kilograms. 

Gustav Schoeman Preller (4 October 1875 in Klein Schoemansdal, Klipdrift, Pretoria – 7 October 1943 in Pelindaba) was a journalist, historian, writer and literary critic. He fought for the recognition of Afrikaans. Preller helped the Afrikaner to awake to the importance of the history of South Africa. He made great contributions to the writing of South African history, through his research and the literature. He also contributed greatly to making South Africans aware of the legacy of the Voortrekkers.

These books give a comprehensive Africana history that brings together some of the most seminal primary texts and scholarly editions on the Groot Trek and Voortrekker era from one of South Africa's foremost historians, Gustav Schoeman Preller.

The heart of the set, Voortrekkermense I -VI, compiles personal reminiscences, letters, journals and other original documents from the Voortrekkers themselves and their contemporaries, preserved and annotated by Preller over decades of careful archival work. These volumes are treasured for presenting first-hand accounts of daily life on trek, encounters with indigenous communities, key battles, camp life and the social fabric of Afrikaner pioneers material that might otherwise have been lost to history. Preller's editorial work also places these first-hand texts within historical context, helping readers bridge the gap between raw documentation and broader narrative.

Supplementing the Voortrekkermense volumes are focused monographs such as Dagboek van Louis Trichardt, which presents the diary of one of the early trekkers' own journeys with extensive annotations, and Voortrekker Wetgewing, a transcription and analysis of the Natalse Volksraad legislative proceedings from 18391845. Other volumes concentrate on towering historical figures like Piet Retief, whose leadership during the Voortrekker era is explored in detail, and Andries Pretorius, a key commandantgeneral whose strategies and legacy defined pivotal moments of the Groot Trek. The Voortrekkers van Suidwes volume extends this regional scope to include narratives from South-West Africa. Together, the nine volumes offer a rich, multifaceted picture of an epoch that shaped South African history and Afrikaner identity.

  • Binding Condition: Near Fine
  • Overall Condition: Near Fine
  • Size: 22 x 28 cm


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