The Northern Goldfields Diaries of Thomas Baines
by Wallis, J. P. R. (editor)
- Used
- Hardcover
- Signed
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
(London: Chatto & Windus, 1946). The Government Archives of Southern Rhodesia Oppenheimer Series, Number Three, consisting of three volumes: Volume One (First Journey 1869-1870), Volume Two (First Journey 1870-1871), Volume Three (Second Journey 1871-1872). Three royal 8vo volumes; original red buckram, lettered in gilt on spine and with gilt Rhodesia crest to upper cover; no dustwrappers; top edges gilt; pp. xxxviii + 278, viii + [279-598], viii + [599-855, incl. index]; several monochrome and colour plates; some illustrations in text; two folding maps in the first volume, one folding map in the second, and a further two maps in the third, one of which is folding. Spines slightly sunned; bookplate of C. Payne to front pastedown in first two volumes (see 'South African Bookplates from the Percival J. G. Bishop Collection', p. 49) and subsequent owner's name signed on front free endpaper in all three; some foxing to edges, occasional fox spot elsewhere; short crease to end map in final volume. Very good condition. "The best of him is in his voluminous diaries, of which the section relating to his journeyings in Lobengula's dominions is here for the first time printed. It shows him one of those sober Englishmen that East Anglia breeds, quiet, competent, self-reliant and friendly, who enjoy doing things for the doing's sake and are content to let the rest go by. ... It is well to remember what this meant in physical effort, when after toilsome days and seeing everything in his camp securely ordered, he would withdraw within himself and by candle or fire light, take his private pleasure in recounting the day's doings, uninterrupted by the callow quizzings of his young subordinates or the crude puzzlement of his hunter-friends. Often he wrote till past midnight, though aware that before sunrise he must be up and about, seeing to an early start in the morning coolness. Through the day he carried with him a cheap little pocket-book, with a hard pencil, to enter brief memoranda for later expansion, or, on occasion, when the native boy who carried his sketch-book lagged too far behind, to make a thumb-nail drawing of some beast killed, or record the markings or gait of zebra or elephant: anything in short that appealed to his indefatigably curious mind. And always he shows his competence, in a prose style easy and attractive to read and amplified by swift but always illuminating and often engaging insets, which have been here reproduced as typically Bainesian in their ready promptness and illustrative point." .
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Details
- Bookseller
- Christison Rare Books, IOBA SABDA (ZA)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 13232
- Title
- The Northern Goldfields Diaries of Thomas Baines
- Author
- Wallis, J. P. R. (editor)
- Book Condition
- Used
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- (London: Chatto & Windus, 1946)
- Keywords
- Lobengula. Matabeleland. Hunting. Diaries. Exploration Travel
- Bookseller catalogs
- Travel;
- Note
- May be a multi-volume set and require additional postage.
Terms of Sale
Christison Rare Books, IOBA SABDA
All books offered subject to availability. Returns are accepted where we have erred materially in our description of goods.
About the Seller
Christison Rare Books, IOBA SABDA
Biblio member since 2018
Port Elizabeth
About Christison Rare Books, IOBA SABDA
Christison Rare Books operates as a mail order business, based in Port Elizabeth. We are members of IOBA and SABDA. Whereas we stock thousands of books on a wide variety of subjects, our focus has always been on SE Africa - its peoples, wildlife and history. The store is managed by Lindsay Christison. Although we do not run an open book shop, prospective customers who would like to examine items described in our on-line list of stock are welcome to make an appointment.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Bookplate
- Highly sought after by some collectors, a book plate is an inscribed or decorative device that identifies the owner, or former...
- Edges
- The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...
- G
- Good describes the average used and worn book that has all pages or leaves present. Any defects must be noted. (as defined by AB...
- Buckram
- A plain weave fabric normally made from cotton or linen which is stiffened with starch or other chemicals to cover the book...
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...