The Story of South Africa; An Account of the Historical Transformation of the Dark Continent by the European Powers and the Culminating Contest between Great Britain and the South African Republic in the Transvaal War

Oceanic Publishing Company, Sydney, 1899. First Edition. Hardcover. Good/No Dust Jacket. Illustrator: Photographic. XVI, 17-832 pages, publisher's preface, list of full page half-tone illustrations. At the beginning of the text is a double page, colour, map of South Africa, Orange Free State and the Cape Colony. According to the list of illustrations there should be a coloured frontispiece of Lord Roberts -- but it is not where it should be, and there doesn't appear to be any pages missing. The text is illustrated with 153 halftone photographs/illustrations throughout the text. The first such illustration is a photograph of Queen Victoria, as an old lady. The book is quarter bound in red leather with green coloured cloth boards. Gilt embossed illustration and titles to the front board. Embossed decoration and gilt titles to the backstrip. Marbling to all text block edges. Rubbing and some bumping to the book corners and backstrip edges. The underlying board is visible to the top corner of the front board. Though there have been some rubbing and fading to the letter portions of the binding and bumping to both the top and bottom of edges. Rubbing to the cloth of the boards along with few stains. Light browning to the endpapers and to the internal text. Previous owner's name to the free front endpaper. The book is in great shape for its age. The history of South Africa, from the first Portuguese colonisation up to the Boar War. This book is interesting in as much at the time of the book's publication the war in South Africa was still very much a going concern and the outcome was yet to be decided. Also of interest is Queen Victoria was still reigning monarch of England and her colonies. Size: 4to 9¾" - 12" tall. Please refer to accompanying picture (s). Illustrator: Photographic. Quantity Available: 1. Shipped Weight: 2-3 kilos. Category: Military & Warfare; History -- South Africa; Inventory No: 0109076. .