South African History ~ Books & Pamphlets Catalogue ~ George McCall Theal HC

📌 Key Details

• Catalogue of Books and Pamphlets Relating to Africa South of the Zambesi
• Based on the collection of historian George McCall Theal, with hundreds of additional titles from institutional collections
• T. Maskew Miller, bookseller and publisher, Cape Town and Pretoria
• Includes material in English, Dutch, French, Portuguese and German, with notes on publications issued before 1872
• Ex-library copy with Caltech Libraries barcode, institutional embossing/markings, spine label remnants and visible exterior wear

📜 Description

Long before online catalogs made historical sources easy to locate, bibliographies like this were indispensable guides to the surviving printed record of a region. This substantial catalogue documents books and pamphlets concerning Africa south of the Zambezi, drawing first upon the collection assembled by South African historian George McCall Theal and then expanding it with hundreds of titles held by other important libraries.

Its scope makes it particularly interesting for collectors and researchers of South African history, Africana, colonial-era publishing, bibliography and the history of the book. Especially noteworthy are the annotations concerning works published before 1872, providing a window into the early printed sources available to historians of southern Africa.

📚 Background

George McCall Theal was a prolific historian of southern Africa whose collection and research became important resources for subsequent scholarship. The title page identifies additional material from the British Museum, the South African Public Library at Cape Town and other collections, turning the volume into a broad bibliographical record rather than simply a catalogue of one private library.

🧠 Collector’s Note

Early Africana bibliographies occupy a specialized but serious collecting niche because they preserve information about books, pamphlets and editions that can otherwise be difficult to trace. This example is clearly an institutional working copy rather than a fine collectible copy, with library markings and considerable binding wear, but its subject matter and bibliographical depth give it continued research and collector interest.

🖼️ What You’ll Receive

• One hardcover copy of Catalogue of Books and Pamphlets Relating to Africa South of the Zambesi associated with the collection of George McCall Theal

Carefully packaged and shipped securely. 📦