Olive Schreiner as Ralph Iron - THE STORY OF AN AFRICAN FARM - FIRST EDITION

A gorgeous copy of the scarce first edition of this South African literary highspot, finely bound in gilt tooled full leather. 1883. 2 Vols. The unsigned bindings are in full blue calf with five spine bands creating six compartments with maroon leather gilt tooled title panels occupying two of the compartments. Elaborate gilt tooling to the spines, front panels, edges and inner dentelles with marbled endpapers. Hand sewn headbands and all edges gilt. Enclosed in a custom made marbled board slipcase with leather trimmings. There are a few trivial spots of foxing on the prelims but otherwise clean, unmarked and bright. A fine copy.

Depending on the source quoted, there were only between three and five hundred copies of this edition published, most of them having gone to public or commercial libraries. As late as 138 years after publication, The Story of An African Farm remains the most significant work of literature to have come out of South Africa.