Free State and New Rand Gold Author: D. Jacobsson (Frequently catalogued as Jacobson)
Free State and New Rand Gold (Collectible Author-Publisher Inscribed First Edition Hardcover)
The Authoritative Mid-40s Mining and Geologic Breakdown of the Orange Free State and New Rand Gold Fields, Presented by the Author to the Managing Director of the Central News Agency
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: Free State and New Rand Gold
- Author: D. Jacobsson (Frequently catalogued as Jacobson)
- Publisher: Central News Agency Ltd. (CNA), Johannesburg
- Publication Date: 1945
- ISBN-10: None Issued (Pre-ISBN Era)
- ISBN-13: None Issued (Pre-ISBN Era)
- Edition Details: First Edition, First Printing (Hardcover).
- Binding: Original publisher's premium textured boards featuring title decorations in gold gilt on both the front face and the spine panel. Offered as issued without a dust jacket.
- Physical Format: Slim Octavo (8vo), 111 pages. Comprehensively equipped with specialized geological diagrams, mining data projections, and a large multi-colored fold-out technical map tucked into the rear block.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Very Good (VG)
- Exterior / Covers: The original cloth boards remain structurally straight, rigid, and sound. The outer surfaces exhibit standard, light shelf rubbing and age-related wear to the perimeter edges, completely appropriate for a wartime-era publication. The original gold gilt lettering and spine accents are present but show slight, natural fading from decades of handling.
- Interior: The internal text block is tight, solid, and securely bound. The text pages remain neat, crisp, and clean. The large fold-out technical map at the rear is complete and unbroken. The pages display a light, uniform natural tanning, but are entirely free of thumb-soiling, tears, user highlighting, or marginal text underlining.
- Provenance: Beautifully elevated by a prominent, historical ink presentation inscription entirely handwritten, signed, and dated by the author on the front free endpaper.
The Inscription & Provenance Analysis
The front endpaper features an authentic presentation inscription reading:
The front endpaper features an authentic presentation inscription reading:
"W. Wolpert With the author's compliments, and many thanks for the trouble you have taken, D Jacobsson May 1945"
This inscription represents a direct piece of South African literary and corporate history. The recipient, William Wolpert, was the Managing Director of the Central News Agency (CNA). As the publisher of this volume, Wolpert personally oversaw its production during the height of wartime resource shortages. Jacobsson's handwritten note serves as an official thank-you to his publisher for navigating those printing hurdles in May 1945, making this an elite association copy for advanced collectors of economic history.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Published in Johannesburg during the closing months of the Second World War, Free State and New Rand Gold is an invaluable primary-era chronicle of South African economic history. Written by the seasoned mining journalist D. Jacobsson, the book documents the frenzied geological speculation and borehole drilling successes that shifted the focus of global gold production away from the traditional Central Witwatersrand towards the northern Orange Free State (Odendaalsrus) and the New Rand areas.
Published in Johannesburg during the closing months of the Second World War, Free State and New Rand Gold is an invaluable primary-era chronicle of South African economic history. Written by the seasoned mining journalist D. Jacobsson, the book documents the frenzied geological speculation and borehole drilling successes that shifted the focus of global gold production away from the traditional Central Witwatersrand towards the northern Orange Free State (Odendaalsrus) and the New Rand areas.
Jacobsson strips away dense corporate jargon to explain how the intersection of geophysical surveying, diamond crown core drills, and high-stakes financial backing unlocked deep-level gold-bearing reefs. Rich with contemporary production statistics and financial timelines, this scarce, author-signed first pressing is an essential acquisition for serious collectors of mining history, South African financial ephemera, and investment-grade economic history.
Author Profile: D. Jacobsson
D. Jacobsson was a highly prominent mid-20th-century South African financial journalist, mining analyst, and economic author. Best known for his definitive trade publications—including his celebrated earlier work, Fifty Golden Years of the Rand—Jacobsson served as a leading public authority on the developments of the Witwatersrand gold basin. His exceptional ability to translate complex geological surveys and corporate financial reports into lucid, engaging, and objective prose earned him the deep respect of both institutional investors and hard-rock miners across the Highveld.
D. Jacobsson was a highly prominent mid-20th-century South African financial journalist, mining analyst, and economic author. Best known for his definitive trade publications—including his celebrated earlier work, Fifty Golden Years of the Rand—Jacobsson served as a leading public authority on the developments of the Witwatersrand gold basin. His exceptional ability to translate complex geological surveys and corporate financial reports into lucid, engaging, and objective prose earned him the deep respect of both institutional investors and hard-rock miners across the Highveld.
boer war collectible book free state and new rand gold d jacobsson jacobson cna 1945 first edition rare book gold mining industry orange free state odendaalsrus borehole drilling exploration geology maps william wolpert cna managing director inscription author signed used copy publishing association copy
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