Philip Bawcombe's Johannesburg by Philip Bawcombe & Ted Scannell

Philip Bawcombe's Johannesburg (Inscribed Copy in Illustrated Dust Jacket, 1973)

Philip Bawcombe's Watercolour and Sketch Views of Old Johannesburg, with Text by Ted Scannell

Bibliographic Specifications

• Title: Philip Bawcombe's Johannesburg
• Authors: Philip Bawcombe & Ted Scannell
• Publisher: Village Publishing (Pty) Ltd., Johannesburg
• Publication Date: 1973
• ISBN-10: 0620011351
• Binding: Publisher's hardcover in illustrated dust jacket, the front panel showing a watercolour of a Johannesburg street scene with Burfields and Ackermans.
• Physical Format: Large, tall illustrated format, 134 pages. With watercolour and sketch illustrations.
• Language: English

Official Condition Report

• The Book: Good (G)
• Exterior / Boards: The illustrated dust jacket shows some creasing and rubbing to the front panel, with a small mark near the lower edge. The spine is lightly marked at the head and carries a small scuff. The boards, corners and edges beneath the jacket have not been assessed.
• Interior: The title page and copyright page are clean, with no foxing. A handwritten inscription in blue ink in Afrikaans appears on a preliminary page. No bookplates or stamps. The title page faces a sketch.
• Provenance: Handwritten inscription in blue ink, in Afrikaans: "Kleuntjie, Omdat ek so reen elke oun mynhoop hou. Liefde, Ekke. 15-4-74,".
• The Dust Jacket: Present. Publisher's illustrated jacket with light wear, creasing and rubbing as described above. Protected in a Mylar sleeve.

Synopsis & Historical Value

Published in Johannesburg in 1973 by Village Publishing, Philip Bawcombe's Johannesburg is an illustrated record of the city's older buildings and streets, drawn from the watercolours and sketches of the artist Philip Bawcombe, with accompanying text by Ted Scannell. The jacket itself carries a street scene featuring Burfields and Ackermans.

The book captures the outline and detail of old Johannesburg's architecture, much of which has since changed. It has been cited as a reference for entries on individual Johannesburg buildings, such as Queen's Hall. It was followed by a companion volume, Philip Bawcombe's Kimberley, in 1976.

This copy carries a warm Afrikaans personal inscription dated April 1974, adding a touch of period ownership to a volume of interest to collectors of South African art, urban history and Johannesburg heritage.

Author Profile: Philip Bawcombe

Philip William Bawcombe (1906-2000) was born in London and trained as an industrial designer. He worked for interior decorating firms and ocean liner decorators before moving into film from 1930, designing sets at Gaumont-British and later serving as resident art director at Sound Film Producing & Recording Studios.

During the Second World War he served in a camouflage unit in the Middle East, and from 1943 to 1945 was an official war artist to the South African forces. A collection of fifty of his war paintings is held at the Ditsong National Museum of Military History in Johannesburg. He designed the official Rhodes Centenary Exhibition in Bulawayo in 1953 and exhibited across southern Africa from 1946 until his death.

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