A view from the ridge: Johannesburg retrospect (South African yesterdays ; no. 6) by Wentzel, John Brunette
A View from the Ridge: Johannesburg Retrospect (Premium First Edition Copy)
A Captivating, Richly Illustrated Architectural and Social Chronicle of the Early Beginnings of the Witwatersrand
A Captivating, Richly Illustrated Architectural and Social Chronicle of the Early Beginnings of the Witwatersrand
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: A View from the Ridge: Johannesburg Retrospect
- Author: John Brunette Wentzel
- Publisher: David Philip, Publisher, Cape Town (Featured as Volume No. 6 in the prestigious South African Yesterdays Series)
- Publication Date: 1975
- ISBN-10: 0949968501
- ISBN-13: 9780949968500
- Edition Details: First Edition, First Impression. Standard Hardcover Issue.
- Binding: Publisher's original full cloth boards with crisp stamped title lettering on the spine, topped with an illustrated dust jacket.
- Physical Format: Octavo (8vo), 220 x 145 mm, 102 pages. Extensively illustrated with rare historical photographs, archival street sketches, map outlines, and local architectural profiles of early Johannesburg.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Very Good Plus to Near Fine (VG+/NF)
- Exterior / Boards: The original structural cloth binding is in spectacular condition, remaining completely flat, square, and structurally uncompromised. The corners and edges show no noticeable shelf wear, and the spine remains perfectly straight, rigid, and uncreased.
- Interior: The text block is robustly bound, exceptionally tight, and immaculate. The pages, text blocks, and historical photographic sections are clean, crisp, bright white, and firmly attached. Completely free of standard user highlighting, foxing, previous owner names, or dog-ears.
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The Dust Jacket: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Exterior: Present and beautifully preserved within an archival clear protective cellophane wrapper. The jacket retains high color density and a crisp profile, showing only very slight, superficial signs of handling along the extreme edges. Free of major chipping, tattered tears, or sun fading.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Published in 1975 as part of David Philip's highly collectible South African Yesterdays Series, A View from the Ridge: Johannesburg Retrospect is an invaluable and deeply charming historical record of the birth and rapid evolution of the Witwatersrand goldfields. John Brunette Wentzel moves away from dry economic or political texts to provide an intimate, retrospective look at the human and architectural landscape of early Johannesburg.
Published in 1975 as part of David Philip's highly collectible South African Yesterdays Series, A View from the Ridge: Johannesburg Retrospect is an invaluable and deeply charming historical record of the birth and rapid evolution of the Witwatersrand goldfields. John Brunette Wentzel moves away from dry economic or political texts to provide an intimate, retrospective look at the human and architectural landscape of early Johannesburg.
The narrative provides an essential window into the mining camp beginnings of the late 1880s, tracing how a chaotic collection of tents and corrugated-iron shacks on the dust-swept highveld transformed within a few decades into a roaring, cosmopolitan financial capital. Wentzel focuses heavily on the grand Victorian and Edwardian estates that lined the rocky ridges of Parktown and Doornfontein, capturing the social lives of early mining magnates, pioneers, and working-class citizens. Well-illustrated with rare archival photographs and historical anecdotes, this out-of-print first impression serves as a reliable historical record of early Johannesburg social topography, securing its position as a cornerstone collectible for local historians, architecture enthusiasts, and serious Africana bibliophiles.
Author Profile: John Brunette Wentzel
John Brunette Wentzel was a highly dedicated South African historical chronicler, researcher, and local raconteur whose deep family roots in the early Transvaal granted him a unique, first-hand intimacy with the oral folklore and vanishing heritage of the Witwatersrand. Writing with a distinct literary quality and an eye for social detail, Wentzel worked closely with prominent archival societies to document the cultural identity of early Johannesburg before its historic landmarks were lost to modern redevelopment. His specialized contributions to local history collections are celebrated by collectors for balancing rigorous historical research with an accessible storytelling charm, ensuring his books remain highly prized, investment-grade classics for nostalgia lovers and book collectors worldwide.
John Brunette Wentzel was a highly dedicated South African historical chronicler, researcher, and local raconteur whose deep family roots in the early Transvaal granted him a unique, first-hand intimacy with the oral folklore and vanishing heritage of the Witwatersrand. Writing with a distinct literary quality and an eye for social detail, Wentzel worked closely with prominent archival societies to document the cultural identity of early Johannesburg before its historic landmarks were lost to modern redevelopment. His specialized contributions to local history collections are celebrated by collectors for balancing rigorous historical research with an accessible storytelling charm, ensuring his books remain highly prized, investment-grade classics for nostalgia lovers and book collectors worldwide.
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