Gamebirds of Southern Africa by P A Clancey
Gamebirds of Southern Africa (Premium Illustrated First Edition Copy)
The Definitive Architectural Field Study and Taxonomic Compendium of All Major Sporting Birds South of the Cunene, Okavango, and Zambezi Rivers
The Definitive Architectural Field Study and Taxonomic Compendium of All Major Sporting Birds South of the Cunene, Okavango, and Zambezi Rivers
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: Gamebirds of Southern Africa
- Author: P.A. Clancey (Phillip Alexander Clancey)
- Publisher: Purnell & Sons (SA) Pty Ltd, Cape Town / Johannesburg
- Publication Date: 1967
- Edition Details: First Edition, First Impression. Standard Hardcover Issue.
- Binding: Publisher's original full linen cloth boards with crisp stamped title lettering on the spine, topped with an illustrated dust jacket.
- Physical Format: Large Quarto (4to), 285 x 220 mm, xviii + 224 pages. Collated complete. Richly illustrated with 12 magnificent full-page colour plates painted by the author, 10 regional distribution maps, and numerous fine-line anatomical drawings textually integrated throughout.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Very Good (VG)
- Exterior / Boards: The original linen boards remain structurally flat, square, and robust. The corners and edges exhibit very minimal shelf wear. The spine is rigid, tight, and completely undamaged.
- Interior: The text block is robustly bound, tight, and square. Internal pages, maps, and the 12 brilliant colour plates are exceptionally clean, clear, and without user markings, highlighting, or dog-ears.
- Provenance: Displays faint tape residue markings restricted to the front and back fixed endpapers from a past protective cover removal, entirely localized and not encroaching upon the text or artwork.
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The Dust Jacket: Very Good (VG) in Protective Wrap
- Exterior: Present and beautifully preserved. The jacket exhibits standard age-related edge wear, light surface rubbing, and minor crinkling along the borders. It is now safely housed under a brand-new, fresh Mylar archival protective sleeve which stabilizes the paper perfectly, enhances its visual display, and secures the jacket for premium long-term shelf collection.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Published in 1967 by Purnell, Gamebirds of Southern Africa stands as an undisputed, monumental classic in African ornithological and sporting literature. This excellent first edition serves as a definitive, highly specialized guide designed explicitly to furnish authoritative data on the plumages, evolutionary biological patterns, distribution ranges, and nesting habits of all major sporting birds across the southern African subcontinent—specifically tracking the expansive geographic territory south of the Cunene, Okavango, and Zambezi rivers.
Published in 1967 by Purnell, Gamebirds of Southern Africa stands as an undisputed, monumental classic in African ornithological and sporting literature. This excellent first edition serves as a definitive, highly specialized guide designed explicitly to furnish authoritative data on the plumages, evolutionary biological patterns, distribution ranges, and nesting habits of all major sporting birds across the southern African subcontinent—specifically tracking the expansive geographic territory south of the Cunene, Okavango, and Zambezi rivers.
Clancey incorporates peerless taxonomic precision into this volume, breaking down the species into meticulous regional studies that explore wild ducks, francolins, quails, guineafowl, sandgrouse, buttonquail (hemipodes), and bustards, among many others. Far surpassing ordinary technical registers, the volume is elevated by Clancey's own masterful artistic contributions, featuring twelve high-fidelity colour plates that capture the precise cryptic coloration of these prized birds. Long out of print, this 1967 masterpiece seamlessly balances the rigorous field taxonomy required by scientists with the practical environmental insight demanded by traditional sportsment, securing its position as a cornerstone collectible for serious ornithologists, Africana bibliophiles, and wildlife historians.
Author Profile: P.A. Clancey
Dr. Phillip Alexander Clancey (1917–2001) was an internationally acclaimed, legendary Scottish-born South African ornithologist, author, taxonomist, and fine wildlife artist. During World War II, Clancey served with immense distinction in the 51st (Highland) Division with the Allied forces during the intense campaigns in Sicily and Italy, where he narrowly escaped death and was left permanently deafened in one ear by a close-range artillery explosion. Moving to South Africa in 1950, he served as the visionary Director of the Durban Museum and Art Gallery for over three decades. Clancey wrote extensively on African avian systematics, undertaking dozens of hazardous wilderness expeditions and naming an astonishing two-hundred new sub-species of Southern African birds. His unique combination of combat resilience, peerless artistic illustration skill, and sharp taxonomic rigor cemented his legacy as one of the most influential figures in 20th-century international ornithology.
Dr. Phillip Alexander Clancey (1917–2001) was an internationally acclaimed, legendary Scottish-born South African ornithologist, author, taxonomist, and fine wildlife artist. During World War II, Clancey served with immense distinction in the 51st (Highland) Division with the Allied forces during the intense campaigns in Sicily and Italy, where he narrowly escaped death and was left permanently deafened in one ear by a close-range artillery explosion. Moving to South Africa in 1950, he served as the visionary Director of the Durban Museum and Art Gallery for over three decades. Clancey wrote extensively on African avian systematics, undertaking dozens of hazardous wilderness expeditions and naming an astonishing two-hundred new sub-species of Southern African birds. His unique combination of combat resilience, peerless artistic illustration skill, and sharp taxonomic rigor cemented his legacy as one of the most influential figures in 20th-century international ornithology.
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