Graves and Guineas [1969 First Ed] & The Road to El Dorado [1968 First Ed] (Two-Volume Companion Set) - J. T. McNish (James Thomas McNish)

Graves and Guineas & The Road to El Dorado (2-Book Set)

A Classic Narrative Set Capturing the Wild Diamond and Gold Rushes of Early South Africa

       Bibliographic Specifications

• Title: Graves and Guineas [1969 First Ed] & The Road to El Dorado [1968 First Ed] (Two-Volume Companion Set)
• Author: J. T. McNish (James Thomas McNish)
• Publisher: C. Struik, Cape Town
• Publication Date: 1968 and 1969 (First Editions)
• ISBN: None Issued (Pre-ISBN era for these releases)
• Edition Details: First Editions. Matching historical companion volumes on early southern African mining booms.
• Binding: Original publisher's premium textured cloth hardbacks with gold-stamped spine lettering.
• Physical Format: Octavo (8vo) set. Enhanced with historical sketches, map routes, and archival portraits of frontier prospectors.
• Language: English

Official Condition Report

• The Books: Very Good (VG)
• Exterior / Boards: Both volumes feature flat, clean, and structurally sound cloth hardback boards with sharp corners. Gilt spine text is bright.
• Interior: Very Good Plus (VG+). Text blocks are secure and clean. Internal pages are remarkably bright white, crisp, and entirely free of foxing, highlighting, dealer marks, or owner signatures.
• The Dust Jackets: Good (G)
• Both original jackets show overall edge wear, rubbing, and shelf friction, with visible sun-fading and small chips along the spine blocks. Both jackets have been professionally fitted with new clear archival plastic covers, stabilizing them and improving their shelf appearance.

Synopsis & Historical Value

This premium, two-volume first-edition set by J.T. McNish is a highly regarded narrative history of the early South African mining rushes. The Road to El Dorado (1968) details the wild, lawless diamond rush along the Vaal River diggings before the rise of corporate mining. Graves and Guineas (1969) expands into the brutal realities of the early gold strikes, tracking the prospectors, swindlers, and pioneers who shaped early Kimberley and the Witwatersrand. Published by the renowned C. Struik, this set is an essential addition for collectors of mining history and frontier lore.

Author Profile: J. T. McNish

James Thomas McNish was a premier South African mining historian and author. His writing is celebrated for its narrative pace and its preservation of old prospector journals, mining camp records, and frontier folklore, creating an authentic picture of late 19th-century boomtown life.