Ou Kaapstad Author/Illustrator: Joy Collier
Ou Kaapstad (Collectible First Edition Copy)
A Breathtaking Artistic and Narrative Voyage into the Heart of Early Cape Town
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: Ou Kaapstad
- Author/Illustrator: Joy Collier
- Publisher: A.A. Balkema, Cape Town / Amsterdam
- Publication Date: 1961
- Edition Details: First Edition (Eerste Druk). Highly sought-after illustrated history capturing the old architecture and social life of the historic Cape.
- Binding: Original publisher's premium linen cloth boards with decorative spine stamps, complete with original illustrated dust jacket.
- Physical Format: Quarto (4to). Masterfully enriched with dozens of full-page charcoal sketches, architectural line drawings, and map endpapers by the author.
- Language: Afrikaans translation (simultaneously released with the English Portrait of Cape Town edition).
Official Condition Report
- The Book: Very Good (VG)
- Exterior / Boards: The original linen binding is straight, square, and firm, showing minimal shelf wear. Contains faint, minor vintage sellotape shadow markings on the outer edges from a historical jacket protector, which does not affect structural integrity.
- Interior: Excellent text block condition. The heavy sketch-paper pages are remarkably clean, tight, and bright, free of personal names, foxing spots, or edge dog-ears.
- The Dust Jacket: Very Good (VG)
- Condition: Bright and complete cover artwork with only slight, microscopic wear along the corner edges and faint historic sellotape marks on the inner flaps. The jacket has now been professionally fitted with a new, removable clear plastic protective cover to ensure archival longevity.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Published in 1961 by the renowned specialist publisher A.A. Balkema, Ou Kaapstad is an artistic monument dedicated to the architectural and cultural spirit of the Mother City. Artist Joy Collier takes readers on a grand historical walking tour, mapping out the old Castle of Good Hope, the vanished townhouses of the Heerengracht, the slave quarters, and the historic wine estates of Constantia. Collier's incredibly atmospheric charcoal illustrations preserve crucial historical monuments and Cape Dutch facades before they were altered by mid-century urban development, making this a premium collector's item.
Author Profile: Joy Collier
Joy Collier (1914–1984) was an esteemed British-born South African artist, illustrator, and historical author. Settling in the Cape after WWII, she became deeply enamored with its historical heritage. Using her exceptional talent for architectural sketching, she published several landmark illustrated volumes—such as Stellenbosch Revisited and The Purple and the Gold—earning deep respect for safeguarding early colonial heritage via fine art.
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