Overberg by Rothmann, Anna
Overberg (First Edition, 1983)
An Illustrated Archival Retrospective on the Landscape, Pioneering Heritage, and Early Cartography of the Historic Cape Region
An Illustrated Archival Retrospective on the Landscape, Pioneering Heritage, and Early Cartography of the Historic Cape Region
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: Overberg
- Author: Anna Rothmann
- Publisher: HAUM (Hollandsch Afrikaansche Uitgevers Maatschappij), Cape Town / Pretoria, South Africa
- Publication Date: 1983
- ISBN-10: 0798608401 / ISBN-13: 9780798608404
- Edition Details: First Edition
- Binding: Original publisher’s premium brown cloth boards with crisp titles stamped onto the spine; fine facsimile historical map endpapers.
- Physical Format: Oblong Quarto (4to), 103 + [i] pages. Abundantly enhanced with early colonial cartographic map reproductions, high-fidelity color photography, vintage monochrome prints, and historical fine art plates.
- Language: English (Simultaneously issued in Afrikaans)
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Exterior / Covers: The original brown boards are structurally straight, flat, and remarkably well-preserved. Corners remain sharp and clean. The spine is uncreased, tight, and completely undamaged.
- Interior: The pages are exceptionally clean, crisp, and immaculate throughout. Housed securely with a tasteful personal gift inscription on the front preliminary page.
- Preservation Note: This unique volume has been meticulously looked after and is professionally housed in a protective Cellophane cover to safeguard the binding and inserts.
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The Dust Jacket: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Condition Details: The original glossy pictorial laminated dust jacket accompanies the book beneath its protective cellophane sleeve. It exhibits only very limited, minor signs of standard edge handling, remaining completely bright, unfaded, and free of tears or chips.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Published in 1983 by the historic HAUM publishing house, Overberg is an authoritative, visually spectacular regional history written by one of the Cape's most respected cultural conservationists. Geographically compact but immensely rich, the Overberg territory holds within its boundary lines a complex tapestry of agrarian triumphs, exceptional natural biomes, and early colonial frontier history. Anna Rothmann masterfully designs this book not merely as an index of places, but as a sensory journey through the region's unique light, deep chiaroscuro, and evolving landscape palette.
Published in 1983 by the historic HAUM publishing house, Overberg is an authoritative, visually spectacular regional history written by one of the Cape's most respected cultural conservationists. Geographically compact but immensely rich, the Overberg territory holds within its boundary lines a complex tapestry of agrarian triumphs, exceptional natural biomes, and early colonial frontier history. Anna Rothmann masterfully designs this book not merely as an index of places, but as a sensory journey through the region's unique light, deep chiaroscuro, and evolving landscape palette.
The text reads as a brilliant visual walk through early South African history, starting with meticulous reproductions of the region's earliest pioneer cartographic maps. The chapters guide the reader past historic Cape Dutch farmsteads, ancient mountain passes, and isolated coastal outposts, capturing elements easily missed by hurried travelers. Complemented by exquisite, archival photographs and reproductions of early contemporary artwork, this scarce out-of-print first edition is a premier foundation block for collectors of Cape structural history, Overberg regional literature, and classic South African Africana.
Author Profile: Anna Rothmann
Anna Rothmann (1904–1986) was a highly distinguished South African naturalist, environmental educator, author, and cultural archivist. She was the daughter of the iconic, towering literary figure M.E.R. (Maria Elizabeth Rothmann), from whom she inherited a deep passion for the language, stories, and landscapes of the Overberg. Anna read science and went on to make history as one of the earliest female curators in South Africa, working extensively at the Albany Museum in Grahamstown and later driving the curation of the Drostdy Museum in Swellendam. Her lifework centered on preserving the delicate architectural, biological, and oral heritage of the rural Cape. Her elegantly written historical monographs are highly prized by antiquarian dealers and collectors worldwide for their absolute academic precision and their intimate connection to the soul of the Cape frontier.
Anna Rothmann (1904–1986) was a highly distinguished South African naturalist, environmental educator, author, and cultural archivist. She was the daughter of the iconic, towering literary figure M.E.R. (Maria Elizabeth Rothmann), from whom she inherited a deep passion for the language, stories, and landscapes of the Overberg. Anna read science and went on to make history as one of the earliest female curators in South Africa, working extensively at the Albany Museum in Grahamstown and later driving the curation of the Drostdy Museum in Swellendam. Her lifework centered on preserving the delicate architectural, biological, and oral heritage of the rural Cape. Her elegantly written historical monographs are highly prized by antiquarian dealers and collectors worldwide for their absolute academic precision and their intimate connection to the soul of the Cape frontier.
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