South Africa: A Visual Celebration By Elaine Hurford
South Africa: A Visual Celebration
A Radiant Geographic and Ecographic Anthology Showcasing the Landscapes, Wildlife, and Natural Splendours of the Subcontinent
A Radiant Geographic and Ecographic Anthology Showcasing the Landscapes, Wildlife, and Natural Splendours of the Subcontinent
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: South Africa: A Visual Celebration
- Author & Compiler: Elaine Hurford
- Publisher: Struik Publishers Ltd, Cape Town
- Publication Date: 1996 / 1997 (First Edition)
- ISBN-13: 9781868259571 (ISBN-10: 1868259579)
- Edition Details: First Edition. Hardcover Release.
- Binding: Original publisher's premium cloth-bound boards with decorative spine; complete with original full-colour pictorial dust jacket.
- Physical Format: Oversized Coffee-Table Folio (4to), 160 pages. Extensively curated with high-gloss, full-colour topographical, floral, and wildlife master photography printed across heavy-gauge art stock. Dimensions: Approx. 37.5 x 29.2 x 1.9 cm. Weight: Approx. 1.8 kg.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Exterior / Boards: The hardcovers are structurally upright, exceptionally firm, and completely square. The corners remain sharp and free of significant crushing or bumping. The spine is completely crisp, unbowed, and entirely undamaged.
- Interior: The text block is robustly bound, tight, and completely intact. The high-gloss internal pages and vibrant photographic spreads are clean, bright, and pristine. Entirely free of standard reader underlining, highlights, or dog-ears.
- Provenance: Features a neat, handwritten historical presentation gift inscription executed on the preliminary first page. The inscription is cleanly done and does not interfere with the printed title text or compromise the layout of the book.
- Protection: Safely enclosed and beautifully preserved within an archival-grade protective cellophane sleeve.
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The Dust Jacket: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Condition: Bright, complete, and unclipped. Displays only very limited, superficial signs of handling and trace storage friction at the edges, fully consistent with careful shelf housing over the years. Entirely free of deep tears, major chips, or spine fading.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Published by the renowned house of Struik, South Africa: A Visual Celebration serves as a magnificent panoramic window into the ancient, diverse geography of the southern tip of Africa. Compiled by Elaine Hurford, the monograph moves past standard tourism perspectives to offer a curated visual exploration of landforms sculpted by wind, sun, and water over millennia.
Bringing together a portfolio from the country's premier landscape and wildlife photographers, the volume maps out dramatic coastal wonders, towering mountain ranges, vibrant cultural portraits, and unmatched floral ecosystems. As an elegant visual record of South Africa's diverse natural heritage, this oversized coffee-table book continues to be highly prized by both regional Africana collectors and international photographic enthusiasts.
Author Profile: Elaine Hurford
Elaine Hurford is an established South African writer, editor, and independent publisher with a deep affinity for the landscapes, cultural narratives, and rural architecture of Southern Africa. Working alongside major publishing houses like Struik, her collaborative anthologies are highly regarded for their meticulous visual curation, accessibility, and ability to present regional environmental history through high-end documentary prose.
