South Africa from the air by Potgieter, Herman
South Africa from the air
A Breathtaking Panoramic Masterpiece Mapping the Untamed Landscapes and Visual Diversity of the Subcontinent
A Breathtaking Panoramic Masterpiece Mapping the Untamed Landscapes and Visual Diversity of the Subcontinent
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: South Africa from the air
- Photographer: Herman Potgieter
- Publisher: Struik Publishers, Cape Town
- Publication Date: 1993
- ISBN-13: 9781868252855
- Edition Details: First Edition. Hardcover Release.
- Binding: Original publisher's premium textured cloth boards with decorative gilt-stamped typography to the spine; complete with original full-colour gloss illustrated dust jacket.
- Physical Format: Oversized Coffee-Table Folio (4to), 160 pages. Profusely illustrated with a brilliant collection of vivid, full-colour aerial landscape, geographic, and urban photographs printed on high-grade gloss art paper stock.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Exterior / Boards: The oversized cloth boards are structurally rigid, exceptionally square, and firm. Corners remain sharp and free of significant crushing or bumping. The spine is completely crisp, unbowed, and structurally flawless.
- Interior: The heavy text block is robustly bound, completely clean, and tight. Internal pages and the expansive full-colour aerial layouts are immaculate, bright white, and entirely free of reader dog-ears, highlights, or thumb marks.
- Provenance: Pristine collector's state; entirely free of previous owner signatures, institutional stamps, gift dedications, or dealer pencil markings.
- Protection: Kept pristine and safely enclosed within an archival-grade protective cellophane sleeve.
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The Dust Jacket: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Condition: Exceptionally bright, complete, and unclipped. Displays only very limited, superficial signs of minor handling and trace storage friction at the edge extremities, fully consistent with careful archival shelf housing. Free of any major tearing, chips, or sun-fading.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Published by the prestigious house of Struik in 1993, South Africa from the air is an extraordinary visual celebration of the country’s remarkable geographic and structural diversity. Executed by the legendary master of aerial photography, Herman Potgieter, this monumental work invites the reader on a stunningly panoramic tour high above the African subcontinent.
Potgieter's lens captures the vast distances, atmospheric colours, and complex textures of South Africa's landforms. From the dramatic, storm-swept peaks of the Drakensberg and the sweeping coastal wonderlands of the Cape to the geometric patterns of urban development and rural agriculture, the book provides an evocative reminder for the experienced traveller and an inspiring view for the browser at home. It stands as a timeless historical archive and a premier artistic achievement for collectors of high-end 20th-century Africana and aerial photography.
Author Profile: Herman Potgieter
Herman Potgieter (1953–1998) was internationally acclaimed as one of the world's premier aviation and aerial documentary photographers. Renowned for his unparalleled technical precision, creative composure, and artistic daring while shooting from open aircraft, his breathtaking perspectives transformed geographic photography across Southern Africa. His extensive portfolio with major publishing houses like Struik remains a benchmark for environmental and landscape documentation on the continent.
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