South African Beachcomber By Lawrence G. Green
South African Beachcomber (Collectible First Edition in New Protective Sleeve)
A Gripping and Powerful True First Printing Revealing the Pageant, Coast Dwellers, Marine Mysteries, and Lonely Shores of the Long South African Coastline
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: South African Beachcomber
- Author: Lawrence G. Green
- Publisher: Howard Timmins Ltd, Cape Town
- Publication Date: 1958
- ISBN: Not Applicable (Pre-ISBN Era / Issued Without ISBN)
- Edition Details: First Edition, First Printing. The highly anticipated original release of Green's monumental coastal and island anthology.
- Binding: Original publisher's cloth-bound hardcover.
- Physical Format: Octavo (8vo), 244 pages intricately detailed with photographic plate signatures and customized illustrated endpapers.
- Language: English.
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Used – Very Good (VG)
- Exterior / Boards: The hardboards are robust, flat, and square. The cloth binding remains uniform and well-preserved, while the spine block remains completely undamaged, solid, and firmly bound.
- Interior: Outstanding. The internal pages are remarkably clean, crisp, and fully intact. Free of standard user highlighting, dealer pencil markings, or annotations. Exhibits a standard, entirely authentic vintage browning/tanning of the pages along the margins, characteristic of the 1950s paper stock used during this publication cycle.
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The Dust Jacket: Used – Very Good (VG)
- Report: The original pictorial dust jacket has been beautifully looked after, showing only some limited, minor signs of light wear and age along the outer edge margins. It is now fully protected and stabilized behind a brand-new, fresh clear cellophane cover.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Published in 1958, South African Beachcomber stands as a powerful and gripping historical record revealing the life and deep fascination of the Union's beaches. Spanning the pageant of this long shore, Lawrence G. Green masterfully profiles the unique coast dwellers, from isolated lighthouse keepers and determined treasure hunters to veteran commercial fishermen. Shifting focus across the final five chapters, the narrative guides readers past the lonely stretches of the South African coast to the remote Atlantic islands glimpsed by travelers on the long route north—including St. Helena, Ascension, the Canaries, and Madeira. The text serves as an irreplaceable piece of heritage preservation documenting the maritime folklore, seabirds, and creatures of the sea that define Southern Africa's ocean boundaries.
Author Profile: Lawrence G. Green
Lawrence George Green (1900–1972) was one of South Africa’s most prolific and widely read authors, journalists, and travel biographers. Over his long career, he penned dozens of bestselling historical retrospectives, capturing the folklore, hidden corners, maritime mysteries, and eccentric characters of the African continent with an exceptionally accessible and deeply immersive prose style.
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