Wanderings and Adventures in the Interior of Southern Africa (Volumes I & II) Author: Andrew Steedman
Wanderings and Adventures in the Interior of Southern Africa (Two-Volume Limited Edition Set, #110 of 750)
An Essential Regency-Era Exploration Masterwork and Comprehensive Anthropological Survey
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: Wanderings and Adventures in the Interior of Southern Africa (Volumes I & II)
- Author: Andrew Steedman
- Publisher: C. Struik, Cape Town (Africana Collectanea Series, Volumes XVIII & XXVII)
- Publication Date: 1966 (Vol. XVIII) & 1974 (Vol. XXVII) [Facsimile Reproductions of the 1835 Longmans First Edition]
- ISBN: Not Issued (Pre-dates standard modern multi-volume international encoding parameters)
- Edition Details: Africana Collectanea Series Facsimile Editions. Strictly limited runs of 750 numbered copies, both volumes neatly hand-numbered as No. 110.
- Binding: Original publisher's premium bottle green library cloth bindings, richly enhanced with tight, uncracked joints, sharp corners, and brilliant gilt spine lettering.
- Physical Format: Octavo (8vo), Two Volumes. Generously illustrated with classic woodcuts, full-page lithographs of South African fauna, and panoramic geographical profiles.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
- The Book: Good to Very Good (G/VG)
- Exterior / Boards: Both volumes retain exceptionally tight, square, and neat bottle green cloth wraps. The structural frame is entirely solid with excellent hinge strength. Minimal, non-structural handling wear present along the edges, with the decorative gilt lettering remaining bright and highly legible.
- Interior: The pages are remarkably clean, crisp, and tightly bound. Free of user signatures, modern underlinings, corner creasing, or severe foxing. A pristine text environment.
- The Dust Jackets: Very Good (VG)
- Condition Detail: Both original graphic dust jackets remain fully intact, displaying only slight storage markings and minor peripheral edge wear. They have been meticulously enhanced and protected with premium, archival-grade removable plastic protective jackets to prevent any future shelf friction.
Synopsis & Historical Value
First published in London in 1835, Andrew Steedman's Wanderings and Adventures details a multi-year journey spanning over ten thousand miles through the South African frontier. Steedman, an observant naturalist, provides an invaluable eyewitness account of the early Cape Colony, the Griqua territories, and the complex interior lands during the tumultuous 1820s and 1830s.
The two volumes are highly valued for their detailed descriptions of regional wildlife, early encounters with the Xhosa and Zulu kingdoms, and precise ethnographic accounts. By aligning matched limitation numbers (No. 110 of 750) from Struik's iconic Africana Collectanea Series, this set represents a scarce, high-investment asset for serious institutional and private collectors alike.
Author Profile: Andrew Steedman
Andrew Steedman was a celebrated 19th-century British naturalist, institutional explorer, and merchant-adventurer who resided at the Cape of Good Hope for ten years. His deep passion for documenting African wildlife led him to orchestrate expansive private collecting safaris into unknown interior territories. Upon returning to London, his massive private collections of preserved animal specimens formed the basis of the famous African Glen exhibition in the Egyptian Hall, establishing him as a crucial link in early Victorian natural science and exploration literature.
