Quagga Rare Books & Art

A sketch by Robert Baden-Powell. Mafeking during the siege. (1899-1900)

Some recent acquisitions.

Intriguing Finds and Obscure Titles Quarto, 12 engraved folding plates, recent quarter goat skin over marbled boards. An exceptional and relevant line of previous ownership threads its way through this book. It bears the bookplates / labels of three notable mathematicians and one astronomer. In addition the marginalia of at least one...

We have the pleasure of displaying renowned South African / Namibian artist Joachim Schonfeldt’s piece for next year’s Cape Town Art Fair. Pop in to have a look if you are coming past Kalk Bay.

ECCE HOMO. BY FREDRICH NIETZCHE. First edition published in 1908. One of 1100 copies on Van Gelder laid paper, 150 premium copies were printed on Japon. - Book decoration and binding were designed by Henry van de Velde, the books were bound at the Grand Ducal Saxon School of Applied Arts in Weimar. - Van de Velde was a great admirer of Nietzsche and, since his arrival in Weimar, has now also been in close proximity to the archive, which the philosopher's sister is controversially in charge of. Henry van de Velde designed all three of Insel-Verlag's major Nietzsche editions. - First edition of Nietzsche's autobiographical text, published by Raoul Richter. With remnants of the publishers paper wrapper and box.

Jean-Michel Basquiat. 2 large volumes in a slipcase. By Jean-Louis Prat and Richard Marshall. Published in 1996 by Galerie Enrico Navarra.

Another fascinating item from last week. Linnaeus’ notebooks. These are housed at the Linnaean Society in London. Another rare treat and privilege to see.

What a privilege today to be able to handle a copy of Audobon’s Birds of America. An unbelievable feat of artistry and publishing. Thank you Natural History Museum London.

THE ENGLISH DANCE OF DEATH. With 72 fine coloured aquatints by Thomas Rowlandson. Two volumes published in 1815-1816. A masterpiece of the British illustrated book.

As Jim Morrison said “ The future’s uncertain and the end is always near”. Here are some details of the proposed development of 4 micro apartments above our historic shop and 3 behind it. As tenants we have been here for over 30 years. Public participation is encouraged. Please voice your opinions to the heritage practitioner who’s details appear in the first image. #

Firsts Online Book Fair. Now live.

One of our highlights for The online bookfair starting on 2 December until 7 December. We may be locked out in South Africa but we still have some great books on offer. The Illustrated Book of Poultry. With 50 full colour chromolithographic plates. Published in 1885.

Thanks to these two florist fairies 🧚‍♀️ for making our window display so beautiful for Garden Day tomorrow.

The biggest and smallest books that we currently have in stock. In the palm of my hand is a 0,6 x 0,6cm copy of The Lord’s Prayer. The large blue book in the background is a set of District Maps of the Cape Colony circa 1890. 90 x 57cm

Extract from a letter by Nelson Mandela to Winnie. 1 February 1975.

Two German Frakur Manuscript Prayerbooks. Available on our website.

News from Quagga Books THE TAILOR OF GLOUCESTER BY BEATRIX POTTER First trade edition, with the deluxe cloth binding. Potter's second book, after Peter Rabbit (1901). It was initially privately published in 1902. This edition in 1903 by Frederick Warne, the first trade edition with an added 16 illustrations. A small numb...

A WALK IN THE NIGHT. By Alex La Guma. Fists edition with cover illustration by Peter Clarke. Signed by Clarke. bay

A rare copy of DRUM MAGAZINE from 1958. The establishment of Drum Magazine in the 1950s, notwithstanding the newly-elected Nationalist Party’s policy of Apartheid, reflected the dynamic changes that were taking place among the new urban Black South African – African, Indian and Coloured – communities.

The magazine became an important platform for a new generation of writers and photographers who changed the way Black people were represented in society. (sahistory.org.za)

THE WONDEROUS MUSHROOM: Mycolatry in Mesoamerica. By Gordon Wasson. First edition, number 405 of 501 signed by the author. Quarter-bound in green morocco. On our stand

Available on our stand from tomorrow. THE FLOWERING PLANTS OF SOUTH AFRICA VOLS. 1-65. With over 2000 colour plates.

A small collection of PETER CLARKE greeting cards. Available on our website.

Such a tragedy. The Jagger Library at UCT. So many treasures...