This offering presents a lifetime collection made by a career U. S. Army officer who spent considerable time in Africa and who read deeply in works on sport, exploration, and the history of the Dark Continent. There are many elusive items in the collection, including a few I have never personally seen in a lifetime devoted to Africana and even a couple of titles that were completely new to me. The collection clearly demonstrates not only wide-ranging interest and knowledge but the clear hallmarks of a devoted bibliophile who “knew his stuff” and had a knack for adding interesting and obscure items to his library. He was obviously first and foremost a reader rather than a sort of pretend bibliophile content to let his treasures occupy space as leather- or buckram-bound prisoners in glass-fronted cages. As a result the condition of the books ranges from decidedly rough reading copies to ones in top-grade condition, but in the final analysis one is left with no doubt whatsoever that the owner was a man who cherished Africa and read deeply in its literature, with his emphasis being on east and central portions of the continent.
There are several books in this holding which seldom appear for sale, and while condition varies, with a few rebound volumes in the mix, overall this is a rare opportunity for any connoisseur of Africana to fill gaps in his collection. Included are a number of truly rare books. There are also a few non-African items offered at the end of the list.
