Cornell, Fred C. A Rip Van Winkle of the Kalahari and Other Tales of South-West Africa. London: T. Fisher Unwin, Ltd, n.d. [1915]. First edition. Octavo, pp. [i-v] vi 7-320. Original blue cloth, front panel stamped in black, spine panel stamped in gold. Former owner's name on front free endpaper. Spine panel very lightly sunned, front inner hinge repaired a bit clumsily, else a very good copy. Scarce. #1846. $150. Adventure fiction consisting of two novellas and five short stories. The title story is quasi-utopian, though not noted by Sargent or other specialists. "Title-novel is a traveller's tale about his drugged sleep in a vast pit and his awakening in a fabled country rich in diamonds and inhabited by the descendants of the old Phoenicians, who are ruled by an immortal priestess." -- Teitler and Locke, By the World Forgot, #295. "The title story (pp. 13-149) is a lost race story rather better than average ." -- Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, p. 59. The short stories describe the perils awaiting English explorers and prospectors in South Africa who are looking for fortune or fame. They also find malevolent ghosts in some cases. In another case, one brother encounters a tribe of baboons, joins them, regresses to their level of barbarism, and years later nearly kills his other brother. Bleiler (1978), p. 50. Reginald 03445. Seller Inventory # 1846

Contact seller

Report this item

Bibliographic Details

Title: A Rip Van Winkle of the Kalahari

Publisher: T. Fisher Unwin, London

Publication Date: 1915

Binding: Hardback

Condition: Very Good

Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket

Edition: First Edition.

Store Description

When I began my bookselling business in 1996 I called it "Eldritch Books" because that adjective at least partly covered the type of material I offered (and because its similarity to my own surname seemed so -- eldritch). "Ghost stories" would be another handy, if somewhat reductive, term. Most of it is fiction from the 19th and early 20th century with a strong emphasis on the fantastic. Since the most familiar and relevant genre terms in use today -- "science fiction," "fantasy," "supernatural," "horror" -- were not so much in use when these books were first published, pegging them that way can be anachronistic. But that should give you the general idea. I don't have much in the way of American pulp (either in magazine or specialty press book form) but otherwise my interests range widely from high-brow to middle-brow to low-brow to amateur/eccentric. You're more likely to find rare and obscure works here than high spots. (Or at least they're obscure now, whatever their status was when first published.) In 2001 I went to work for L. W. Currey as cataloguer and general assistant. Since 2014 I've been back working on my own. I have exhibited at convention fairs (such as WFC and Readercon) in the past. I began collecting and studying antiquarian fantasy around 1980. Some of my essays have appeared in genre publications such as NYRSF, Wormwood and F&SF. I tend to carefully research my inventory and write extensive notes. (If another dealer wishes to make use of any of these notes, I'd appreciate the courtesy of putting such excerpts in quotes and giving proper attribution to me. That's what I do when I quote from any of my reference works.) I will be gradually listing my inventory on ABE over the coming years. I hope you find something of interest.

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

Robert Eldridge, Bookseller
NY, U.S.A.

Terms of Sale:

Contact information:
Robert Eldridge
P. O. Box 293
Elizabethtown NY 12932
USA.
Tel: 518-873-9966.
Email: rfx51@charter.net.

Shipping and handling:
I ship only by U.S. Postal Service. All shipments are packed carefully and mailed with insurance and (for domestic shipments) tracking information. Except where specified for extra large items, rates are: Domestic (within USA) Media Mail: $5. Domestic Priority: $10. International First Class (must be under 4 lbs.): $25. International Global Priority (...

More Information

Shipping Terms:

Payment Methods
accepted by seller

Check Money Order Bank/Wire Transfer

Add to Wants