A Cask of Jerepigo – Sketches and Essays by Herman Charles Bosman

A Cask of Jerepigo: Sketches and Essays by Herman Charles Bosman is a collection showcasing the wit, observation and distinctive South African voice of one of the country’s most celebrated literary figures. This 1964 hardcover edition, published by Human & Rousseau, Cape Town and Pretoria, contains 172 pages and is an appealing collectable edition of Bosman’s non-fiction and shorter writings.

Best known for his humorous and often sharply perceptive portrayals of South African life, Bosman occupies an important place in twentieth-century South African literature. A Cask of Jerepigo brings together sketches and essays covering a broad range of subjects, demonstrating a side of his writing beyond the famous Oom Schalk Lourens stories. His characteristic irony, humour and ability to capture the peculiarities of people and places make the collection particularly attractive to readers of classic South African literature.

This 1964 Human & Rousseau edition is especially desirable with its original illustrated dust jacket still present. The understated grey cloth boards carry the title and author’s name to the spine, while the striking period dust-jacket artwork gives the volume considerable visual appeal on the shelf.

An excellent addition to a collection of Herman Charles Bosman, South African literature or Africana, and a worthwhile copy for anyone building a collection of early editions of Bosman’s posthumously published writings.

Condition – Good

Good 172-page 1964 hardcover in a very good dust jacket. The dust jacket is price-clipped and shows general age-related wear and toning. A small white label and library-style identification number are present on the dust-jacket spine; however, there are no other apparent library markings, stamps, pockets or indications that the book itself was an ex-library copy. Boards remain clean and well preserved. Pages show age-related toning but appear sound overall.