- +27 82 328 2755
- [email protected]
- The Old Mushroom Farm, 11 Karkloof Rd, Howick, RSA
R0.00
R1750.00
As both a cultural record and architectural study, Historic Houses of South Africa continues to hold enduring relevance. Fairbridge’s writing captures a formative moment in the preservation of South African heritage, documenting buildings that in some cases no longer survive.
1 in stock
Historic Houses of South Africa, published in 1922, is one of the earliest and most influential works to document the architectural heritage of the country. Written by Dorothea Fairbridge, a prominent South African historian and founding member of the Cape Town Historical Society, the book presents a richly researched survey of significant early residences, many of which date back to the Dutch and British colonial periods.
Fairbridge’s narrative blends architectural analysis with social history, offering readers a vivid portrait of the families, craftsmen, and evolving cultural influences that shaped South Africa’s domestic architecture. Historic Houses of South Africa3 remains an essential reference for heritage scholars and architectural enthusiasts.
Within Historic Houses of South Africa, Fairbridge provides detailed descriptions of layout, building materials, stylistic influences, and decorative features, drawing upon site visits and archival research. She explores iconic Cape Dutch homesteads, Georgian townhouses, and frontier dwellings, highlighting how these structures reflect the historical experiences of the region.
As both a cultural record and architectural study, Historic Houses of South Africa continues to hold enduring relevance. Fairbridge’s writing captures a formative moment in the preservation of South African heritage, documenting buildings that in some cases no longer survive.
Condition – Near Fine Original navy-blue cloth boards remain structurally sound, showing only minor wear to the extremities. A small piece of paper is adhered to the front cover, mentioned for accuracy. The spine is firm with minimal rubbing at the head and tail, presenting attractively on the shelf. Internally, the volume is well preserved: endpapers show age-related toning, while the remainder of the text block is clean and remarkably fresh for a book of this age.
All pages and plates are present and correctly bound. The head of the text block is neatly trimmed, with the fore-edge and tail retaining their original deckled finish. Overall, a well-preserved collector’s example of this South African architectural work.
