The Barnett Collection, a Pictorial Record of Early Johannesburg (numbered leather bound edition)

Number 375 out of a leather bound edition of 400, The Star Newspaper, 1966, hardcover, landscape format, illustrated, condition: very good.

The Barnett Collection A Pictorial Record of Early Johannesburg, published by The Star to commemorate the City's 80th year (Johannesburg, 1966). This large volume of sepia toned photographs of early years of life in Johannesburg was such a success that it became volume 1 of the now much sought after two volume set. The Barnett brothers, David and Joseph were photographers of the town. Their collection of over two thousand prints became a valuable and essential photographic record and resource of the emerging town and pioneering gold mining initiatives. This book sketches the story of these two enterprising brothers and gives us a glimpse into early mining, the first suburbs, the interiors of affluent homes, sporting life, entertainment and more. We can study the images of pioneering people and wonder who they were and what were their life stories. Crowd scenes of the Jameson Raid and the Boer War highlight the drama of the moment. This selection of images was well chosen and the book has become a collectors item.