34th Edition

225mm x 330mm

Minor wear, top and bottom of spine torn etc.

R1,000

Rhodesia Box 2, No 10

The African World Annual (34th Edition, 1937) is a large-format, heavily illustrated special publication produced by The African World, an influential London-based weekly newspaper founded in 1902 by Leo Weinthal. Published at two shillings and sixpence (2/6), these annual volumes served as comprehensive commercial, geopolitical, and geographical surveys of the African continent during the interwar imperial era. The yellow banners framing the central artwork outline the primary territories covered in the issue: South Africa, Rhodesia, Kenya, Tanganyika, Belgian Congo, Uganda, West Africa, Egypt, Angola, and Mozambique.

Modern Transportation Imagery: The central illustration prominently displays three modes of contemporary travel—a steam train on a scenic mountain railway, an early motor car on a dirt pass, and a twin-engine passenger monoplane flying overhead. This reflects the publication’s heavy focus on expanding transport, infrastructure, and the imperial "Cape-to-Cairo" transit networks. Barclays Bank Advertising: The front cover features a full-page prominent advertisement for Barclays Bank (Dominion, Colonial and Overseas), listing over 400 branches across the Union of South Africa, the Rhodesias, East Africa, West Africa, Egypt, Sudan, Palestine, and international financial hubs (London, Liverpool, Manchester, Hamburg, New York, Montreal, and Toronto).

Typical Contents & Historical Context (1937)Mining & Financial Industry Reviews: Extensive reports on Witwatersrand gold fields, Northern Rhodesian copper belt development, diamond production, and continental trade balances leading up to World War II. Infrastructure & Aviation: Feature articles on the rapid expansion of imperial aviation (such as Imperial Airways routes across Africa), road construction, harbour developments, and railway extensions. Colonial Administration & Tourism: Illustrated features detailing agricultural developments, wildlife reserves, colonial affairs, and regional municipal growth across British, Portuguese, and Belgian territories. Period Advertising: Filled with period advertisements from steamship operators (Union-Castle Line, German East Africa Line), engineering firms, agricultural equipment manufacturers, and luxury consumer brands targeting European expatriates and investors.