The Old Houses of the Cape by Hans Fransen and Mary Alexander Cook, Roneoed edition (1974)

Ex libris Stephen Welz.

Two leatherbound volumes.
A "working copy" produced in an extremely limited run before the official second edition was published by A.A. Balkema.

Provisional text for the second edition, "entirely revised and extensively augmented by Hans Fransen."
This specific roneoed (stencil-duplicated) edition was limited to only 28 copies. This is copy No. 4, signed by Hans Fransen.

The Accompanying Letter

The letter dated 8th March 1974, is written by Hans Fransen to "Stephan" (likely Stephan Welz, the renowned South African art expert and auctioneer). It provides a candid, "behind-the-scenes" look at the production of this seminal work. Fransen mentions that the R15 price (roughly $20 at the time) barely covers the "typing, stencils and duplicating and binding." The letter reveals professional tension between the authors. Fransen notes that Dr. Mary Cook had not yet reacted to his drafts and that they were proceeding without her final input. There is mention of "friction" involving influential figures like Billy Hofmeyr and Anton Rupert, illustrating the complex social landscape of heritage preservation and arts publishing in 1970s South Africa. Fransen mentions working on a Cape furniture book for Tafelberg and pondering a "History of Art for South Africa."

"The Old Houses of the Cape" is considered the "bible" of Cape Dutch architecture.

As stated in the Authors' Preface, the 1965 first edition was the first serious attempt at a "scientific treatise" and detailed inventory of historical styles in the Western and Southern Cape.

The 1974 Expansion: This roneoed version represents the massive expansion of that research. It covers a vast geographical area—from Vanrhynsdorp to Graaff-Reinet—and includes over 30 districts (as seen in the Table of Contents).

The preface notes that the book was a response to the "dwindling remnants" of historical architecture, fueled by the formation of bodies like the Simon van der Stel Foundation.

While the final Balkema-published edition is a staple in Africana libraries, this pre-publication roneoed edition is a primary historical document.
Roneoed books are fragile; they were often printed on acidic paper that yellows over time. Finding one intact with its original correspondence is rare.

This set is essentially a "manuscript-in-progress" of one of the most important reference works ever produced on South African heritage. It captures the raw labor, academic disputes, and passion that went into documenting the Cape's architectural soul.

Each vol: 215mm x 330mm

R5,000