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Monday 09:00 - 17:00 Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00 Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00 Thursday 09:00 - 17:00 Friday 09:00 - 17:00 Saturday 09:00 - 16:00 Sunday 09:00 - 14:00

Rare Collections

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Rare Collections

Located in Constantia, Cape Town Rare Collections is a company deeply rooted in a passion for fine books and guided by a commitment to integrity in all we do.

Dedicated to the discovery and careful curation of rare books and prints, Rare Collections is a bookstore driven by a deep passion for fine works and a commitment to handling them with integrity. Specializing in rare and collectible items primarily sourced from the USA and Europe, we offer an expertly curated selection focused on fine press books, modern first editions, speculative fiction (including sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and gothic literature), natural science, prints, and related ephemera. Our extensive catalogue spans many hard-to-find titles, some of which are available exclusively through direct inquiries. Operating online since May 2021, we’re thrilled to now welcome book lovers to our brick-and-mortar shop in Constantia Old Village, Cape Town, at Shop 5, as of October 2024. Our store is a haven for collectors, featuring fine, rare, and investment-grade books alongside premium collectibles, backed by nearly 20 years of combined experience in the rare book industry. In partnership with The W**e Room, also located within our Constantia space, we offer clients a truly unique experience. The W**e Room showcases a curated selection of w**e appliances and accessories—everything from w**e fridges and cigar humidors to handblown crystal glassware, decanters, and w**e preservation systems. Together, Rare Collections and The W**e Room can assist in designing your ideal library or collectible display, incorporating books, artwork, and memorabilia into your custom-crafted w**e cellar or display area. Rare Collections is a proud member of the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association, recognized for our expertise, ethics, and dedication to excellence in rare and antiquarian book trading. Additionally, we hold leadership roles in the Southern African Bookdealers’ Association, ensuring the highest standards in the Southern African book trade. As members of The Independent Online Booksellers Association, we adhere to a strong Code of Ethics, ensuring professionalism and trustworthiness in every client interaction. Visit us in Constantia or online, and let us help you find or create a bespoke collection worthy of your passion.

08/10/2026

Have you always wanted to know what makes a book rare and collectible, and how to identify a rare book? Then this Rare Collections event is for you!

Come enjoy an informative and interactive talk “Valuing Your Collection: Identifying & Preserving Rare Books” on Wednesday evening, 21 October.

Book your tickets via with this quicket url: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/397048-valuing-your-collection-identifying-preserving-rare-books/

Host and owner of Rare Collections, Christo Snyman, will explain how to identify first editions. The talk will focus on the criteria of what makes a book collectible, such as its edition, scarcity, and condition, as well as useful tips and tricks on preserving your rare books.

Light refreshments and a welcome drink from our w**e room will be served, so no under 18s at this event. There will be plenty of time for Q&As and time to browse at Rare Collections, with 10% off books in store!

This evening is one for bibliophiles and collectors - whether you have been collecting books for decades or want to buy your first rare book! Don’t miss out on this intimate experience, and book your ticket today!

03/10/2026

Come see this special signed edition of Cry the Beloved Country in our Constantia store!

Book Details:
Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton. Special signed edition, part of the 60 limited edition series published between 1977 and 1982. Beautifully bound in leather with gilt letter and design in 22kt gold and printed on archival paper with gilt edges. The end sheets are of moire silk fabric with a silk marker sewn in. A fine book, a few small spots of foxing on top edge, tight binding (unread) and signed by the author.

This copy is only available in our Constantia Store, so make sure to come visit Rare Collections see this and more store-only masterpieces.

28/09/2026

The Bone Shard Daughter, The Bone Shard Emperor & The Bone Shard War (The Drowning Empire Trilogy - Signed and Numbered Edition)

From a major new voice in epic fantasy, Andrea Stewarts’ The Drowning Empire series is action-packed - full of magic, mystery, and revolution.

Series Details:
The special Broken Binding edition published in 2026, sprayed edges, pictorial covers and endpapers and bookmarks. Each book is no. 1393 of 2000 copies. Books and jackets as new, DJ now with archival covers for protection.

See the series in our Constantia store as well as online at rarecollections.co.za.

rarecollections

18/09/2026

Always dreamed of owning a signed Brandon Sanderson book? Here’s your chance!

New in Stock at Rare Collections is The Knights of Crystallia (Alcatraz Vs. the Evil Librarians Book 3) by Brandon Sanderson

Book Details:
New York: Starscape, 2016. Signed by Author. Fine+ in Fine+ dust jacket. The first Starscape edition, originally published in 2009. A fine copy in a like DJ signed by Sanderson. Illustrations by Hayley Lazo.

Stop by the bookshop in Constantia Old Village or shop online at rarecollection.co.za

15/09/2026

Heard of the name Audubon before, as in the US bird conservation group the National Audubon Society? 🦆
The name Audubon comes from John James Audubon, who was a famous artist, naturalist, and ornithologist. These prints are his original drawings of birds in their natural habitats.

Print 1: Mississippi Kite - Plate 17
Print 2: Golden-Winged Swamp Warbler - Plate 107
Print 3: Loggerhead Shrike - Plate 237

Print Details:
(1844). From the first Royal Octavo edition of Birds of America published from 1840 to 1844. Octavo (approximately 10.25 x 6.5 inches). Drawn from nature by JJ Audubon, printed and hand-colored by J. T. Bowen, Philadelphia. One edge unevenly trimmed as a result of removal from binding.
Provenance - From the A. D. Andrews Collection of Southern and Natural History. Near fine print with the related text pages

See our collection of Audubon Prints online at rarecollections.co.za and at our Constantia bookstore.

13/09/2026

The Outcast Mage (Signed and Numbered Edition)

This Inkstone Exclusive First Edition features gorgeous sprayed edges, perfect for .

Bereft of her powers, a mage discovers her destiny in this debut fantasy novel by author Annabel Campbell. This book is the first of the Shattered Land Series.

Book Details:
2025 Inkstone Exclusive First Edition. This is no. 219 of 750 copies signed by the author. Special sprayed edges. Book and jacket as new.

Grab this copy online and at Rare Collections in Constantia Old Village.

11/09/2026

Something Wicked This Way Comes (UK First Edition) 🎪

Written by acclaimed science fiction author Ray Bradbury, published by London: Rupert Hart-Davis in 1963. This dark fantasy book is the second book of the Green Town trilogy, about a nightmarish carnival that visits the teenage protagonists’ hometown.

Have you read any Ray Bradbury books? Which one is your favourite?

Book Details: This is the first UK edition with the striking dustjacket art by Joe Mugnaini, a frequent collaborator of Ray Bradbury. VG+ book, square, some staining to the edges. Previous owner name on ffep in black, dated 1963, year of publication. VG+ DJ, unclipped. showing some slight fading to spine, rubbing in corners with small tears at the fold of each corner. Internally strengthened at the top of spine. Overall very presentable jacket, now with a brodart cover.

See this copy in store at Rare Collections in Constantia, as well as online at rarecollections.co.za

07/09/2026

A new and most exact map of Africa by John Overton, c. 1670.

This week, the UN has voted in favour of replacing the Mercator projection with the Equal Earth projection map, and in doing so, represent Africa’s true size. The Mercator projection was established in 1569, and has shaped how we view the continent for centuries. This map at Rare Collections, entitled ‘A new and most exact map of Africa’, was innovative for the time, and reflects how the field of cartography innovates while reflecting the norms, information, and values of the time.

Map Details:

c.1670. “A New and most Exact map of Africa Described by N.I. Vischer and don into English and corrected to I. Bleau and Others with the Habits of the people and ye manner of the cheife sitties ye like never before. “ This is a rare and scarce map of Africa (42cm x 51cm) by John Overton; only a handful having been sold in the past forty years. The map was produced in 1668 and this example is from c. 1670.

The map’s innovation over the Blaeui map is the inclusion of place names (e.g. Robben Eyl and Tafelberg) along the recently settled Cape of Good Hope – in Dutch and probably derived for Nicolas Vissdcher’s map. Overton breached the map border to accommodate this ‘new’ information True to Ptolemaic tradition the White Nile arises from two subequatorial lakes (Zaire-Zembre and Zaflan). The map is bordered with vignettes derived from the map by Pieter van den Keere. The map is uncoloured, as issued, and in very good condition. Reference: Richard L. Betz, The Mapping of Africa: Reference: Richard L. Betz, The Mapping of Africa: Map no. 109, Item no. 32090.

See more online at rarecollections.co.za and come see our antique maps in person at our Constantia store.

31/08/2026

It’s the last day of our August online sale! To mark the change in seasons, we’re highlighting this local photography book: West Coast - a Circle of Seasons in South Africa (Collector’s Edition).

Signed by the authors Joan Schrauwen and Peter Pickford, and presented to the publisher, this book was published by Struik Wi******er in 1991. It is the Collectors’ Edition, this being no. 25 of 150 copies, half bound in leather with marbled boards and a matching slipcase in cloth.

The book is structured according to seasons and months of the year, which each chapter opening with an appropriate work of art for the time of year. A delightful book about the Cape West Coast, showing it’s biological richness in the seemingly desolate landscape. It also touches on the deep historical and archaeological history of the area.

Specs: 204 pages, illustrated throughout with colour photographs. Very Good + copy, showing minor wear, very slight toning to endpaper, otherwise internally fine.

Visit our webpage rarecollections.co.za or our Constantia store to see more!

29/08/2026

We’re highlighting sprayed edges this weekend with Kings of the Wyld & Bloody Rose (Signed and Numbered Limited Edition).

These books are the first two epic fantasy novels, full of mercenaries and monsters, in Nicolas Earnes’ The Band Series.

The Limited edition set is from The Broken Binding, with sprayed edges, pictorial covers and endpapers. Both books are no.1393 of 1500 and signed by the author.

Make sure to see these copies in-store and online at rarecollections.co.za

capetownbookshops

Address

Constantia Old Village Shop 4
Cape Town
7806

Opening Hours

Monday	09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday	09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday	09:00 - 17:00
Thursday	09:00 - 17:00
Friday	09:00 - 17:00
Saturday	09:00 - 16:00
Sunday	09:00 - 14:00

Website

http://rarecollections.co.za/, https://maps.app.goo.gl/jJc1QqV8YYov4P5f8

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