The Africana Museum was once aptly described at the City of Johannesburg’s Treasure Chest. Today it has become the cultural treasure of the people of South Africa. In its sadly limited space within the walls of the Johannesburg Library it houses some of the historic relics of the people of all races who have helped to build the Republic.

This book is an attempt to draw attention to some of the priceless collector’s pieces that the museum holds, not all of which it can display. Who for example, has ever seen the fine collection  of coins and medals many of which were bequeathed to the Museum by A.S. Rogers? Who has seen the historical pictures, the Cape silver, the china, the antique furniture and the wonderful old train-cars in the transport museum. Who knows that the Zederburg coach displayed at the Wembley Empire Exhibition in 1924 was obtained by the City of Hull and eventually came back to South Africa?

The great problem of all such museums is space. The Africana Museum can display only a fraction of its treasures. The rest are stored and brought out and displayed only occasionally. This book by Anna Smith, who helped to make the museum what it is today, draws aside the curtain to reveal some of these treasures and to tell you how they were acquired.