King of Sea Diamonds by Roger Williams!

[Michael Alexander]

Gee! Where do publishers go to die?

I have Frank's copy of the King of Sea Diamonds by Roger Williams sitting on my desk. Before I post it, I just wanted to garnish a few facts regarding the publishers.....

W.J.Flesch & Partners
4 Gordon Street Cape Town
Tel: 021 4617472
sflesch@aztec.co.za

When I bought the book from the SPringbok Kaffee on Friday, old Oom Jopie, remarked that the book would not be reprinted ever again... mumbling something about the end of an era....

So I thought that I would do a bit of research, I was gonna phone the publishers.... when I dialled the above number (3 times) i came out at a law firm..... When I emailed them, The email bounced back, when I plonked their name into the white pages, no results...

Where on earth do old publishers go to die?

Well, let me try and trace the author, Roger Williams, ex newspaper boy, Chief Reporter at the Cape Times, around our Bob Molloy's era, The sleeve on the book stated that old Roger had retired to Greenpoint, once again not a trace of this chap could be found on the online or printed phonebooks...

What happened to these people, had they all passed on? What about our history? Who has the rights to this book now? Who can get it reprinted?

This is part of the history of Debmarine, somebody should secure this title...

[Bob Molloy]

Hi Mike,
              Roger and I go back half a lifetime. And yes he was Chief Reporter on the Cape Times during my stay there. He would certainly own the rights to the book in question. If you would like to check on that, send me an email and I will pass on his email address to you.
Also knew Stephen Flesch well, the son and heir of the original publishers and did contract work for him on occasion. My wife, Keri, illustrated one of his Old Cape cookery books which is now regarded as Africana. Stephen published the South African yaching magazine (might have been called SA Yachting, not sure) from the Gordon Street address. Anyone in Cape yachting circles would know of his whereabouts, or try Roger Williams.
Regards,
Bob.

[Andrew Darné]

Michael, try (011) 646-9454. I found it in a business directory listing W.J.Flesch & Partners under "publishers".

[Michael Alexander]

Andy, thanks, got to speak to Stephen Flesch, had a few books left, I ordered 12 for the Spar, he reckons that the book will not be published again, as it has taken him almost 10 years to  get rid of the first lot....

I guess it's sad... it's a great book, but I suppose only a few people that ever lived and worked up this end of the world can relate to it..... somebody should make a movie about it.....

[toonfandangl]

Michael someone did.........well!  .... not actually on diamonds but his books were mostly about SWA I read some of them there in Oranjemund

A Twist of Sand, Author Geoffrey Jenkins

Born    June 16, 1920
Pretoria, South Africa
Died    November 7, 2001 (age 81)
Durban, South Africa


    * A Twist of Sand (1959)
    * The Watering-Place of Good Peace (1960; revised 1974)
    * A Grue of Ice (1962) Published in the U.S. as The Disappearing Island.
    * The River of Diamonds (1964)
    * Hunter-Killer (1966)
    * Scend of the Sea (1971) Published in the U.S. as The Hollow Sea.
    * A Cleft of Stars (1973)
    * A Bridge of Magpies (1974)
    * South Trap (1979) Published in paperback as Southtrap.
    * A Ravel of Waters (1981)
    * The Unripe Gold (1983)
    * Fireprint (1984)
    * In Harm's Way (1986)
    * Hold Down a Shadow (1989)
    * A Hive of Dead Men (1991)
    * A Daystar of Fear (1993)

I think it would make a great adventure film if it was remade..................Frank

[Michael Alexander]

A twist of Sand, is a topic covered elsewhere on this forum......

Frank, I will post your book to you on Tuesday.... Sorry for delay.... We were almost leaving Oranjemund....

[toonfandangl]

 Thanks Michael!! Looking forwards to its arrival..........................Frank

[Michael Alexander]

Well as history would have it, topics keep resurfacing.... here is an interesting email from Estelle, for those of you that actually read the book and were fascinated by Sammy...

"Good afternoon, I was searching for "The Saga of Sam Collins" when I came upon your comments. My friend has an original sketch of Sammy done by Tretchikoff. Her father and Sammy were friends earlier on and he gave this sketch to my friend's father, who had passed away some time ago. I am trying to find the family of Sammy - they might be interested in this Tretchikoff? What is the possibility of getting a copy of the "King of Sea Diamonds"? I see it was sold for R 100 in April last year on BidorBuy but can be purchased from overseas at $225! Ouch!! Thank you - I am in Nelspruit Regards Estelle"

[toonfandangl]

Michael This is Friday the 17th November 2017 and i still have the book you sent it 20/03/2010 and I liked the inscription inside
the price was R179-00 great reading.

[Michael Alexander]

Don't worry, you don't have to return it.....   

The date is quite apt though....

Did we send you Malcolm's book, Diamonds & Dust? I cannot recall...

[toonfandangl]

No you did not send that book  and had No intentions of returning the other unless it was put up for auction at Christies's and went over the $400 million