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A Civil and Natural History of California, Containing an Accurate Description of that Country..... Translated from the Original Spanish of Miguel Venegas...
by Venegas, Miguel
- Used
- very good
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Very good
- Seller
-
Tucson, Arizona, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
London: James Rivington and James Fletcher, 17571759. First edition in English. Hardcover. Very good. Two volumes. 8vo. (20),455 (8),387pp. Folding map of California in volume I; 4 copperplates (including frontispieces) each with two images, for a total of 8 images. Full speckled calf, nicely rebacked at an early date, retaining the original lettering labels. Light wear especially to the corners, the map with two closed marginal tears not affecting the image, else a very good set. With the armorial bookplate of Sir Joseph Copley, Bart, as well as small circular leather bookplate of 'CFH'.
This is the first translation into English (or any other language) of Father Venegas' 'Noticia de la California', published in 1757 in Madrid (contrary to the 1858 date found on the title page of this edition.) Venegas' manuscript was written between 1734 and 1739. It went unpublished because the Spanish Crown did not want details of New Spain disseminated. But eventually another Jesuit, Padre Burriel, edited the manuscript and saw it published.
The large map in volume I is based on Kino's 1702 map which is indeed revolutionary as it was the first attempt to end the notion that California was an island. Padre Consag confirmed Keno's findings in a 1746 expedition to the mouth of the Colorado. Kino's map is considered foundational to the cartographic history of the Southwest. As Tooley notes (p. 111), Kino's map was not generally accepted; it was not until Consag confirmed Kino's discovery that caused Ferdinand VII in 1747 to issue a royal decree: California is not an island.
The map in the Spanish edition contained ten vignetes, eight of which are reproduced on the plates in this English edition.
Zamorano 80, No. 78a.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Thorn Books
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 22018
- Title
- A Civil and Natural History of California, Containing an Accurate Description of that Country..... Translated from the Original Spanish of Miguel Venegas...
- Author
- Venegas, Miguel
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Very good
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First edition in English
- Publisher
- James Rivington and James Fletcher
- Place of Publication
- London
- Date Published
- 17571759
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
- Bookseller catalogs
- Rare Books;
- Note
- May be a multi-volume set and require additional postage.
Terms of Sale
Thorn Books
All books returnable for any reason within seven days, providing only that they are received in the same condition as shipped. Shipments to an Arizona address must add appropriate sales tax. Libraries billed.
About the Seller
Thorn Books
Biblio member since 2003
Tucson, Arizona
About Thorn Books
Thorn Books offers antiquarian, rare and out-of-print books. Frequently updated catalogues are available online in our specialty areas: King Arthur; Early Britain; Western Americana; California; Literature; and Rare Books. We are open by appointment only. Thorn Books is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers of American (ABAA), the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), and the Independent League of Online Booksellers (IOBA).
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Title Page
- A page at the front of a book which may contain the title of the book, any subtitles, the authors, contributors, editors, the...
- Calf
- Calf or calf hide is a common form of leather binding. Calf binding is naturally a light brown but there are ways to treat the...
- Rebacked
- having had the material covering the spine replaced. ...
- Bookplate
- Highly sought after by some collectors, a book plate is an inscribed or decorative device that identifies the owner, or former...
- New
- A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
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