Monitor ó guia de los Franc-Masones utilisimo para la Intruccion de sus miembros e informacion de los que deseen imponerse en sus principios. Por un Franc-Mason.

Buenos Aires, Imprenta del H. Pedro Gautier, 1860.. 8°, later brown quarter calf over faux-reptile boards (some wear), smooth spine with title and gilt bands; top edge red. Typographical headpieces. Tailpieces are small wood-engraved Masonic symbols. Small marginal repairs to top and bottom outer corners of first 4 leaves, not affecting text. A few brown spots, not affecting legibility. In good condition. Old, illegible ink inscription at top of title page, partly trimmed. iv, 204 pp., with 4 wood-engraved illustrations of Masonic symbols, regalia and ceremonies (following pp. 7, 27, 62, 94). *** Extremely rare example of a Masonic handbook printed in nineteenth-century Buenos Aires, with nicely executed illustrations of Masonic regalia, symbols, and ceremonies. Topics include: the history of Freemasonry, leadership, secrets, qualifications for membership, the many grades of Masons, funeral processions, ceremonies for the installation of high-ranking Masons, and the orders of the Knights Templar and Knights of Malta.OCLC locates only three or four works on Freemasonry published in Buenos Aires during the nineteenth century, all located in fewer than six copies, the earliest dating to 1856.*** Palau 176298 lists only an 1822 edition printed in New York, without citing any copy ever having been for sale, and without giving any collation. Not in Ferrer Benimeli, Bibliografia de la Masoneria. Not located in Jisc; not other edition cited. Not located in KVK (51 databases searched); no other edition cited.