[Rarebooks] FS: Beristain de Souza: BIBLIOTECA HISPANO AMERICANA

[Kaaterskill Books]

We offer for sale one of the great Mexican bibliographies:

Beristáin de Souza, José Mariano; Vera, Fortino 
Hipólito; Medina, José Toribio. BIBLIOTECA 
HISPANO AMERICANA SETENTRIONAL 
(...SEPTENTRIONAL). THREE VOLUMES. Amecameca: 
Tip. del Colegio católico, 1883. Illus. with 
facsims. of title-pages of original editions. 
8vo. Half black morocco over marbled boards, five 
raised bands, titles in gilt, top edge gilt, 
marbled endpapers. Palau 27964. Leclerc 3068. See 
Sabin 4871. 2. ed. publícala el presbítero br. 
Fortino Hipolito Vera ... First published in 
1816-1819.

According to Palau, the sheer volume of the the 
works that Beristáin de Souza saw but which are 
no longer available compensates for his less than 
perfect scholarship. The republication had a long 
and tortuous history, beginning 1842 but not 
reaching fruition until 1883. Sabin, quoting 
Ludewig's "Literature of American Aboriginal 
Languages" writes: "De Souza, is by far the most 
important work for the literature of New Spain 
that has ever been composed. It comprises 3687 
biographies, and although, like most Spanish 
works of the kind, singularly uncritical, yet it 
is a perfect treasure as regards the cultivation 
of science and literature in Mexico and the 
adjacent countries. The work is extremely 
scarce...." Harrisse, who was no fan of the work, 
notes that Beristain only lived to see the first 
186 pages published, the remainder being composed 
by his nephew (Bibliotheca Americana 
Vetustissima, p. xxi).

Provenance: John B. Stetson, his Aztec themed 
bookplate lettered in Greek; Eugene Goupil from 
Jose Maira Alejo Aubin (stamp of the Collection 
de E. Eug. Goupil, a Paris. Ancienne Collection 
J. M. A. Aubin); bookseller Ch[arles] Chadenat, 
Librairie Américaine et Coloniale, his small 
printed label.

A very good set, minor chipping at heads of 
spines, rubbed, owner's stamp on blanks, 
bookplates on front pastedowns. [35741] $1000.00

Regards,

Charles Kutcher
Kaaterskill Books
P. O. Box 122
East Jewett, NY 12424
email: books at kaaterskillbooks.com
phone: 518-589-0555
www.kaaterskillbooks.com
Members ABAA/ILAB


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