Francisco Javier Cortés Sold at Auction Prices

CORTÉS, HERNANDO, AND FRANCISCO ANTONIO DE LORENZANA [Y BUITRÓN]. Historia de Nueva-Espana. Mexico City: Hogal, 1770.

Historia de Nueva-Espana. Mexico City: Hogal, 1770. Folio (287 x 197 mm). [18], xvi, [1 errata, 1 blank], 176, [2], 177-400, [18] pp. Title printed in red and black. Engraved frontispiece, 32 plates, 2 folding maps, 1 folding plan. Engraved vignette on title, engraved allegorical initial. Period mottled sheep, spine gilt, red morocco lettering pieces, stenciled endpapers in red and black floral design. Fold tears to folding plates, tiny wormhole at front in lower margin just touching map, very occasional foxmarks, top edge of title page burnt away without loss to text, hinges cracked, light rubbing to covers. FIRST AMERICAN EDITION OF CORTÉS'S SECOND, THIRD AND FOURTH LETTERS, WITH IMPORTANT MAPS and a fine colonial printing with lavish illustrations, in handsome, original condition. "Included is the voyage of Cortés to Baja California and a report of all of the expeditions to California to the year 1769, the year of the Portolá-Serra expedition to found San Diego and Monterey" (Hill II). Lorenzana was archbishop of Mexico from 1776 to 1772. The majority of the plates depict glyphs from the "Matrícula de Tributos" being their first appearance in print and a primary source in the study of Pre-Cortés Mexican geo-economics. The large map, by Alzate, depicts the Spanish southwest including the area of Texas. Medina Mexico 5380; Palau 63204; Sabin 16938.