Relacion Historica de la vida y Apostolicas Tareas del Venerable Padre Fray Junipero Serra, Y de las Misiones que fundó en la California Septentrional, y nuevos establecimientos de Monterey
A FINE BINDING SIGNED BY BERNARD DAVID
Mexico (City): Don Felipe de Zúñiga y Ontiveros, 1787. First edition.
Quarto (7 5/8” x 5 9/16”, 194mm x 142mm). With an engraved allegorical portrait of Serra performing apostolic labors and folding engraved map, both by Diego Troncoso ("Californias: Antigua y Nueva Notas. En èsta Carta no se escrbn. los nombrs de tods. las Yslas, Ptos, Rios, y demàs, pr. ser hecha pa. solo demostrar lo qu. Andubo, y Misions. qe fundó en la Nvã Califa. …").
Bound in XIXc chestnut morocco, signed by (Bernard) David to the lower edge of the front inside dentelle. On the boards, a triple gilt fillet border. On the spine, five raides bands with a dotted gilt roll. In the panels, a gilt floral centerpiece with corner-ornaments within a double gilt fillet border. Title gilt to the second panel. Place and date gilt to the tail. Five pairs of gilt strokes to the head and tail. Edges of the boards with a double gilt fillet and rounded corners. Gilt inside dentelle. Marbled end-papers. All edges of the text-block gilt.
Some little scuffs to the extremities. Text-block evenly moderately tanned. A fine copy.
Father — now Saint — Junípero Serra (1713–1784), a Franciscan priest known as the “Apostle of California,” was instrumental in the spread of Catholicism in America, from Puerto Rico through Mexico and the length of California, from Baja to San Francisco. Francisco Palou (1723–1789) was Serra’s lieutenant, following him from Mallorca and serving for a time as presidente of the California missions. Palou had first-hand knowledge, therefore, of Serra’s life and work; indeed, he administered the last rites to Serra. His account of Serra’s travels up into California traces the settlement of the region (and as such is a Zamorano 80 title), with missions taking the place of forts.
Diego Troncoso’s map (California antigua y nueva, separate in the present example) is one of the first to show a division in California between Baja (antigua, i.e., administered by Dominicans) and Alta (nueva, i.e., administered by the Franciscans). It also features prominently the Camino Real (King’s Way), which is essentially modern Route 101. Nine of Serra’s 21 missions are depicted on the map, showing the settlement and conversion of California in progress rather than as a fait accompli.
There are two issues of the map; one, as here, with the words MAR PACIFICO in the Pacific, and one without. It is presumed but not proven that the words were an addition. In the book itself, there are two variants of the title-page. One, as here, reads “a expensas/ de varios bienhechores.” The other reads “a expensas/ de Don Miguel Gonzalez Calderon/ sindico de dicho apostolico colegio.” The final point is the catchword at the end of the index (2*7v): here “PRO-” and another issue with “CAR-”. None of these has established priority.
Graff 3179; Howes P-56; Medina 7731; Palau 210789; Sabin 58392; Streeter 4:2450; Wagner, Spanish Southwest 168; Wheat, Transmississippi 208; Zamorano 80, 59.
Item #6JLR0064
Price: $17,500