Viana, Francisco Xavier de
First and only edition, one of the rarest pieces of Pacific exploration, the first printing in Spanish of Malaspina’s voyage to the Pacific Northwest. Further, this is the only detailed account of the voyage before Novo y Colson’s edition of 1885. “This diary is of immense value. It is the only full and detailed printed account of Malaspina’s voyage from California to Alaska by one of the participants” (Lada-Mocarski). Malaspina’s own relation was held due to his imprisonment once back in Spain, following court intrigues.
Further images
4to, (206 x 136 mm). 360 pp. Original straight grained quarter burgundy morocco over black marbled boards, raised bands to spine, simply tooled and lettered in gilt, slightly worn, original marbled endpapers. Title page and a few preliminary leaves slightly soiled, restoration to bottom and top for old worm holes, just touching engraved border, pages 181-216 somewhat heavy browned, otherwise a clean very attractive copy.
As a South American printing it is also interesting: the journal was printed on the travelling press of the army besieging Montevideo during a war confronting Uruguay and Argentina. This copy has only one of the engraved title pages but that appears to happen in some copies and considering the itinerant nature of the book’s printing history, it is no surprise.
The presentation binding is dedicated to Claudio Alvar-Gonzalez (1816 – 1896), a Spanish marine officer known as the “Heroe of Abtao”, after his actions during the Hispano-South American war in the Pacific ports of Chile and Peru, in 1864; he lead the first expedition to Chiloe, bombarded Valparaiso and fought in Callao. The giver, Joaquin R. Travieso was a Uruguayan cartographer, surveyor and pilot to the Uruguayan fleet, appointed by President Oribe in 1838, along with Francisco Molinari.
Provenance: front free endpaper bears a 19th century inscription in Spanish ‘A Jose Salgado en prueba de la mas sincera estima personal e intelectual Jose L.[?] Rodo’.
Lada-Mocarski 134, Howes V-85, Wickersham 6642 and Wagner Vol. 1, p. 225-29.
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