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VENEGAS, Miguel (1680-1764). Noticia de la California. Madrid: Fernandez, 1757.
The first edition of the first description of California. Venegas’s history of Baja California was commissioned by the Jesuits to combat aspersions cast on their order by George Anson. Although he was born and spent his life in New Spain, Venegas was never able to travel to California because of poor health; he devoted himself instead to painstaking researches into its geography and history, making use of both the Jesuit archives as well as his colleagues’ first-hand knowledge. His manuscript was ultimately edited and published by Father Andrés Marcos Burriel in Madrid, who judiciously revised the original account and added information gathered by other explorers, including George Anson and Vitus Bering, to his account of the Pacific coast. His inclusion of data from Ferdinand Konšcak put to rest the myth that California was an island. Cowan 238; Graff 4470; Howes V-69; Hill 1767; Lada-Mocarski 14; Streeter sale 2433; Zamorano 78.
Three volumes, quarto (194 x 144mm). 4 engraved maps (corner repairs in the last signatures of vol. 3). Contemporary vellum with ink label on spine, except vol. 3 in modern vellum envelope with string ties; together in clamshell box. Provenance: Manuel de Navarrette (ownership inscription) – Bernard Moser (ownership inscription) – Bonhams, San Francisco, 22 September 2015, lot 259.
The first edition of the first description of California. Venegas’s history of Baja California was commissioned by the Jesuits to combat aspersions cast on their order by George Anson. Although he was born and spent his life in New Spain, Venegas was never able to travel to California because of poor health; he devoted himself instead to painstaking researches into its geography and history, making use of both the Jesuit archives as well as his colleagues’ first-hand knowledge. His manuscript was ultimately edited and published by Father Andrés Marcos Burriel in Madrid, who judiciously revised the original account and added information gathered by other explorers, including George Anson and Vitus Bering, to his account of the Pacific coast. His inclusion of data from Ferdinand Konšcak put to rest the myth that California was an island. Cowan 238; Graff 4470; Howes V-69; Hill 1767; Lada-Mocarski 14; Streeter sale 2433; Zamorano 78.
Three volumes, quarto (194 x 144mm). 4 engraved maps (corner repairs in the last signatures of vol. 3). Contemporary vellum with ink label on spine, except vol. 3 in modern vellum envelope with string ties; together in clamshell box. Provenance: Manuel de Navarrette (ownership inscription) – Bernard Moser (ownership inscription) – Bonhams, San Francisco, 22 September 2015, lot 259.