When we lived in Illinois, there were a number of used book shops that I used to frequent on a regular basis. One of them closed up shop when he retired. One day, he contacted me and said that if I would like to visit his home, he has some books that he would make available to me. This is when I first realized that the retirement funds for many of these independent and
entrepreneurial booksellers were some of the better book acquisitions that were put aside
during the regular course of business.
I made an appointment, and there was quite a selection of books spread out here and there. I bought as many as the book budget would allow and I still rue not buying some of the ones I had to leave behind. As regular readers of my musings know, I love illustrated books and I also love books that are in fine condition. However, sometimes you come across a very scarce and important book where condition becomes less of a factor; especially, if it catches your fancy! One of the books I bought was Faust, the subject of an earlier musing.
This book is a French version of an earlier Spanish book. I can’t read either language, but I can look at the illustrations! And there are some fascinating ones, for sure.
Histoire de la Conquete du Mexique, ou de la Nouvelle Espagne; par Fernand Cortez;
Traduite de l’Espagnol de Don Antoine de Solis, par l’Auteur du Triumvitat; Amat Libraria
Curam, a la Haye, chez Adrian Moetjens, Marchand Libraire pres la Cour, a la Librairie
Francoise, MDCXCII (1692).
Hernán Cortés (1485-1547) was a Spanish conquistador who led an expedition that caused
the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of what is now mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century. Cortés was part of the generation of Spanish explorers and conquistadors who began the first phase of the Spanish colonization of the Americas.
This is a fairly small volume with pages measuring 160mmX100mm. But it always amazes me
how the publisher/printers folded larger illustrations and maps into the text block.
Here are the two maps that are present in the book.
And what is important to the conquistadors – their ships!
But the action took place in Mexico City!
And here is an interesting picture of fun and games and a more serious one of New World
facing the Old World – you decide which is which.
But of course, when we think of the Aztecs, or the Mayans or the Incas, we think human
sacrifice and the dreaded stone pyramid steps. Here you go -
