262. WORLD COTTON CENTENNIAL EXPOSITION (New Orleans 1884-1885). COMISIÓN MEXICANA. Esposicion Universal de Nueva Orleans 1884-1885 Comisión Mexicana [text commences] Invitada la República Mexicana á gran fiesta de inteligencia y el trabajo á que los Estados Unidos de América ha convocado á las demás pueblos civilizados de la Tierra.... [at end] México, 15 de Junio de 1884. El Comisión General Porfirio Díaz. El Secretario Eduardo E. Zárate. N.p., n.d. [Mexico City, ca. 1884]. Double elephant folio broadside (67 x 91.5 cm), printed in red and black in large wooden display type. Creased where formerly folded, light browning to one fold on right side, some folds and left edge professionally strengthened, minor losses at folds and small loss of upper blank margin at upper left. Overall an amazing survival of a fragile, ephemeral item.

            First edition. This is a rousing patriotic appeal to the Mexican populace to support Mexico’s participation in the upcoming World Cotton Centennial in New Orleans, which was organized around the idea that the first recorded export of cotton from the British colonies was in 1784. Although the fair was beset by scandal, it featured a huge building that enclosed 33 acres and was illuminated by thousands of electric lights. The Mexican exhibit was extraordinarily popular and cost the country about $200,000 to construct. Despite the grandiose dimensions of the fair, it lost money. This project must have greatly appealed to Díaz, who would become president of Mexico in early December of 1884 and who was greatly interested in modernizing and showcasing Mexico. ($300-600)

Auction 21 Abstracts