2. [ALCÁRAZ, Ramón et al.
(editors)]. Apuntes para la historia de la guerra entre
México y los Estados-Unidos. Mexico: Tipografia
de Manuel Payno (Hijo), 1848. viii, 401 [3] pp., 14
lithographed portraits (including Manuel Micheltorena, the
last Mexican governor of Alta California), 2 statistical
tables on 1 folding plate, 13 folding lithographed maps,
including a map of Palo Alto, one of the battles fought on
Texas soil: Plano de la batalla de Palo-Alto el dia 8.
de Mayo de 1846... [below neatline at right]: lit.
de P[lácido]. Blanco 1a.
Ce. Plateros No. 15.... (20.0 x
28.3 cm; 7-7/8 x 11-1/4 inches). Large 8vo, contemporary
three-quarter brown morocco over brown marbled boards,
spine gilt-lettered and decorated, raised bands. Other than
slight foxing, an exceptionally fine copy. This copy
belonged to Brantz Mayer (1809-1879), noted historian and
author (see DAB and item 202 herein).
First
edition. Eberstadt 114:733: "Garrett, The
Mexican-American War, p. 3: "An excellent source of
material for the Mexican side of the war. It is generally
critical of Santa Anna." Haferkorn, p. 3. Howes A105: "The
original Spanish edition was suppressed by Santa Anna."
Larned 2008: "Best source on the conduct of the war."
Mathes, Mexico on Stone, pp. 24 & 56. Palau
14138. Rader 75. Raines, p. 170. Sabin 1858: "Extremely
rare. Gen. Santa Anna ordered the edition to be destroyed,
and imprisoned the authors.... The account of the campaigns
differs vastly from the American reports." Streeter Sale
I:279: "This work was originally published in installments
between September 1848 and May 1849 under the above general
title. Each installment appeared accompanied by portraits
or maps at the rate of two per number. When publication of
the installments was completed, the various issues and
their illustrations were sent to the binder by the
subscribers. The final arrangement of the material varies
from copy to copy." Tutorow 3254: "Alcaraz and about a
dozen associates met in Querétaro in 1847 to write
their accounts of the war. Charges the U.S. with
territorial aggression in Texas and blames the U.S. for
starting the
war."
Holman
& Tyler in their preliminary study on Texas lithographs
of the nineteenth century cite the portraits of Santa Anna,
Arista, Ampudia, and Taylor. The book is important for the
history of Mexican lithography. The excellent lithographs
were created by Plácido Blanco, who also created the
famous El Gallo Pitagórico (1845).
Diccionario Porrúa (5th edition).
($5,000-10,000)
