A wide-ranging collection documenting New Spain and early independent Mexico. Items in the collection date from the late 15th Century to the late 19th Century, with the establishment of the Profiriato. The collection consists of imprints and manuscripts from Europe, the Americas, and the Philippines and is divided into several large topical areas - religion, philosophy, linguistics / grammars, literature, military history, commerce, and legal documents. For those interested in the history of the book, the collection offers a significant number of examples of Mexican colonial bindings, woodcuts, illustrations, illuminated and decorated manuscripts, types, publishers, marginalia, and etc.
Of particular importance with the Colonial Mexican collection are the first books printed in the Americas from approximately 1539 to 1605 – “primeros libros”. Throughout the 16th century in colonial Mexico and
Peru, the printing press functioned as a powerful instrument of the Spanish Crown and Catholic Church. Ascetic works, doctrines / catechisms, grammars, and dictionaries primarily fueled the printing press as well as the occasional medical, scientific, military or literary work. Cushing’s primeros libros form the basis of international collaboration of nearly thirty institutions to build a digital collection of these works (http://www.primeroslibros.org).
The collection supports research interests in Hispanic Studies, Religious Studies, History, Anthropology, etc
The Colonial Mexican Collection has a variety of formats principally books and broadsides with some serials. There are manuscripts, as well as excavated mid 19th Century artifacts. There is single 17th Century painting. Material is collected in all languages. Facsimiles are purchased, but rarely, and limited to codices.
Broadsides and other single sheet publications are a strength of the Colonial Mexican Collection. While a few hundred books were published in Mexico before the early 17th century, thousands of broadsides were printed, documenting all aspects of daily life— religious decrees, civil proclamations, powers of attorney, bills of sale. These documents often contain important manuscript additions to the printed text— signatures, annotations, and other markings left by the individuals who owned, authorized, or in some way came in contact with the documents.
The collection has a well-known religious component, especially novenas and devotionals, and Inquisition broadsides. Language and linguistics are well represented with nearly 20 languages, many indigenous to Mexico, present in the collection.
The traditional collection areas of religion and linguistics continues. Building upon the sammelbands of alcalbalas more economics/trade/commercial materials are being sought as well as the associated legal materials. Areas of growth include 19th Century military, cookbooks/culinary arts, and hidalguías. Modern scholarly imprints that function as a reference collection for the primeros libros and early New World printing.
Primeros Libros project
Chapman Texas & Borderlands, Ragan Military, Rare, Maritime, Laughlin, Area Studies – Hispanic
Curator: Anton duPlessis
Created: 7/30/20
Mailing Address:
Cushing Memorial Library & Archives
TAMU 5000
College Station, TX 77843-5000
Physical Address:
400 Spence St.
Main Campus near the Central Campus Garage
Phone:
979-845-1951