Memorie storiche dell'Australia, particolarmente della Missione Benedettina di Nuova Norcia e degli usi e costumi degli Australiani.
Roma: Congreg. de Propaganda Fide, 1851. First edition. Hardcover. This is an important Western Australian volume published only 22 years after the first Swan River settlement. A Benedictine mission to the local native Aboriginals was started in 1846 by two Spanish Benedictines, Rosendo Salvado and Joseph Serra. The name "New Norcia," is based on Norcia in Italy, the birthplace of St Benedict. The monastery continues its work to this day. The book was oft reprinted, with other editions in Italian, Spanish, Galician, French and English; this is the first edition. This is a beautiful copy with the text printed on thick gauge paper, totally uncut and unopened and bound in full green morocco by the Dove Bindery. 8vo, 388 p., [1], frontispiece copper engraved folding map on stiff paper, original printed paper wrappers bound in. Bound in full green morocco, gilt title on red labels, gilt rule and corner decoration on boards, the binding bearing the stamp of the Dove Bindery. There is a residue mark where a bookplate was removed & a tear on the lower left corner of the rear wrapper with some loss. However, this is the brightest, cleanest copy that we have seen. Ferguson 15420. OCLC: 799468958, OCLC: 1044449363, amongst others. Very good condition. Item #12407
Price: $500.00