Beschreibung:

GAMBOA, Francisco Javier de (1717-1794). Comentarios a las ordenanzas de minas . Madrid: Joaquin Ibarra, 1761. 2° (295 x 205mm). Half-title, 3 engraved folding plates. (A few tiny, light stains to title, occasional light spotting, marginal wormholes and wormtracks.) Contemporary vellum (light staining, cockled, extremities lightly rubbed, headcap chipped, front hinge split). Provenance : Jamie Vetch (ownership inscription).
GAMBOA, Francisco Javier de (1717-1794). Comentarios a las ordenanzas de minas . Madrid: Joaquin Ibarra, 1761. 2° (295 x 205mm). Half-title, 3 engraved folding plates. (A few tiny, light stains to title, occasional light spotting, marginal wormholes and wormtracks.) Contemporary vellum (light staining, cockled, extremities lightly rubbed, headcap chipped, front hinge split). Provenance : Jamie Vetch (ownership inscription). FIRST EDITION of an account delineating mining laws for New Spain. 'An interesting and highly printed book' (Sabin). It includes information on mines, mining equipment, colonial economics and New World geology. Possibly James Vetch's copy although the ownersphip inscription does not match known examples of Vetch's signatures. James Vetch (1789-1896), engineer, founder fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, first went to Mexico in 1824 and managed the silver mines of the English Compania de Real del Monte and of the Compania de Bolaños. He organized efficient systems of transport, and paved the way for the great expansion in mining in that country (ODNB). Palau 97362 ('a prized book'); Sabin 26509.