Author: MONTENEGRO, João Elisário de Carvalho.
Title: Colonias Nova Louzã e Nova Colombia, relatorio apresentado ao exm. sr. presidente da Provincia de São Paulo em 6 de fevereiro de 1875 ...São Paulo, Typographia da Provincia de São Paulo, 1875. 8vo in 4s (ca. 22 x 14.5 cm). With 13 numbered letterpress tables (including 5 folding) regarding Nova Louzã and another numbered folding letterpress table regarding Nova Colombia (titled “Recapitulação do mappa no. 1”). 1930's half dark blue sheepskin, with the original publisher’s printed front wrapper bound in.
Description: [1], [1 blank], 81, [1 blank], [1], [1 blank] pp.Extremely rare report written by the Brazilian salesman and coffee planter João Elisário de Carvalho Montenegro (1824-1915), presented on 6 February 1875 to the Brazilian lawyer, politician and president of the province of São Paulo between 1872 and 1875 João Teodoro Xavier de Matos (1828-1878). The present work was dedicated to the Brazilian poet and journalist Francisco Quirino dos Santos (1841-1886), dated Nova Louzã, 6 February 1875.Montenegro provided a comprehensive overview of the operations and status of the Nova Louzã and Nova Colombia agricultural colonies in Brazil. These colonies, primarily focused on coffee cultivation, were established with the aim of promoting free labour and improving living conditions for settlers, most of whom were immigrants from Portugal. The report highlighted the significant agricultural advancements achieved under Montenegro’s management, particularly in coffee production. Alongside coffee, the colonies also engaged in the cultivation of cereals, vines, and limited livestock farming. The infrastructure supporting these activities was robust, with newly constructed housing, storage facilities, and workshops, as well as the introduction of modern agricultural tools and machinery for processing coffee and cotton.Montenegro's report serves not only as a detailed account of the colonies’ operations, but also as a broader commentary on the socio-economic issues of the time, particularly the ongoing debate over labour and immigration in Brazil.Provenance: from the collection of the renowned Brazilian bibliographer and librarian Rubens Borba Alves de Moraes (1899-1986) and subsequently from the collection of the Brazilian lawyer and bibliophile José Ephim Mindlin (1914-2010).With the large bookplate of Rubens Borba Alves de Moraes and a small label noting the date of the present binding ("Secção grafica, Departamento de Cultura, Restaurado e encadernado em 26/4/1939") mounted on the front pastedown, the bookplate of José Mindlin mounted on the recto of first free end leaf. The spine is worn (the hinges are cracked, the leather is peeling off showing only remnants of the gold-lettered title), the corners of the boards are only slightly scuffed, with a small tear at the top of the inner margin of the first 2 leaves (not affecting the text), browned throughout.l Porbase 1023682 (1 copy); Sacramento Blake III, p. 416; S.M. de Freitas, “Vida e obra do Comendador Montenegro. Um Lousãnense visionário no Brasil” (2013); cf. Biblioteca Brasiliana Guita e José Mindlin (1 digitised copy, not the present copy; see https://digital.bbm.usp.br/handle/bbm/5017); not in Borba de Moraes; Rodrigues; WorldCat.

Keywords: [E5FB9A6D8BD3] AMERICAS|[E5FB9A6D8BD3] AMERICAS -> [E7A22E90AD7B] Brazil|[E5FB9A6D8BD3] AMERICAS -> [ABC_000680] Slavery|[E5FB9A6D8BD3] AMERICAS -> [E714FD7DC113] South America|[BFFF1D78AE20] HISTORY, LAW & PHILOSOPHY|[BFFF1D78AE20] HISTORY, LAW & PHILOSO