A wonderful Calendario y guia de forasteros de la Republica Boliviana para el ano de 1835 printed in La Paz at the Imprenta de Colejio de Artes. Rare, a remarkable example of Bolivian printing from the early independence era; one of the short-lived sequence of Bolivian almanacs published by the Colejio de Arte in La Paz during the 1830s.
This Bolivian printing is one of the very rare sequence of traveller guides and almanacs that was published by the Colejio de Arte in La Paz for only a fiveyear long annual run during the 1830s. The printing quality is charmingly crude in a frontier fashion, with the text embellished with numerous woodcut vignettes. Published for the year 1835, the Calendar and Guide for Foreigners possesses a vast wealth of authoritative information on Bolivia during the generation following its independence, including data that not found in any other single work.
The almanac is divided onto the following sections and sub-sections: 1) Chronological notes; Historical facts of the Revolution in America (Bolivia s struggle for from Spain); Notable events in Bolivian History; Great Issues of the last five-year period; 2) Calendar: Court days, in which officials attend audiences with the President; list of all public officials; Religious Festivals and Movable Feasts; 3) Political State of the Republic: Constitutional Congress; Ministries of State; Council of State; Diplomatic Agents; General Post Office; Military Court; the Departments of La Paz, Oruro, Potosí, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz .– Provinces of Tarija and the Littoral; 4) Ecclesiastical State; Bishoprics of La Paz and Santa Cruz; 5) Military State; National Guard; General commanders of district and military courts. The Colejio de Arte in La Paz produced annual almanacs for only 5 years: 1834, 1835, 1836, 1837 and 1838. The series would have required much effort and considerable funding to produce and was likely discontinued due to the tumultuous state of Bolivia s political scene and national economy. While an exciting time, it was perhaps not kind to the local publishing industry. A Note on Rarity – All examples of the issues of the Calendario y guia de forasteros de la Republica Boliviana are very rare.
We can locate only four institutional examples for the present 1835 edition worldwide, at Harvard; University of Texas (Austin); British Library; and at the Fundacion Flavio Machicado Viscarra (La Paz).
We cannot trace any other examples of any of the issues appearing on the market during the last 30 years.
References: Harvard University, Widener Library: SA 5510.4; University of Texas (Austin): GZZ 918.4 C128; British Library: General Reference Collection P.P.2594.b. (in set with 1834 and 1838 eds.); Fundacion Flavio Machicado Viscarra (La Paz): 984/C14. Cf. The present 1835 edition not in Gabriel René MORENO, Biblioteca Boliviana: Catalogo de la seccion de libros i folleto, Santiago, le: Imprenta Gutenberg, 1879), although the editions for 1836, 7 and 8 are listed.
