This lot of four (4) distinct annual finance and banking titles (1850 in duplicate) published by the Mexican government consists of reports for the years 1830 to 1850 that are scarce, original records relevant to scholarship of Latin American finance and internal Mexican public finance that were published during turbulent times in independent Mexico's early political and fiscal history. These reports cover the era leading to the revolt in Tejas (Texas) and secession of Tejas (Texas) to become an independent republic, and by the 1840's the lead up and consequences to Mexico of the Mexican-American War when it lost 55% of its territory to the United States. These four 19th c. reports are original documents and records of the financial upheaval Mexico experienced during this era, which began only 10 years after Mexico's own independence from Spain in September, 1821. By contrast, see elsewhere within this antique map catalogue the Ornamental Map of the United States and Mexico, c. 1851 an illustrated and thematic cartographic record from the other side of the new, shared national border with the United States. Please note that the descriptions of these reports are limited in scope, and more is to be discovered by scholars in this field who are fluent in Spanish.
The Banco Avio, established in 1830, was the first development agency created in Mexico and its purpose was to help finance private manufacturing. It was founded by Lucas Alaman. The Banco Avio was in operation for twelve years until 1842. The first book in this lot Informe Y Cuentas Que El Banco De Avio de 1830 is a report of that first year of operation. Loans made by Banco Avio were intended for local, private manufacture of widely consumed goods, including fabric and food. The goal was to stimulate the Mexican economy and create independence for Mexican manufacturers from low priced, imported goods.
The paper on which these reports are published is finely crafted European watermarked paper. The report's cover is printed on Varenna watermarked paper. Internal pages are printed on watermarked Giovanni Battista and Bartolomeo paper with the paper mill name in large block letters and an elaborate decorative crest. The rear end paper is on Al Masso watermarked paper. The importation of these Italian good and fine papers by the Mexican government's printer is in itself an aspect of the country's international trade and compellingly illustrates the context for the Banco Avio's program to encourage much needed local manufacturing of goods required by the majority of Mexico's population, and the government itself.
The Memoria Del Secretario Del Sespacho De Hacienda of the Congreso General of 1833 cover is engraved with a symbolically rich vignette of an eagle astride a bound bundle of rods, a winged liberty cap labeled "Libertad" hovering over the scene and a large rope beehive giving forth its community of worker bees against a rural backdrop. The image is framed by an elaborate acanthus like border. Within, pages of Lavarenna Giovanni Battista and Ghigliotti 5 watermarked papers are used for the front and rear covers and throughout. The printed imagery on the cover celebrates the economy and hard work of a free Mexico. Once again, the paper, the art work and printing have historic meaning complementary to the text.
The Segunda Part of the Memoria De La Hacienda Nacional Republica Mexicana of 1836 to 1837 contains annual reports of internal finances from imports and other commercial activities, and related tax revenue reported by each Mexican state on numerous foldout charts. As with the 1830 report of the Banco Avio, this engraved text on fine imported paper is set off at the front and rear covers and end papers of the volume with watermarked paper selected by the printer to highlight the pictorial watermarks, such as an antlered deer taking flight and a winged angel bearing a palm frond. It is hard to imagine U.S. Government reports of this era with elegant watermarked laid paper. The rear cover of this report is illustrated with a (Roman or Greek) maiden or goddess holding a cornucopia so that its natural abundance spills to the ground, symbolic of the abundance reported within the report's covers of the Mexican economcy for those years. The paper, printing and the art work themselves have historic import.
By 1850, the Memoria Que El Secretario De Hacienda Leyo Al Honorable Congreso Del Estado De Mexico, printed on plain wove paper, delivers the national finance minister's report on the Mexican national finances in a compilation of foldout charts absent any decorative motifs . This report is a financial profile of Mexico, two years after the conclusion of the Mexican American War and offers scholars original documentation published by the Mexican government. There are two identical 1850 reports in this lot. Drab by comparison to the other three titles, and recognizable as "modern" government printed reports, these 1850 documents show Mexico entering a modern era of printing.