?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 800 - $ 1,200
(MEXICAN MANUSCRIPTS.) Volume of land grants from colonial Guanajuato. 24 manuscript leaves including title page reading "Tabla de los instrumentos que se contienen en este quaderno, 8, del Agostadero, del Serrillo, y Demas pertenecietentes, al Señor. Mariscal de Castilla." Folio, 12 1/4 x 8 1/2 inches, later vellum; various conditions, the earliest document being defective and quite worn, otherwise mostly minor wear. Silao, Guanajuato, 1570-circa 1720s
File containing 8 land grants (mercedes de tierra) of land in Silao, Guanajuato, ranging from 1570 to 1628, primarily used as pasture for cattle. It begins with an introduction, likely from the 18th century, written in an ornate hand summarizing the subsequent documents. According to the title, the lands belonged to a noble bearing the lofty title of Mariscal de Castilla, though no one is named as such in the entire volume. It probably refers to don Pedro Gorraez de Luna Beaumont y Navarra (d. 1723), who held that title and served as the alcalde mayor of Guanajuato in 1721. He possibly purchased all of the lands mentioned in the documents, and commissioned the creation of the present file. The documents describe the plots of land in considerable detail, along with their surroundings, making mention of the nearby silver mines. Several viceroys authorized the grants and signed them, such as Martín Enríquez de Almanza (in office 1560-1580) and Luis de Velasco hijo (in office 1590-1595, 1607-1611). Among those named in an early grant are Francisco Mexia Carvajal and Rodrigo Mexia Carvajal, possibly relatives of the well-known Jewish converso Luis de Carvajal (1567-1596). The documents may also be of interest for the history of Guanajuato's cattle ranching and mining industries.
