Author, etc.: Fleury, Claude, 1640-1723.
Title: Catecismo historico o, Compendio de la historia sagrada y de la doctrina cristiana : para instruccion de los ninos, con preguntas, respuestas y lecciones seguidas, para leerlas en las escuelas / compuesto por el Abad Fleuri ; traducido del frances para utilidad de la tierna juventud y adornado con 16 hermosas laminas.
Published: Habana : [s.n.], 1862.
Description: 128 p. : ill. ; 14 cm.

This is a charming little book, notably because of the wood-engravings. And, it provides both some information and puzzles. The book was issued in printed boards, with "Véndese en la Primera de Papel, Calle del Medio, no. 32, Matanzas" on the front board. This indicates not just a distribution system from the printer/publisher to booksellers, but one in which each bookseller's copy was issued with a specialized cover. As this copy is quite rare, the only copy in OCLC and RLIN being this one, it is not possible to know if it was distributed to other booksellers throughout Cuba. The bookseller, Primera de Papel, can be found in OCLC, but only during the 1880s and with an address in Havana.

There is a most curious wood-engraving on p. [23]. It is of Moses bearing the Ten Commandments and is a Moses with horns. Yet, The "horns" appear to be something quite different; they appear to be rays of light. The wood-engravings are signed Sola, but the name does not turn up in any of the standard artists dictionaries. Perhaps more research into mid-19th century Cuban wood-engravings will provide some information.

The last thing that makes this little books so remarkable is that is was, until last week, part of the open stack circulating collection. The Date Due slip pasted in the back indicates it was last used in March 1966, nearly 40 years ago. I do hope it will be used again, but it will never circulate again.