Lot description
Noli Me Tangere 1st Edition signed and dedicated "To the distinguished Filipinista, Don T.H Pardo de Tavera, from his friend and countryman, J. Rizal" Berlin, Berliner Buchdruckerei-Aktiengesellschaft (Book Printing Stock Corporation) Setzerinnen-Schule des Lette-Vereins. (Typography School of the Lette Society) 1887 H: 9 1/4" (23 cm) W: 6 1/4" (16 cm) thickness: 1" (2.5 cm) PROVENANCE A gift from Jose Rizal to Don Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera By the time of the arrival of the Americans, the library of Don Trinidad H. Pardo Tavera had become legendary and had become invaluable as a resource to the new regime. As a result, "TH was persuaded to make a catalogue of his collection which was published in 1903 under the joint sponsorship of the Library of Congress and the U.S. Bureau of Insular Affairs,” noted E. Arsenio Manuel. “This is the Biblioteca Filipino which now stands a monument to his learning and a milestone in the history of Philippine bibliography making. It contains 2850 entries relating to the peoples of the Philippines, their history, languages and literatures, and culture.” In 1923, Pardo de Tavera was appointed to the directorship of the Philippine Library and Museum, a position which he held until his death two years later. He was married to Doña Concepcion Cembrano, daughter of Don Vicente Cembrano y Ker and Carolina Gonzalez Calderon, a cousin of Felipe Calderon. Family lore recalls that his daughter nicknamed “Bebeco” would refer to this first edition as a “galerada” or a “galley proof” since the book bears many markings of the year 1886: the first is the year in ink in a triangle and the second, a scribbled “1886” in pencil on the title page. There are also several pages with pencil annotations and markings, whose origins reflect his inquiring mind. Bebeco would take up the torch left by Don Trinidad and ensure the safety and survival of this precious treasure through the years.
