Detail of an embroidered cloth book binding shows letters "JHS" in gold and green beads.
Detail of printed title page shows a woodcut vignette of an angel and letters of the Spanish alphabet.
Detail of printed page shows letters of the Spanish alphabet in uppercase and lowercase letters.
Detail of printed page shows text in Spanish.
Book bound in tan silk bordered with beading and embroidered with letters "JHS" in the center.

[Abecedario]

1813

Ephemeral reading guides like this one rarely survived, which is what makes this small printing with an ornately sewn silk cover (adorned with the IHS mark of the Jesuits) particularly special. The short booklet begins with a demonstration of the different sounds of Spanish following almost immediately by the prayers of the Padre Nuestro, Ave Maria, the Credo, as well as various commandments and sacraments that all good Catholic children should learn.

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