Galo-Maquia. Obra Utilisima para los Aficionados a la Pelea de Gallo [manuscript caption title]

[Spain, 1850. Very good.. 45pp. Small quarto. Contemporary calf, gilt. A few minor abrasions along spine, edges and corners worn. Occasional minor dust-soiling or foxing to text. An intriguing handwritten manual on cockfighting, describing different types of roosters and the rules for fighting them, presumably produced in Spain in the first half of the 19th century. The subtitle of the work touts it as (in English translation), "a very useful work for cockfighting fans." The manuscript includes passages with headings such as "Nobleza antiguedad y utilidad del juego de Gallo" ("Nobility, antiquity and usefulness of the Rooster game"), "De las peleas en general" ("Of fights in general"), "Condiciones para carear la guerra" ("Conditions to face war"), "Condiciones en las peleas de navaja" ("Conditions in knife fights"), "Observaciones acerca del acto de las peleas" ("Observations about the act of fighting"), "De las circumstancias del Gallero, de las cosas anexas a su egercicio y de su gratificacion" ("Of the circumstances of the Gallero, of the things annexed to his exercise and gratification"), "Sobre preparacion de los gallos para las peleas de pico" ("On the preparation of roosters for beak fights"), "Del modo de disponer los gallos para las peleas de navaja" ("How to arrange the roosters for knife fights"), as well as passages on the rules for fighting and comparing roosters by weight, age, and other means, and more. A substantial portion of the latter part of the manual is devoted to describing about thirty different "Colores de los gallos" and color patterns, which include various shades and patterns of "Indio," "Giro," "Canelo," "Blanco," "Prieto," "Pintojo," and "Tabao." The last section contains a "Regimen para curar las enformedades que mas generalmente padecen los gallos" ("Regimen for curing diseases that roosters most generally suffer from").

Though an undated manuscript, the binding appears to emanate from the first half of the 19th century. The ownership inscription and stamp on the first flyleaf indicates the work was owned by Fermin Canella Secades of the University of Oviedo in Spain. Canella Secades lived from 1849 until 1924, so could have owned the work anywhere within those years, but the manuscript was most assuredly produced earlier. Though he was a prolific author, the handwriting of the ownership inscription, presumably belonging to Canella Secades, does not match the handwriting in the manuscript, and the ownership inscription and stamp were most certainly added later. In any case, the present manuscript is a fascinating collection of useful information regarding one of the more esoteric bloodsports in the world, which is still legal in parts of Spain and Mexico (as well as many other countries), and still practiced in numerous places where it's clearly illegal.