Stato civile politico, e commerciante del Regno di Bengala
| Macro-category | Rare Books and Manuscripts |
| Subcategory | History & Historical Documents |
| Author | BOLTS, WILLIAM |
| Place of printing | s.l. |
| Publisher / Maker | s.n. |
| Year | 1780 |
First Rare edition in Italian of William Bolts
Historical, political and cultural treatise on Bengal
Bolts, William. Stato civile politico, e commerciante del Regno di Bengala ovvero Storia delle conquiste e dell'amministrazione della compagnia inglese in quelle contrade che vengono a formare i tomi 19. e 20. in seguito della Storia filosofica, e politica dell'abate Rainal. Tomo primo [-secondo]. [sl], [sn], 1780.
8vo (180 x 120 mm), modern quarter calf binding, boards enriched by handcoloured paper, vol 1: pp. [2], 199, [1], signature [pigreco]1 A-L8 M12. [M12v blank], vol 2: pp. [2], 208, [2], signature π¹ A-N⁸ χ¹; at the end folded map "Carta di Bengala ... formata secondo il piano preso su i luoghi da W. Bolts", signed "Bart.o Nerici sc. Lucae"
Big folded Map of Bengal
Rare First Edition in Italian of William Bolts most important work on denunciation of the activities of the East India Company in the Indian region of Bengal, published for the First Time in 1772 under the title “Considerations on India Affairs” and formed by two volumes.
Vol 1 is dedicated to an excursus on history and costumes of Bengal, while in the second, he attacked the administration of the East India Company in Bengal; and, in particular, he complained of the arbitrary power exercised by the authorities and of his own deportation. The observations and experiences he records still offer a unique resource for scholars inquiring into the nature of Company rule in Bengal.
William Bolts (1738–1808) was a Dutch-born British merchant active in India. He began his career as an employee of the East India Company, and subsequently became an independent merchant. He is best known today for his 1772 book, Considerations on India Affairs, translated in French in 1775 and in Italian in 1780, which detailed the administration of the East India Company in Bengal which began shortly after their victory at Plassey in 1757. Throughout his life, Bolts continued to propose and execute various trading ventures on his own behalf and in conjunction with various commercial and governmental partners. The ventures of individual traders like Bolts did much to spur governments and large corporations into the expansion of their own interests.
Condition: Very good copy printed on strong paper.
Provenance: I. Ownership stamp “Colonnello Oro Vincenzo S- Angelo Le Fratte Anno 1923” at title page, last page of each volume and on verso of map
