The State Library of NSW has announced the opening of a new public display considered to be the ‘holy grail’ of Australiana.
State Librarian, John Vallance said the Library had acquired the extraordinarily rare 17th century Spanish document, considered amongst the most valuable of all printed Australiana, from a private collector for $1 million thanks to the support of the State Library Foundation.
Dr Vallance said Fernandez de Quirós Memorial No. 1, 14 Dec 1607, Madrid, was the first and oldest of 14 known printed Memorials to King Phillip III of Spain.
“The Quirós Memorial No. 1 is the earliest example of a sponsorship request and is considered the ‘holy grail’ by many Australian collectors,” Dr Vallance said.
“Pedro Fernandes de Quirós (1563–1615) was best known for his participation in Spanish voyages of discovery in the Pacific Ocean,” he said.
“In 1606 he landed on a large island (Vanuatu) which he mistook to be the famed great Southern Continent and named it Austrialia del Espiritu Santo.”
Dr Vallance said that in an effort to further explore the existence of a southern continent, Quirós wrote at least 50 memorials (or ‘sponsorship’ requests) addressed to the Spanish King desperately seeking Royal support to fund his next expedition.
“At least 14 of the memorials were printed between 1607 and 1614 at Quirós’ personal expense for presentation at the Council of the Indies,” he said.
“In Memorial No. 1 Quirós gives a detailed account of the 1605-1606 expedition, providing a description of the voyage and the discoveries.”
Dr Vallance said the State Library held the largest number of printed Quirós Memorials known to exist in a single public collection.
