1863 Cuban Cedula for Chinese Coolie Labourer with Rare Manuscript Note Indicating He is Now Free
by Cuban Officials
- Used
- Signed
- Condition
- Fair with no dust jacket
- Seller
-
Cochrane, Alberta, Canada
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Havana, Cuba. Fair with no dust jacket. 1863. Non-Book. On offer is an important document from the Chinese coolie trade, being a cedula (identification card) for a Chinese man who was called Martin from Asia, dated March 6, 1863. The cedula indicates that Martin is working an eight year contract in Havana. What makes this particular cedula so rare is a manuscript note on the back dated in Havana on July 24, 1863, which indicates that this coolie is being set free from his promise to work and that there will be indemnization. The cedula is a typed form, stamped by the Government of Havana, and filled in ink with Martins details. The form contains information about the cedula, its purpose and consequences of not carrying it. It has a pre-printed signature of a Cuban official at the bottom. The manuscript note about the coolies freedom is hand-signed by F. De la Cava. This cedula provides a glimpse into the documentation required by coolies brought to Cuba to work as indentured servants and paints a picture of the conditions in which these coolies lived and worked. The Chinese coolie trade, a system of indentured labor that targeted young, poor Chinese men, operated from 1847-1874. The coolie trade took place, in large part, between the shipping port in Macao (now a part of China, then under Portuguese rule) and Havana, Cuba (then under Spanish control). Coolies were transported from China on ships, many of which had formerly been used as African slave ships (Yun & Laremont, 2001). The coolie ships often had slave names (eg Africano, Mauritius) or ironic names (Dreams, Hope, Live Yankees, Wandering Jew) (Yun & Laremont, 2001, p. 110). Many did not survive the journey, with approximately 16,400 Chinese coolies [dying] on European and American coolie ships to Cuba during a 26-year period (Yun & Laremont, 2001, p. 111-112). This accounted for a mortality rate of 12-30%, though, on some voyages, the death rate reached 50% (as in the case of the Portuguese ship Cors in its 1857 sailing). These deaths were caused by violence, rebellions, thirst, suffocation and sickness (Yun & Laremont, 2001). To learn more about the Chinese coolie trade and its importance in world history, click here to read our in-depth research blog on the topic. This document measures 8.5x12 inches. It shows significant signs of age including age toning, frayed edges, folds and creases. It is entirely legible. Spanish language. Overall Fair. ; Manuscripts; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 1 pages; Signed by Author .
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Details
- Bookseller
- Katz Fine Manuscripts Inc. (CA)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 0012108
- Title
- 1863 Cuban Cedula for Chinese Coolie Labourer with Rare Manuscript Note Indicating He is Now Free
- Author
- Cuban Officials
- Format/Binding
- Non-Book
- Book Condition
- Used - Fair with no dust jacket
- Place of Publication
- Havana, Cuba
- Date Published
- 1863
- Keywords
- Chinese Coolie Trade, Indentured Labor, Cedula, SPANISH
- Bookseller catalogs
- 19th Century Manuscript;
Terms of Sale
Katz Fine Manuscripts Inc.
All items are guaranteed as stated for life or returnable for refund. If a refund is requested, seller must be notified within 7 days of postal delivery of the item based on postal tracking data. To receive a refund, the item must be returned to seller in the same condition in which it was received. All digital items are final sale.
About the Seller
Katz Fine Manuscripts Inc.
Biblio member since 2009
Cochrane, Alberta
About Katz Fine Manuscripts Inc.
Katz Fine Manuscripts Inc. (formerly M. Benjamin Katz Fine Books/Rare Manuscripts) is based out of both Ontario and Alberta, Canada. We do business by appointment, and have had an online presence selling fine books and rare manuscripts since 1999. Specializing in handwritten, historically significant books, manuscripts, diaries, documents and ephemera. A member of The Manuscript Societyeach treasure on offer is guaranteed authentic and as represented for life. Worldwide clientele includes esteemed collections and public, private and university libraries on both sides of the Atlantic and Pacific. Always buying collections and estates.
Katz Fine Manuscripts Inc.has been an online sales and auction presence with over 7000 transactions since 1999.
Katz Fine Manuscripts Inc.has been an online sales and auction presence with over 7000 transactions since 1999.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Poor
- A book with significant wear and faults. A poor condition book is still a reading copy with the full text still readable. Any...
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- Edges
- The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...
- Fair
- is a worn book that has complete text pages (including those with maps or plates) but may lack endpapers, half-title, etc....