Description
[SLAVERY].
A brief summary of the nature of the slave trade and the atrocities resulting from it: followed by a historical account of the debates that led to its eventual abolition.
London: Elerton, Henderson, 1821. — In-8, 204 x 128: xii, 112 pp., 1 plate. Bradel binding in long-grain black half-maroquin, smooth spine (Laurenchet workshops).
First edition of this militant and historical text, published in London and written in Portuguese. It shows how, over the course of a century, a handful of convictions (religious, moral and political) were able to change the course of history by turning the abolition of the slave trade into a national and then a legal cause.
The book traces the emergence and progress of the abolitionist movement, from its beginnings in the 18th century to the legal abolition of the slave trade in 1807. It shows how Quakers, followed by intellectuals and political figures such as Thomas Clarkson and William Wilberforce, waged a relentless campaign to expose the horrors of slavery. Through investigations, petitions and parliamentary debates, they succeeded in rallying public opinion and overcoming the opposition of the slave trade’s supporters, ultimately leading to its prohibition within the British Empire.
The edition is illustrated with a fold-out plate, placed at the beginning of the volume, depicting 292 people crammed into the hold of a ship: 85 children, 83 women and 124 men. All are depicted lying down, their bodies filling every centimetre of available space.
A fine copy, bound by the Laurenchet workshops.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale
Claude Mozis Library – Black Africa and the African diaspora
Auction location
Auction time
10/21/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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