Estimate PHP 180,000 - 195,000 Francisco Encina Arte de la Lengua Zebuana Sampaloc, Manila: Franciscan Convent, circa 1801-1804 In 4to (190 mm x 134 mm). 616, [15]. Modern red morocco, gilt edges, gently rubbed. Printed on rice paper; some browning, a few closed tears (without loss except for one or two letters on 30*2), repaired tears in four leaves (B1, D1, Q1 and 334, without loss), a very well preserved copy. This very rare and extensive work is the first study of the language of the island of Cebu, one of the largest of the Visayan islands of the central Philippines. It was printed in secret, without a title-page and probably in limited numbers, after a manuscript by Francisco Encina (1715–1760), an Augustinian who had served in the parishes of Argao and Opon in Cebu. Towards the end is a chapter (‘De la poesia Zebuana’) which discusses the prosody and figures of Cebuano verse forms. Palau and Retana differ on the date of publication, the former giving 1804 and the latter 1801. A manuscript note on the flyleaf of the Harvard copy indicates that the type used for this work is the same as that used for Martínez de Zuñiga’s 'Historia de las Islas Philipinas' (Sampaloc, 1803). OCLC records six copies (British Library, John Carter Brown, Harvard, National Library of China, University of New Mexico and Yale). Medina, Manila 396; Palau 79565; Retana 4133; Streit VI 1309. Viewing starts form May 23rd, 2015 To be Auctioned on June 6th, 2015 from 11 am at Unit 104-b Ground Level Three Salcedo Place 121 Todesillas Street Makati City 1227