Eighteenth Century Spanish Chapbooks in the British Library

This catalogue is a supplement to "Short-title Catalogue of Eighteenth-Century Spanish Books in the British Library" (1994) compiled by Harold Whitehead. It covers more ephemeral material which was omitted from the British Library General Catalogue. It contains some 300 products of the popular press, hitherto unavailable to researchers. The term chapbook (in Spanish, "Libros de Cordel"), denotes cheaply-produced tracts for sale to ordinary people. Sold by hawkers, who would often sing or recite the contents for the benefit of prospective buyers, they represent a vivid repository of popular culture. Usually a single printed sheet, folded several times, these chapbooks were often adorned by woodcuts. Many are exceptionally rare. Each entry is fully catalogued, and there are indexes of printers and booksellers, places of printing and subjects and places referred to in the text. The illustrations have been chosen to represent the range of material in the British Library's collection.