André João Antonil is the pseudonym of João Antonio Andreoni, an Italian Jesuit priest born in Tuscany, who was attracted to Brazil in 1681 by Father Antonio Vieira.

This first and rare edition of Antonil's book was seized and destroyed by the Portuguese government for the information it revealed about Brazil's lucrative sugar industry and gold mines. To publish news about the riches of that colony would arouse envy and lead to aggression by other nations. It's an important book on eighteenth century Brazil's economic and social history.

Title vignette.

Signed on p. [11], 1st count: O Anonymo Toscano.

Signatures: ⁸ A-N⁸ (1, 2, 8, G5, H8, M3, N7 versos blank; N8 blank) (C2 missigned C3)

JCB Rare Americana, 68.

Moraes, R.B. de. Bib. Brasiliana (1983 ed.), p. 39.

Sacramento Blake. Dic. bib. brazileiro, I, p. 80.

Rodrigues, J.C. Bib. Brasiliense, 199.

Sabin 1715.

Alden, J.E. European Americana, 711/6.

Silva, I.F. da. Dic. bib. portuguez, I, p. 63.

Leite, S. Hist. da Companhia de Jesus no Brasil, VIII, p. 45.

Backer-Sommervogel, I, col. 340.

John Carter Brown Library copy has an early manuscript note on half title about the rarity of the book: Libro divenuto rariss°. a ragione che il Rè D. Giovanni V mandò raccogliere tutti gli Esemplari, che fù possible per timore di dar gusto ai Straniere dell' opulencia del Brasile.