The bookseller Angelo Corradi and his involvement in the selling and distribution of the books edited by the Royal Spanish Academy during the reigns of Ferdinand VI and Charles III

Abstract

Using as a starting point the accounts presented by the Genoa-born bookseller Angelo Corradi to the different treasurers of the Royal Spanish Academy during the reigns of Ferdinand VI and Charles III, this study aims to offer an accurate portrayal of his role as the designated bookseller of this significant cultural institution of Bourbon Spain. From his bookshop beside the Puerta del Sol in Carretas Street, Corradi sold and distributed the books printed by the Royal Spanish Academy during the period 1754-1779. These detailed accounts provide us with the opportunity to establish a clear picture of the merchandizing of these works, among them the "Diccionario de Autoridades", and to get a better understanding of the advantages associated with being a designated bookseller of the printed productions of a reformist institution.