In 1829, Barcelona printer, Juan Francisco Piferrer, issued a twenty-two-page comprehensive catalogue of the theatrical works in stock. The Hispanic Society Museum & Library owns a unique copy of this annotated octavo volume. Much can be learned from the analysis of this ephemeral publication, which was carried out by Diana Vazquez, a long-standing member of our team.

Many plays printed by the Hermosilla family contain exuberantly ornamented titles and, intriguingly, initials that frequently appear on the first page. Gema Balaguer Alba, a recent graduate of the Universidad de Sevilla, conducted extensive research in the archives of Seville to address the mystery of the origin of the unreferenced initials.

This essay provides an overview of various ways in which sueltas can provide insights into the transmission and reception of plays, with examples from among the works of Luis Vélez de Guevara. Taken individually, they can provide crucial evidence for scholars preparing critical editions; taken collectively, they can illuminate the history of a work's dissemination and circulation, from the bookshops of Madrid to the Peruvian highlands.