Schröter, Johann Samuel | The conchological portion of the celebrated Gottwald cabinet

Schröter, Johann Samuel

Musei Gottwaldiani testaceorum, stellarum marinarum et coralliorum quae supersunt tablulae. Die Conchylien, Seesterne und Meergewächseder ehemalingen Gottwaldtischen Naturaliensammlung. Nuremberg: Raspe, 1782

Folio (394 x 242 mm). Engraved allegorical vignette on title, engraved portraits of Christoph and Johann Christoph Gottwald, 49 engraved plates of shells, starfish, and coral, engraved tailpiece, near-contemporary manuscript note regarding the Gottwald cabinet laid in; title a little dustsoiled, faint dampstain on corners of a few leaves. Contemporary German gray marbled boards, spine with gilt paper label and gilt ornaments, plain endpapers, red edges; rather rubbed.

First edition of a fine illustrated catalogue of the shell collection from the famous cabinet of the Danzig physician Christoph Gottwald (1636–1700). Gottwald's collection of natural history objects, one of the largest in Germany, was continued after his death in 1700 by his son Johann Christoph. After his death the collection was catalogued and put up for sale: Peter the Great bought it in its entirety for one thousand roubles, during the same tour in which he acquired the Ruysch and Seba cabinets. Gottwald had planned to publish an illustrated catalogue of his collection, and had plates engraved after his own drawings (see Nissen ZBI 1656). The copper plates of the shell section were acquired by the Nuremberg bookseller Raspe almost a century after they had been engraved, and Schröter was commissioned to write "a brief text and had the satisfaction of seeing his name on the title page of a book that may otherwise never have been published—which would have been a loss for the plates are very fine" (Dance, "Delights").

REFERENCE:

Dance, "Delights for the Eyes and the Mind: A Brief Survey of Conchological Books" (http://www.bio-nica.info/biblioteca/DanceBibliophile.pdf); Nissen ZBI 3758

PROVENANCE:

Dr. J. M. W. Baumanni (emblematic bookplate) — Sotheby's London, 13 November 2003, lot 163 (undesignated consignor)