Antiquariatsmesse Stuttgart 2021 - Katalog

Knorr, G. W. Deliciae Naturae Selectae, oder auserlesenes
Naturalien-Cabinet, welches aus den drey
Reichen der Natur zeiget, was von curiösen Liebhabern
aufbehalten und gesammlet zu werden verdienet
… Delices Physiques Choisies, ou choix de tout
ce que les trois règnes de la nature renferment de plus
digne des recherches d’un amateur curieux, pour
en former un Cabinet Choisi de Curiositez Naturelles.
Nürnberg, Knorr (Erben), (1751-)1766–1767.
2 volumes (bound in one). Imperial-folio (355 × 505
mm). pp. (26), viii, 132; pp. (4), xx, 144, with one
charmingly handcoloured engraved frontispiece
and 91 large beautifully handcoloured engraved
plates. Contemporary full calf, gilt lines on covers,
spine with 6 raised bands, gilt lettering and ornaments
(spine has been skilfully rebacked at a later
date). € 20 000,–
First edition and large paper copy of one of the most
sumptuously illustrated German natural history books.
Georg Wolfgang Knorr (1705–1761) was a Nuremberg
engraver, art dealer, and scientist. He published some of
the most beautiful natural history works to appear in
the south of Germany. In the 18th century Nuremberg
became the centre for producing superbly illustrated
natural history books. This was principally due to the
stimulus of Dr. Trew, a wealthy Nuremberg physician
who assembled a number of young artists and scientists
around him, such as Ehret, the most gifted botanical
artist of second half of the 18th century. Dr. Trew
owned a large collection of natural history specimens,
and his „Wunderkammer“ was admired by numerous
foreign visitors. Most of the natural history specimens
depicted in the present book derive from his collection
as is mentioned at the bottom of each plate. The
splendidly engraved and handcoloured plates depict
mineralogical and zoological matter as follows: corals
15 plates; shells 7; butterflies 6; urchins 4; minerals 6;
crustacea & spiders 7; starfishes 4; fishes 9; birds 7;
quadrupeds 14; reptiles & amphibians 12. The animals
and minerals are very well arranged on each plate and
often cover the plate fully. „Das gilt vor allem für
Knorrs prächtigstes Werk, die ‚Deliciae naturae selectae‘,
in dem er versuchte, die schönsten und seltensten
Exemplare aus den drei Reichen der Natur abzubilden
… Die meisterhaften Kolorierungen der Kupferstiche
in Knorrs Publikationen sind besonderes bestechend …
Die Nürnberger Illuministen und Illuministinnen, die
auch international einen sehr guten Ruf hatten, sparten
nicht mit guten Farben“ (H. Ludwig, Nürnberger
naturgeschichtliche Malerei im 17. und 18. Jahrhundert
pp.172–3). The text is in German and French. Provenance:
Armorial bookplate with crown and monogram
EK and ‚Loyal en tout‘.
Nissen ZBI, 2227.
Panzer, G. W. F. & Geyer, C. Faunae Insectorum
Germanicae Initia oder Deutschlands Insecten.
Nürnberg, in der Felseckerschen Buchhandlung,
1793–1823. 110 parts, loose in old wrappers and
preserved in 9 boxes. Oblong small-8vo (125 × 95
mm). With 2640 beautifully handcoloured engraved
plates, each plate with descriptive text. The attractive
uniform boxes, with gilt ornamented and
lettered spines and marbled sides are of a later
date. € 16000,–
An attractive set of all that was published by Panzer, of
the most beautiful miniature entomological work ever
published. Panzer published parts 1–109 and the final
part of this set was published by Geyer. The splendid
illustrations are of an unsurpassed beauty and exactness.
Georg Wolfgang Franz Panzer (1755–1829) was a
German entomologist; regional physician in Hersbruck
near Nuremberg and lecturer at the Collegium Medicum
in Nuremberg. „There does not exist a more accurate
or useful work. The figures are drawn and etched
by the famous Sturm, the best entomological artist on
the continent; … while the descriptions, although frequently
too short, are written by hand of a master. The
system of Fabricius is followed and the work altogether
is highly essential to everyone who writes upon the
entomology of Europe“ (Swainson). A continuation to
Panzer’s work was published by Herrich-Schaeffer and
is very scarce due to a decreasing number of subscribers.
„Die alte bayrische Schule der naturwissenschaftlichen
Illustratoren hat sich unsterbliche Verdienste besonders
um die Entomologie erworben. Sie hat uns die schönsten
Abbildungswerke dieser Wissenschaft geliefert“
(Junk. Rara II, p. 142). Jacob Sturm (1771–1848) was
born in Nürnberg. His father Johann Georg Sturm
was an engraver. Jacob Sturm was the editor and illustrator
of several natural history works such as his
„Deutschlands Flora in Abbildungen nach der Natur
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