Eilenburg, Christian Heinrich | Kurzer Entwurf der koniglichen Naturalienkammer zu Dresden

Eilenburg, Christian Heinrich

Kurzer Entwurf der koniglichen Naturalienkammer zu Dresden. Dresden and Leipzig: George Conrad Walther, 1755

4to (274 x 210 mm). Engraved title vignette, 2 engraved folding plates, and 2 engraved headpieces; a few unobtrusive spots. Contemporary tree calf, gilt borders on covers, gilt tooled spine with seven raised bands and a morocco lettering-piece, all edges stained red; an abraded area in the surface of the front board, some scuffing and rubbing to rear board and edges, wear to the spine mostly along the joints, a small crack at the foot of the front joint, front hinge cracked, lacks front free endpaper, paper library label on spine.

Eilenburg’s catalog of the natural history collections held at the Zwinger Museum in Dresden. The catalog describes mineral, fossil, botanical, anatomical, zoological, and coral specimens, and provides information about the collections’ histories and highlights. The final chapter describes detailed models of Solomon’s Temple and Tabernacle, which had been constructed over the course of twenty years by a man from Hamburg named Schott. The plates show the floor plan of the museum, one for each floor, and the headpiece vignettes are views of the building and grounds.

A French language issue of this catalog (see lot 93), and an issue with the French and German titles and text on facing leaves, were published in the same year.

REFERENCES

Schuh (2008), Vol. I, 1506

PROVENANCE

Joseph A Freilich (booklabel; Sotheby’s New York, 10 January 2001, lot 167)