Tag: rare books

The Skizzenbuch

On By europeancollectionsIn German, Historical collections, New AcquisitionsLeave a comment

image_3The Skizzenbuch, a delightful early work by Franz Kugler (1808-1858), has recently been added to the University Library’s collections (8002.c.43). Franz Kugler is mainly known for his contributions to art history. His main work the Handbuch der Kunstgeschichte (Acton.c.50.506), first published in 1842, is one of the earliest art survey texts with a global perspective. Kugler was a key figure in the development of art history as an academic discipline, and one of the first persons to hold a chair in art history at a university.

The Skizzenbuch however, published in 1830 by G. Reimer in Berlin when Kugler was only twenty-two, demonstrates his talents as a poet, composer and artist.

rudelsburgIn the Skizzenbuch Kugler published a collection of his poems, a few of which he set to music; one ‘Rudelsburg: an der Saale hellem Strande …’ became a popular song. In the Skizzenbuch this poem is accompanied by an engraving by Kugler’s artist friend Robert Reinick. Kugler’s poems are mainly observations on his travels, recalling people and landscapes he had encountered. Some describe paintings he encountered, some are addressed to fellow artists such as Schinkel or members of the young artists’ circle in Berlin, others deal with architecture and buildings. There is also a drinking song for students. Kugler also set to music poems by Ludwig Uhland, Heinrich Heine, Clemens Brentano, Wilhelm Wackernagel and the dedicatee Adelbert von Chamisso. Continue reading “The Skizzenbuch” →

Charlie hebdo

On By europeancollectionsIn French, New Acquisitions2 Comments
Plus de Charlie - NRJ Avignon 98.2 on Twitter (@NRJAvignon)
Plus de Charlie – NRJ Avignon 98.2 on Twitter (@NRJAvignon)

The University Library does not have a subscription to Charlie hebdo, although we do have a history of the magazine from 1969-1982 which stands at 735:45.c.200.287. We also have a few items with cartoons by Wolinski and/or Cabu, who both lost their lives in the terrorist attack on January 7th (2007.8.5590, 2011.10.645, 2013.9.2346). We were of course keen to get hold of a copy of the so-called “survivors” edition published on Wednesday January 14th. A former member of the European Collections and Cataloguing team, now resident in Paris, volunteered straightaway to get hold of a copy for me, but then discovered that this was by no means straightforward. On Wednesday morning she could find no copies in central Paris. She then phoned her local newsagent in the Paris suburbs, hoping she might have more success. He laughed and told her that he had had 100 people waiting outside at 6.30 am that morning, and that he had only managed to secure 40 copies. Continue reading “Charlie hebdo” →

German for French soldiers stationed in Strasbourg

On By europeancollectionsIn French, German, New AcquisitionsLeave a comment

Recently added to the catalogue is a charming introduction to the German language for soldiers stationed at the Citadelle of Strasbourg. Published in 1731, this anonymous work, entitled L’art de bien parler allemand : qui comprend tout ce qui est necessaire pour apprendre facilement & en peu de tems cette langue, à l’usage de messieurs les cadets gentils hommes de la Citadelle de Strasbourg, stands at 7001.d.230. It is clearly a very rare item –we have been able to locate no other copies in the United Kingdom or the United States, and only one in Germany, in the Badische Landesbibliothek Karlsruhe. The catalogue collectif de France gives a further three locations. The Cambridge copy contains a few manuscript notes, and the contemporary ownership inscription of a young soldier, “Liercour, cadet”, on the back cover.

En joue
En joue

The work begins with a brief general introduction to grammar, which is followed by German phonetics, German grammar, declination, regular and irregular verbs etc. The main section contains extensive topical bi-lingual word lists and glossaries. Terms for food and drink, with descriptions of the separate parts of the meal – starters, main courses, desserts – are explained in detail, and are clearly aimed at a sophisticated French audience. The word lists which follow cover parts of the human body, illnesses, clothing, politics, history, fortification and nature. A special section is of course devoted to war and military vocabulary, ranging from “pressing a soldier into service” to “fighting battles” and “standing guard”.

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The Augsburg Confession in the Acton library

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In 1530 one of the most important documents for the Lutheran Reformation was presented at the Diet of Augsburg: the Augsburg Confession. In an attempt to calm the tension surrounding the rise of Protestantism, Charles V had called upon the princes and rulers in the Holy Roman Empire to declare their religious convictions in order to settle the conflict. Since Martin Luther himself could not risk attending the Diet in person as he was banned, it was Philipp Melanchthon who led the group of theologians presenting the Confession which was a declaration of the Protestant faith. The UL holds well over 100 books about the Augsburg Confession. Most of these are contemporary academic works, but we also have antiquarian holdings, several of which are part of the Acton Library.

image_1
item no.1 in Acton.d.34.616

The original Latin text of the Augsburg confession can be found in Acton.d.34.616. The first item in this volume, Nohtwendige Vertheidigung des Heiligen Römischen Reichs evangelischer Chur-Fürsten und Stände Aug Apffels is a defence of the Augsburg Confession and the Religious Peace of Augsburg by Matthias Hoë von Hoënegg, written in 1629 at the command of the dukes of Saxony, Gülich, Cleve and Berg. He was a strict Lutheran, more opposed to other forms of Protestantism than to Catholicism, but wrote this work against “jesuitic blasphemy”. The volume also includes a parallel translation into German (pages 38-149) which is then immediately followed by the “necessary defence” of the Confession. The same volume also includes a text by Andreas Fabricius who argues against the Augsburg Confession in Brill auff den Evangelischen Augapffel : Das ist ; Richtige, bestendige Ableynung, vnd in Gottes Wort wolgegründte Refutation, deren im Augapffel Augspurgischer Confession, samptlicher gesetzter Artickul (item no. 2 in Acton.d.34.616). Continue reading “The Augsburg Confession in the Acton library” →

Private Lives of Print: The use and abuse of books 1450-1550 (Special Collections blog)

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The Library’s latest exhibition Private Lives of Print: The use and abuse of books 1450-1550 is now open to the public. Over fifty incunabula are on display, selected for their copy-specific features ranging from glorious bindings to expunged texts, from elegant illuminations to crude doodles. The accompanying virtual exhibition adds several films, including curator introductions to the subject, a demonstration of the Library’s reproduction historical printing press, and rotating views of two of the most beautiful bindings. A selection of items is also available to view in full on Cambridge Digital Library. Continue reading “Private Lives of Print: The use and abuse of books 1450-1550 (Special Collections blog)” →

Enough Italian for your trip

On By europeancollectionsIn Italian1 Comment
1906.7.1935
The Briton in Italy, published in 1906 (1906.7.1935).

Whether you are an art lover, a food lover or both, a historian or a designer, or just sitting in your office thinking about your next holidays, there are many good reasons to learn Italian. Cambridge University Library holds numerous textbooks and conversation books to help you… in different ways.

The earliest is the 1612 The passenger: of Beneuenuto Italian, professour of his natiue tongue (classmark: Syn.7.61.265) which was aimed at educated Englishmen of Elizabethan and Jacobean times wanting to learn the language through familiar dialogues in parallel Italian and English text. As an example of the types of subjects covered, in the introduction to Dialogue II we see that “they use the phrases appertaining to meales, and sitting at table, and of discoursing of the nature of any meate, of remedies, of hurts, of hearbes, rootes, flesh, birds, fish and fruites: with excellent medicinall secrets, which teach the Traveller to keep himselfe in health, and to prolong life: and also speech of servants”. Continue reading “Enough Italian for your trip” →

Shrovetide carnival plays

On By europeancollectionsIn German, New Acquisitions1 Comment

The University Library has recently acquired a rare edition of three early dramatic pieces by Goethe, the Neueröfnetes moralisch-politisches Puppenspiel (7001.d.268), which like Werther was published for the Leipzig autumn fair of 1774, when Goethe was 25 years old. The Library’s copy, bound in later period vellum with red morocco lettering pieces, is in excellent condition with only minimal browning. The title-page has a vignette of a seated boy striking with a sword at a slate bearing letters of the alphabet.

Neueröfnetes moralisch-politisches Puppenspiel (7001.d.268)
Neueröfnetes moralisch-politisches Puppenspiel (7001.d.268)

The three works in question are a dramatic poem, Des Künstlers Erdewallen, and two Shrovetide carnival pantomimes, Jahrmarktsfest zu Plundersweilern and Ein Fastnachtsspiel vom Pater Brey. In his Goethe, the poet and the age, Nicholas Boyle summarises the Jahrmarktsfest zu Plundersweilern : “In a fairground setting a vivid and satirical kaleidoscope of figures, quacks, gypsies, peasants, pedlars from Nuremberg and the Tyrol, an Italian barrel-organist, and one or two more characters from the refined classes, all conversing in a lively rhyming farrago, form an audience for a play within the play: the biblical folk-story of Queen Esther and the villainous Haman”.

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The Siege of Vienna in the Acton Library

On By europeancollectionsIn French, German, Historical collections1 Comment

The Acton Library contains works on the ecclesiastical and political history of Europe published between the 15th and 19th century in a wide range of European languages. With over 60.000 books held in the collection, there are clusters of titles on various specific historical topics, published at the same time as the events they describe. One such are holdings of contemporary accounts of the Siege of Vienna in 1683, written in German, English, Latin and French. In 1683, Vienna was besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months from July 14th before the situation escalated and an open battle took place on September 11 to 12. The Ottomans were ultimately defeated by the joint forces of the Holy Roman Empire and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.

kurtze doch gründliche
Acton.b.54.35

A short account of the events is available in German, titled Kurtze doch gründliche beschreibung alter und neuer Wiener-belägerung, welche so wol anno 1529 als anno 1683, von dem türckischen erb-feinde jedesmahl vergeblich gethan worden-Sampt der residentz-stadt Wien eigentlicher abriss und fortification, in a volume of pamphlets  (Acton.b.54.35, no. 23 in this volume). The title itself is part of Breviarium historiae Turcicae exhibens vitas imperatorum omnium, praelia inter Christianos & Turcas omnia; praecipuè vero incrementa imperii Turcici ab initio ad haec usque tempora. Quibus in fine addita historia obsidionis Viennae 1683 (Acton.b.54.35, no. 22 in this volume). This Latin text includes a history of the siege of Vienna in 1683 and the German translation of it follows the Latin original. It is by Daniele Hartnaccio, was published in Hamburg and printed in Hanover. Continue reading “The Siege of Vienna in the Acton Library” →