MEUSCHEN, Friedrich Christian.
(1719 – 1800?)
Meuschen was a diplomat in the Hague, in the capacity of the Saxon-Coburg laision secretary. Councillor and secret secretary of the legacy at 's-Gravenhage. Meuschen was also a merchant in shells and other objects of natural history. He cataloged many important natural history collections and museums between 1766-78, which he collected together and published as the Miscellanea Conchyliologica.
Biographical references: Cleevely, World Palæontological Collections, 1983: 202. • Dall, W.H., "F.C. Meuschen in the Zoophylacium Gronovianum", The Nautilius, 37, (1923-4), 44-52. • Engel, Dutch Zoological Cabinets, 1986: p. 182, no. 1032. • Schröter's Journal für die Liebhaber: 1 (1774), no. 2, 38-54. • Whitley, G.P., ?????, Rec. Aust. Mus., 17, (1929), 298.
1. Dutch, Latin & French, 1766-1778.
Miscellanea Conchyliologica | Ofte | Verzameling | Van Onderscheidene | Naamlysten | Van | Hoorens En Schelpen | &c. | Beredeneerd | naar verschillende | geslachtskundige Samenstelsels, | voornamentlyk naar die | van de Heeren | D'Argenville, A. Vosmaer, En F.C.M.$\ast\ast$. | door | F.C. M.$\ast\ast$. | [rule] | Te Amsterdam | By J.C. Sepp, Boekverkooper. | [double rule] | Collection | De Différens | Catalogues | De | Coquillages & Crustacés | &c. | Rangés d'après plusieurs | Ordres systématiques, | & principalement selon ceux de | Mrs. D'Argenville, A. Vosmaer, & F.C.M.$\ast\ast$. | par | F.C.M.$\ast\ast$. | [rule] | A Amsterdam | Chez J.C. Sepp, Libraire.
8 vols.
Rare. During his lifetime, Meuschen compiled and wrote several important catalogs of shell collections, which sometimes contained a significant mineralogical component. Besides their individual publication, each catalog was also issued with a half title indictating they were a separate volume in Meuschen's series, Miscellanea Conchyliologica. The eight volumes of the series comprise: (1) Catalogus Musei Chaisiani, 1766, 116 p., (2) Catalogus V.D.M. (Van der Mieden), 1766, 53 p., (3) Catalogus V.D.M. Oudaniani, 1766, 144 p., (4) Catalogus V.D.M. Leersiani, 1767, 230 p., (5) Catalogus Dishoekiani, 1767, 48 p., (6) Catalogus K (Koeningani), 1770, 114 p., (7) Catalogus N (Nivreltiani=Zuylen van Nivreltiani), 1773, 400 p., and (8) Museum Gronovianum, 1778, 251 p.
Those volumes pertenient to this bibliography are described in the next few entries.
Bibliographical references: Engel, Dutch Zoological Cabinets, 1986: p. 182, no. 1032.
Miscellanea, volume 1
2. French, 1766 [Sale catalog].
Catalogvs Mvsei Ch**. | Ofte | Systematische Naamlyst | van eene ongemeene Verzameling | van | Hoorens En Doublet-Schelpen | En Verdere Inhoud &c. | Alles by een vergadert | door den kundige Liefbebber | Den W: E: Heer Ch**. &c | beredeneerd | door | F.C.M. **. | [rule] Uitgegeeven ts Amsterdam den 22 April 1766. | [double rule] | Catalogue Systématique Et Raisonné | Ou | Liste Détaillée | d'une très belle Collection | de | Coquillages Et Crustacés | Et Autres Curiosités Naturelles &c. | Le tout rassembleé | avec beaucoup d'intelligence | par | Mr. Ch. **. &c. | par | F.C.M.**. | [rule] | Publié a Amsterdam le 22 Avril 1766.
8°: 116 p.
Rare. Auction sale catalog of Charles Chais' [see note below] natural history cabinet, which included shells, fossils, zoophytes and a few minerals. The sale began on April 22nd, 1766 and included 1135 shells and 597 natural history specimens. After Chais' death, his library was sold at auction on April 10th, 1786.
Charles Pierre Chais. (Born: Genève, The Netherlands, 3 January 1701; Died: 's-Gravenhage, The Netherlands, 8 October 1785) Dutch theologian. Pastor of Wallonian Church in 's-Gravenhage. His portrait engraved by J.E. Liotard and J. Houbraken is contained in Bibl. theol. et philos. (Leiden, 1900; p. 769).
Bibliographical references: Cobres, Deliciæ Cobresianæ, 1782. • Wilson, History of Mineral Collecting, 1994: 209. (Chais) Aa, Biographisch Woordenboek, 1852-78: 3, 301-4. • Engel, Dutch Zoological Cabinets, 1986: p. 57, no. 300. • NNBW: 7, col. 295.
Miscellanea, volume 3
3. Dutch & French, 1766 [Sale catalog].
Catalogvs Mvsei Oudaniani | Ofte | Systematische Naamlyst | van eene ongemeene Verzameling | van | Hoorens En Doublet-Schelpen | En Verdere Inhoud &c. | Nagelaaten door wylen den Heer | Michiel Oudaan | in zyn Ed: Leeven Koopman | te Rotterdam; | beredeneerd | door | F.C. M$\ast\ast$. | [rule] | Uitgegeeven te Rotterdam den 18 November 1766. | [double rule] | Catalogue Systématique Et Raisonné | Ou | Liste Détaillée | d'une très belle Collection | de | Coquillages Et Crustacés | Et Autres Curiosités Naturelles &c. | Delaissés par seu Mr. | Michel Oudaan, | en son vivant Nigociant de la | Ville de Rotterdam; | par | F.C.M**. | [rule] | Publié à Rotterdam le 18 Novembre 1766.
8°: 144 p. Very scarce.
Bibliographical references: Murray, Museums, 1904: 3, 69.
Miscellanea, volume 4
4. Dutch & French, 1767 [Sale catalog].
Catalogvs Mvsei Leersiani | Ofte | Systematische Naamlyst | van eene uitmuntende Verzameling | van | Hoorens En Doublet-Schelpen | En Verdere Inhoud &c. | Nagelaaten door wylen den Heer | Arnoud Leers, | in zyn Wel Ed: Gestr. leeven Heere van Ameyde en Herlaar, | Oud Scheepen der Stad Rotterdam, | misgaders Directeur van den Levandse Handel &c. | beredeneerd | door | F.C.M.**. | [rule] | [double rule] | Catalogue Systématique Et Raisonné | Ou | Liste Détaillée | d'une magnifigue Collection | de | Coquillages Et Crustacés | Et Autres Curiosités Naturelles &c. | Delaissés par seu | Mr. Arnoud Leers | en son vivent Seigneur d'Ameyde & Herlaar, | ancien Echevin de la Ville de Rotterdam, | & Directeur du Commerce ou Levant &c. | par | F.C.M.**. | [rule] | Publié à Amsterdam le so Mai 1767.
8°: π7 A-O8 P2 χ1; 123l.; [7], VI-XII, 230, [2] p., [1] leaf of plates. Dutch and French in parallel columns.
Rare. Catalog of Aarnout Leers' [see note below] natural history collection. Although shells were his main focus with specimens purchased at the sale of Seba's cabinet in 1752, there were also some other natural history objects including minerals. Leers' cabinet was sold in Amsterdam on May 20th, 1767 with thousands of specimens in 2,150 lots. This catalog, edited by Meuschen, was republished in his Miscellanea.
A separate index in Dutch and French was prepared after the sale by Herman de Wit listing prices realized for the individual lots. It has two title pages, one in Dutch with the French version printed on the verso. They read: Index Catalogi musei Leersiani, ofte, Aanwyzing der pryzen waar voor de nommers van de naamlyst van het kabinet der hoorens en schelpen en verdere inhoud &c. naagelaaten door wylen den wel. ed. gestr. heer Arnoud Leers ... te Amsterdam op den 20 may 1767 in de Keyzers Kroon door de makelaars N. Blinkvliet, H. de Winter en I. M. Cok verkogt zyn op het nauwkeurigste gecollationeert en uitgegeeven door Herman. de Wit en Pieter Holsteyn, boekverkooppers te Amsterdam en Rotterdam. ... Index Catalogi Musei Leersiani of te Aanwyzing der Pryzen, &c. Registre du Catalogue du Cabinet de Leers, ou Specification des Prix auxquels ont été vendus chaque Numero du Catalogue du Cabinet de Coquillages & autres Curiosités Naturelles ... vendues publiquement à Amsterdam le 20 Mai 1767 ... (Amsterdam, Herman de Wit & Pierre Holsteyn Librarires, 1767; 8°: A-C4; 12 leaves.; 24 p.).
Aarnout Leers. (Born: Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 1731; Died: Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 1785) Dutch tradesman. Leers was director of the Levant trade in Rotterdam. He also inherited the estate of Arnout van den Bergh, lord of Ameide, Herlaar and Tienhoven, who died childless in 1733.
Bibliographical references: BMC: 3, 1079. • Cobres, Deliciæ Cobresianæ, 1782. • Dance, Shell Collecting, 1966: p. 85, 230 & 238. • Wilson, History of Mineral Collecting, 1994: 216. (Leers) BAB: 399, 49. • Engel, Dutch Zoological Cabinets, 1986: p. 152, no. 898. • WBI. • Wurzbach, Biographisches Lexikon Österreich, 1856-91.
Miscellanea, volume 7
5. French & Dutch, 1773 [Sale catalog].
Catalogue Systématique et Raisonné d'une Superbe Collection d'Objects des trois Règnes de la Nature. Consistant en animaux â mammelons; oiseaux; amphibies; poissons; insectes; coquillages; litophytes et zoophytes; plantes; fruits et mineraux. Comme aussi en magnifiques statues d'yvoire garnie de pierres preécieuses et autres; pierres antiques taillés en relief et gravées en creux, et bustes in bronze, ou en pierre; agates orientales, &c. tableaux modelés en circ; miniatures, dessins et autres raretés &c. Le tout rassemblé avec des peines & dépenses infinies pendeant nombre d'annés, par ** ... Amsterdam, J.C. Sepp, 1773.
8°: xiv, 400, [6] p. Text in French and Dutch. Page size: 180 x 108 mm.
Rare. Auction catalog of the substantial natural history cabinet of the Dutchman Philippus Julius van Zuylen van Nyevelt [1743-1826]. Included at the end is a smaller selection of art work. The preface explains the taxonomic systems and literature employed in the unusually detailed descriptions of the objects. In addition, there are objets d'art such as coins, medals, statues, porcelain, miniatures and drawings. The sale occurred in Amsterdam beginning on 9 November 1773 and continued on subsequent days at the home of Arnaud Dankmeyer. The agents conducting the sale were N. Blinkvliet, Ph. van der Schley, and P. Posthumus. Cobres (1782) records that there were two issues of the catalog, differing only on the title page; one giving the initials of the collector and compiler, the other, as above, not.
Bibliographical references: BL [956.g.6.]. • Cobres, Deliciæ Cobresianæ, 1782: 1, 139. • Engel, Dutch Zoological Cabinets, 1986: no. 1032 & 1746. • Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9. • Jutting, History of Conchological Collections, 1939: 222, 230 & 239. • NUC [no copy listed]. • Wilson, History of Mineral Collecting, 1994: 186 & 219.
Miscellanea, volume 8
6. Latin, 1778 [Sale catalog].
Museum Gronovianum. Sive index Rerum Naturalium tam Mammalium Amphibiorum Piscium Insetorum Conchyliorum Zoophytorum Plantarum & Mineralium exquisitissimorum quam Arte factarum nonnullarum. Inter quæ eminet Herbarius Siccus Plantarum a Tournefortio Claitonio Linnaeo aliisque Botanicis collectarum. Quæ omnia multa cura & magnis sumptibus sibi comparavit Vir Amplissimus & Celeberrimus Laur. Theod. Gronovius .... Leiden: Theo. Haak, 1778.
8°: 255 p.
Rare. Edited by F.C. Meuschen with the assistance of P. Boddaert, this sale catalog represents the collection of Laurence Theodore Gronov [see note below]. Incorporated into the collection were some specimens inherited from his father's collection.
Lorenz Theodor Gronov. (Born: Leiden, The Netherlands, 1 June 1730; Died: Leiden, The Netherlands, 8 August 1777) Dutch lawyer & naturalist. Lorenz was the son of Johann Friedrich Gronov. Counciller and alderman of Leiden, he possessed an extensive cabinet of corals, fishes, lower animals, insects, reptiles, mammals, shells, stones, plants, etc. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London in 1763, Gronov's library was sold on 5 October 1778, followed by his Museum on the 7 October.
Bibliographical references: BL [955.b.38.]. • Murray, Museums, 1904: 2, 269. • Wilson, History of Mineral Collecting, 1994: 213. (Gronov) Aa, Biographisch Woordenboek, 1852-78. • BAB: 278, 327-333. • Engel, Dutch Zoological Cabinets, 1986: 580-1. • Jöcher, Gelehrten-Lexikon, 1750-51. • Kobus, Biographisch Woordenboek, 1886: 1, 635-6. • Kobus, Biographisch Woordenboek, 1886. • Poggendorff: 1, cols. 957-8. • Stafleu & Cowan, Taxonomic Literature, 1976-88. • WBI. • Wilson, History of Mineral Collecting, 1994: 173.
7. Latin & French, 1787 [Sale catalog].
Mvsevm Geversianvm | Sive | Index | Rervm Natvralivm | Continens | Instrvctissimam Copiam | Pretiosissimorvm | Omnis Generis | Ex | Tribvs Regnis Natvræ | Obiectorvm | Qvam | Dvm In Vivis Erat Magna Diligentia | Mvltaqve Cvra Comparavit | Vir Amplissimvs | Abrahamvs Gevers | [...7 lines of titles and memberships...] | Cvra | F.C.M. | [ornate rule] | Rotterodami | Apvs | P. Et I. Holsteyn | Bibliopolas. MDCCLXXXVII.
8°: [i]-iv, [1]-659 p. In Latin and French.
Rare. Catalog of the Abraham Gevers [see note below] collection that was auctioned on 12 September 1787, or seven years after Gevers death. The mineralogy section, arranged according to the system of Wallerius, lists 636 lots in parallel columns of Latin and French, is followed by 204 lots of petrifications. Descriptions include habit, locality, associated species, plus a reference, usually to Wallerius.
Abraham Gevers. (Born: Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 2 September or 30 August 1712; Died: Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 15 October 1780) Dutch Burgomaster. Burgomaster of Rotterdam. Director of the Dutch East India Company. He built a natural history collection that included birds, shells, insects and minerals.
Bibliographical references: BMC: 3, 1296. • Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9. • Lugt, Repertoire des Catalogues, 1938-53: no. 1221. • Murray, Museums, 1904: 2, 254. • Wilson, History of Mineral Collecting, 1994: 172 & 212. (Gevers) Cleevely, World Palæontological Collections, 1983: 128. • Engel, Dutch Zoological Cabinets, 1986: p. 94, no. 518. • Sherborn, Where is the - Collection?, 1940: ??.
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