Bockenhoffero was professor of rhetoric at the University of Strasbourg, from which in 1678, he had been awarded an advanced degree in the same subject.

Biographical references: DBA: I 112, 342. • Jöcher, Gelehrten-Lexikon, 1750-51: Suppl. 1, 1 (1784), col. 1943. • Poggendorff: 1, col. 270?. • WBI.

1. Latin, 1677 [Collection catalog].
Mvsævm | Brackenhof- | ferianum | delineatum | à | Joh. Joachimo Bockenhoffero | Argentinensi. | Argentorati. | [rule] | Anno Recvperatæ Salvtis. | cI[Backwards C]. I[Backwards C]c. LXXVII.

4°: A-F⁴ G²; 26l.; [1]-52 p.

Contents: [1-2], Title page, verso blank.; 3-6, Preface, text starting "Accede Hspes, | Quicunque rerum pulchrarum desiderio teneris. | ..."; 7-8, Dedication?, text starting "Illustris Vir | Dn. | Elias Brackenhoffer, | ..."; 9-52, Text.

Very rare. This catalog describes the fine library and art and natural history collections of Élie Brackenhoffer [see note below]. The author follows Brackenhoffer's physical layout by dividing the collection into Fossil, Vegetable, Animal and Artificial. Every object found a place under one of these heads, and the text reveals most of his natural history specimens were mineralogical, which were consequently listed under Fossil. The divisions of this class included metals, stones, and mineralia media. The metals were divided between natural and artificial, while the subdivisions of the stones show the uncritical character of the mineralogy of the time. These were classified into: Lapides majores molles, stones taken from animals, meteoric stones, Lapides fossiles minores, Silices minores, petrifications including petrified wood, the petrified molar of an elephant, gems and precious stones, and corals. The mineralia media included the earths and sulphur. Among the animals a crocodile can be found. The vegetables stood by themselves. The primary division of Artificial items was into objects made of wood, glass or ivory, while other groupings included pictures, gold and silver work, works of art in marble, wax and other materials, antiquities and coins.

This is a luxuriant volume printed on fine paper stock in red and black throughout with marvelous typography. Although very rare, it attracted enough notice to have an abstract reprinted in Michael Bernhard Valentini's Museum Museorum, Frankfurt am Mainz, 1714, vol. II, appendix XX, pp. 69-81. In addition, several letters in Franz Ernst Brückmann's Epistolæ Itinerariæ reference Brackenhoffer's collection (See: 1, Epistola 39-47, 57-60, 64-65, & 81-84).

Élie Brackenhoffer. (Born: Strasbourg, France, 27 March 1618; Died: 1682) French bibliophile. French bibliophile and noted humanist, Brackenhoffer undertook several journeys throughout France, Germany and Italy. He developed a taste for collecting objects of all types, and built a large cabinet containing ancient coins, books, sculpture and art, and natural history. His coin collection was cataloged in 1665.

Bibliographical references: Beekman, Systematische Mineralogie, 1906: 18. • BL [B.431.(8.)]. • Cobres, Deliciæ Cobresianæ, 1782: 1, 117. • Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9: 1, 271. • Murray, Museums, 1904: 1, 214 & 2, 134. • NUC [no copy listed]. • Schröter's Journal für die Liebhaber: 1, pt. 1, 17. • Wilson, History of Mineral Collecting, 1994: 206. (Brackenhoffer) ABF: I 148, 316-317, 441; II 96, 106. • Bonnaffé, Dictionnaire des Amateurs Français, 1884. • DBF: 7, col. 131 [by T. De Morembert]. • WBI.

2. German, 1683 [German transl.].
Mvsævm Brackenhof- | ferianvm, | Das ist/ | Ordentliche Be= | schreibung | Aller/ so wohl natürlicher als | kunstreicher Sachen/ | Welche sich | in | Weyland | Hrn. Eliae Brackenhoffers/ | gewesenen Dreyzehners bey hiesiger | Statt Straßburg/ | Hinterlassenem Cabinet | befinden. | Straszburg/ | [rule] | Gedruckt vnd verlegt durch Johann | Welpern/ Im Jahr 1683.

8°: A-U⁸; 80l.; [1]-160 p.

Contents: [1-2], Title page, verso blank.; 3-160, Text.

Rare. Translation of Musaeum Brackenhofferianum (Argentorati, 1677), described as an ordinary description of all the artistic natural objects contained in the Eliae Brackenhoffer's cabinet, which was thirty years in the making.

Bibliographical references: BL [957.b.33.]. • Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9: 1, 271. • Murray, Museums, 1904: 1, 214 & 2, 134. • NUC [no copy listed]. • Schröter's Journal für die Liebhaber: 2, 39. • Wilson, History of Mineral Collecting, 1994: 206.