BOEHMER, Georg Rudolph.
(1723 – 1803)
Boehmer, the author of many works on natural history, was a professor of anatomy and botany at the University of Wittenberg.
Biographical references: Börner, Vornehmsten Lebensumständen, 1749-64. DBA: I 117, 364-387; II 146, 77-79. Ferchl. Hamberger & Meusel, Gelehrte Teutschland, 1796-1834. Hirsch, Biographisches Lexikon, 1884-8. Poggendorff: 1, col. 223. Schrader, Biographisch Lexicon der Tierärtze, 1863. WBI.
1. German, 1788-9 [Bibliography].
D. Georgii Rvdolphi Boehmeri | Vniversitatis Witteberg. Senioris | Bibliotheca | Scriptorvm | Historiae Natvralis | OEconomiae | Aliarvmqve Artivm Ac Scientiarvm | Ad Illam Pertinentivm | Realis Systematica | Pars IV. | Mineralogi | Volvmen I. [-II.] | [vignette] | Lipsiae | Apvd Ioannem Fridericvm Ivnivm. | MDCCLXXXVIII.
Complete set: 5 parts in 9 vols. [Part I, vol 1: 1785, Scriptores generales] 8°: [2], [i]-xviii, [1]-778 p. [Part I, vol 2: 1785, Scriptores generales] 8°: [4], [1]-772 p. [Part II, vol 1: 1786, Zoologi] 8°: [4], [1]-604 p. [Part II, vol 2: 1787, Zoologi] 8°: [2], [i]-xxx, [1]-536 p. [Part III, vol 1: 1787, Phytologi] 8°: [1]-808 p. [Part III, vol 2: 1788, Phytologi] 8°: [2], [1]-642 p. [Part IV, vol 1: 1788, Mineralogi] 8°: [2], [1]-510 p. [Part IV, vol 2: 1788, Mineralogi] 8°: [2], [1]-412 p. [Part V: 1789, Hydrologi Acc. Index vniversalis] 8°: [2], [i]-x, [1]-740 p. Page size: 194 x 112 mm.
Contents: [Part I, vol 1] [2 pgs], Blank, verso title page in German.; [i-ii], Title page in Latin, verso blank.; [iii], Sectional title page, "Literatur | Der | Naturgeschichte | Erster Theil."; [iv]-xv, "Praefatio." & "Vorrede."-Foreword in both Latin and German on opposite pages.; xvi-xviii, Table of contents in Latin and German.; [1]-778, Text.
[Part I, vol 2] [2 pgs], Blank, verso title page in German.; [2 pgs], Title page in Latin, verso blank.; [1]-772, Text.
[Part II, vol 1] [2 pgs], Blank, verso title page in German.; [2 pgs], Title page in Latin, verso blank.; [1]-604, Text.
[Part II, vol 2] [2 pgs], Blank, verso title page in German.; [i-ii], Title page in Latin, verso blank.; [iii]-xxx, "Anstatt | Der Vorrede."; [1], Sectional title page, "Pars II. | Zoologi | Vol. II. | Zweyter Theil | Thierreich | Zweyter Band."; [2], Blank.; [3]-536, Text.
[Part III, vol 1] [1-2], Blank, verso title page in German.; [3-4], Title page in Latin, verso blank.; [5], Sectional title page, "Pars III. | Phytologi | Vol. I. | Dritter Theil | Gewaechsreich | Erster Band."; [6], Blank.; [7]-808, Text.
[Part III, vol 2] [2 pgs], Blank, verso title page in German.; [1-2], Title page in Latin, verso blank.; [3], Sectional title page, "Pars III. | Phytologi | Vol. I. | Dritter Theil | Gewaechsreich | Zweyter Band."; [4], Blank.; [5]-642, Text.
[Part IV, vol 1] [2 pgs], Blank, verso title page in German.; [1-2], Title page in Latin, verso blank.; [3], Sectional title page, "Pars IV. | Mineralogi | Vol. I. | Vierter Theil | Mineralreich | Erster Band."; [4], Blank.; [5]-510, Text.
[Part IV, vol 2] [2 pgs], Blank, verso title page in German.; [1-2], Title page in Latin, verso blank.; [3], Sectional title page, "Pars IV. | Mineralogi | Vol. I. | Vierter Theil | Mineralreich | Zweyter Band."; [4], Blank.; [5]-412, Text.
[Part V] [2 pgs], Blank, verso title page in German.; [2 pgs], Title page in Latin, verso blank.; [i]-x, "Praefatio. Vorrede."; [3], Sectional title page, "Pars V. | Hydrologi. | Fünfter Theil | Wasswerreich."; [4], Blank.; [5]-339, Text.; 400-431, Combined table of contents in Latin and German for the five parts.; 432-666, Name index to all parts.; 667-740, Index to the anonymous works listed in the bibliography.
Rare. Listing c65,000 books and articles, this massive compilation is a classified bibliographical guide to works on natural history published from the fifteenth through the eighteenth centuries. Entries often include references to reviews or other commentary. The complete five parts are arranged in nine volumes: Pars I, Scriptores generales (general works, 2 vols.), Pars II, Zoologi (zoology, 2 vols.), Pars III, Phytologi (phytology or plants, 2 vols.), Pars IV, Mineralogi (mineralogy, 2 vols.), and Pars V, Hydrologi (hydrology, one vol.). A lengthy name index (including a separate one for anonymous works) is included at the end of the last volume (pp.432-740).
The fourth section, published in two volumes concerns mineralogy and the earth sciences. This bibliography was compiled with much perseverance on the part of Boehmer, with the list, which is less complete with regard to non-Germans, extending to the year 1784. However, the compiler did not know mineralogy as a science. Consequently, the classification of the entries is somewhat jumbled. For example, writings on mining, mine engineering, mining law, instruction on goldsmithing, glaringly occur with other titles about mineralogical systems. Additionally, many mineralogical works are listed in volume one devoted to general writings that includes a lengthy section concerning natural history collections and museums (1, pp. 369-411). None the less, Boehmer's bibliography of mineralogy ranks with Gatterer's Allgemeines Repertorium der mineralogischen, bergwerks= und salzwerkwissenschaftenlichen Literatur (Giessen, 1798-9) as one of the best compilations of the 18th century, and although not stated, Gatterer clearly relied upon Boehmer's prior work in his compilation.
Bibliographical references: Besterman, Bibliography of Bibliographies, 1965-6. BMC: 1, 184. Bridson, History of Natural History, 1994: Ca92. Graesse, Trésor de Livres Rares, 1859-69: 1, p. 461. Johnson, D.E., "A concordance of abbreviations used in references to reviews in botanical bibliographies by Cobres (1782), Böhmer (1787) and Miltitz (1829)", Huntia, 3, (1979), 103-14. LKG: (intro to bibliography) & I 14. Murray, Museums, 1904: 2, 3. Petzholdt, Bibliotheca Bibliographica, 1866: p. 546.
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