(Born: 1704; Died: Neu Ruppin, Germany, 1777) German physician & naturalist.

Feldmann had a successful medical practice in Neu-Ruppin.

Biographical references: Nouvelle Biographie Générale (Hoefer). • Wilson, History of Mineral Collecting, 1994: 169.

Feldmann's Naturalien-Cabinets, 1785

1. German, 1785 [Sale catalog].
[French title page:] Catalogue | du | Cabinet de Curiosités naturelles du defunt | Docteur en Medecine & Physicien | Feldmann | qui est composé de | [...14 lines of text...] | Le quel Cabinet se vendra & distraira publiquement | aux plus offrans & derniers en cherisseurs a Berlin | le 1mier Aout 1785 & jours suivants par le | Commissaire des Auctions Sieur | Bôhme. | [rule] | Les Amateurs etrangers font priées, de donné leurs Commissions | avant le 1mier Aout 1785 mais aussi les Assurences, le tout franc | de port. | [double rule] | Berlin, | imprimé chez Carl Friedrich Rellstab.

[German title page:]

Verzeichniß | des | von dem zu Neu=Ruppin verstorbenen Doctore und | Creyß=Physiko | Feldmann | nachgelassenen Naturalien=Cabinets, | [...14 lines of text...] | welches im August 1785 in Berlin | durch den Königlichen Auctions=Commissarium Herrn Böhme | in öffentlicher Auction einzeln an den Meistbiethenden gegen | gleich baare Bezahlung in Courant verkauft | werden soll. | [rule] | Auswärtige Liebhaber werden ersucht, ihre etwannigen Comissionen, | nebst Anweisung hinreichender Sicherheit, vor den 1sten August | curr. franco an deren hiesige Freunde und Commissionairs ein= | zusenden. | [double rule] | Berlin, | gedruckt bey Carl Friedrich Rellstab.

8°: π² A-K⁸ L⁵; 87l.; [4], [1]-170 p. Page size: 184 x 100 mm.

Contents: [1 pg], Half title page, "Catalogus | des | Feldmannschen Naturalien=Cabinets. | [rule] | Die Auction geschiehet zu Berlin im Monath | August 1785."; [1 pg], Title page in French.; [1 pg], Title page in German.; [1 pg], "Vorbericht."-signed Feldmann, 1 May 1785.; [1]-169, Text.; 170, "Anhang."

Very rare. Auction sale catalog of Feldmann's cabinet of natural history objects, which occurred several years after his death. The cabinet contained 9000 shells, 1200 mineral specimens including 340 pieces of amber, 3000 stones and petrifications, 1000 polished or ornamental stones which included 600 fossils, 1052 samples of wood, and a smaller selection of instruments, stuffed animals, and other curiosities. The title indicates that if a buyer could not be found for the entire cabinet before 1 August 1785, the collection would be sold piecemeal later that month. According to a manuscript notation in the copy examined, the sale actually began on 15 September 1785 and continued on the following days. This delay suggests that there may have been an effort to secure the entire assembly but because the auction happened that the last minute attempt failed.

Bibliographical references: BL [957.b.34.]. • Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9: 1, 267. • Murray, Museums, 1904: 3, 50. • Schröter's Journal für die Liebhaber: 5, 492 & 558. • Wilson, History of Mineral Collecting, 1994: 211.

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