SCHIJNVOET, Simon.
(1652 – 1727)
Schijnvoet possesed a rich collections of antiquities, coins and natural history. He editied Rumph's Rariteitkamer (1705), obtaining animals from other amateurs to complete the missing pictures. Czar Peter visited his cabinet, and he had connections to the Russian resident Christoffel van Brants. On his death, his cabinet passed to his son-in-law Vincent Posthumus, who offered it for sale in 1744 in two catalogues. The first describes the shells and the second catalogs the fossils, stones and minerals.
Biographical references: Engel, Dutch Zoological Cabinets, 1986: 248. • Thieme & Becker, Allgemeines Lexikon, 1907-50: 30, 392.
1. Latin & Dutch, 1744 [Collection catalog].
[Latin title page reads:] Catalogus | Musaei | Praestantissimi | Fossilium | Omnis Generis Rarissimorum, | Inter quæ eminent | Glebae Mineraeque | Auri, Argenti, Cupri, etc. Omnivaria; | Imprimis | Lapidum Pretiosorum | Ingens Numerus Ac Multa Varietas, | Achatae, Dendrachatae | Jaspides, Lazuli, etc. | Tum & Petrefactorum | Rarissimorum Speciosa Collectio | Etc. Etc. | Quae omnia magnis sumtibus, labore indesesso, | multorum annorum decursu, collegit | ac reliquit | Celeberrimus Historiae Naturalis Cultor | Simon Schynvoet, | Nunc autem integra ac illibata, imo aucta, possidet | ex unica ejus Filia Gener | Vincentius Posthumus, | Proxeneta Amstelaedamensis.
Naam-Lyst | Van Het Seer Uitmuntend | Kabinet | Van Allerhande Soorten Der Raarste | Bergstoffen, | Waar onder uitmunten alle Soorten van | Goud, Zilver, Koper, enz. Ertsen; En voornamentlyk een groot Getal van seer | verschillende | Edele Gesteentens, | Agaaten, Boomsteenen, Jaspis, | Lazuli Steenen, enz. | Daarenboven ook | Een Aanzienlyke Verzameling Van | Seer Raare | Versteende Zaken, | Enz. Enz. | Welke alle met groote kosten en onvermoeiden vlyt, | binnen den tyt van veele jaaren, verzamelt | en nagelaaten heeft. | De Seer Vermaarde Beminndar van de Natuur-kunde | Simon Schynvoet, | Maar nu in 't geheel en onvermindert, ja veel | vermeerdert berusten, | By deszelfs eenige nagelatene Dogters Man | Vincent Posthumus, | Maakklaar te Amsterdam.
8°: A-D8 E4; 36l.; [1]-64, 49-56 p., one folding plate (288 x 200 mm.; shows a bust with the petestal inscription: "Dit befluyt | 'tgeen d'ingewanden der | aarde teelden, de begeer | zugt baarden, en't | alles dwingt, ontrvst | of verheugt."). Page size: 178 x 108 mm.
Contents: [1-3], Blanks.; [4], Latin title page.; [5], Dutch title page.; [6], Blank.; [Folding plate].; [7]-8, "Praemonitum. Voorberigt."; [9]-64, 49-56, Text.
Very rare. Schijnvoet's natural history collections were inherited after his death by his son-in-law, Vincent Posthumus [see note below]. Some years later, after adding some material, they were put up for auction. The first sale dispersed the numerous shells, while a second sale liquidated the minerals, fossils and stones. The auction catalog described here is the only full account of the items contained in the Schijnvoet/Posthumus earth science collection. The preface provides some scant historical information on the founding and building of the collection. The remainder of the text consists of a catalog of mineralogical specimens in parallel Latin and Dutch columns, separated by a vertical rule. The auction began with gold, and moved onto silver, copper and iron minerals. This was followed by the precious gems, agates, jaspers, lapis lazuli, etc. Finally the sale concluded with the fossils. Short descriptions are given for each lot.
Vincent Posthumus. (Born: ; Died: Amsterdam, The Netherlands, (buried) 5 May 1752) Dutch merchant. Dutch merchant and broker on the Prinsegract near Vijzelstraat of various goods. Responsible for dispersing several Dutch natural history cabinets at auction.
Bibliographical references: Engel, Dutch Zoological Cabinets, 1986: nos. 1209 & 1389. (Posthumus) Engel, Dutch Zoological Cabinets, 1986: no. 1209.
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