WAGNER, Peter Christian.
(1703 – 1764)
Wagner graduated from the University of Halle with his medical degree in 1724. He then opened practices in Bayreuth followed by Erlangen. He was appointed city physician at Pappenheim in 1728. In 1743, he became Stadtphysikus in Bayreuth, where in 1758 he became the director of the medical college.
Biographical references: DBA: I 1324, 56-67. • Fikenscher, G.W.A., Gelehrtes Fürstenthum Baireut.: 10 (1804), 32-7. • Meusel, Verstorbenen Teutschen Schrifsteller, 1802-16: 14, 332-4. • Poggendorff: 2, col. 1240 & 7a, 745. • WBI.
1. Latin, 1724 [Dissertation].
Dissertatio Inauguralis Physico-Medica | De | Lapidibus | Judaicis, | Quam | Summi Numinis Tutela | Et | Almæ Facultatis Medicæ Gratioso Consensu | Sub Umbra | Dni. Georgii, Daniel | Coschwitzi, | [...5 lines of titles and memberships...] | Pro Gradu Doctoris, | Summis In Arte Salutari Honoribus Et Privilegiis | Doctoralibus Rite Capessendis | Horis Locoque Consuetis | Anno cI{\smBackC} I{\smBackC}cc xxxiv. d. DeCemb. | Publicæ Eruditorum ventilationi submittet | Auctor Responsurus. | Petrus Christianus Wagner | Curia Variscus. | [rule] | Halae Magd. Typis Ioh. Christian. Hilligeri, Acad. Typ.
Square 12°: [8], 48, [4] p., one plate.
Rare. A dissertation on the so-called "Jew" stone. The praesidium was Georg. Dan. Coschwitz, and the respondent was Peter Christian Wagner.
Bibliographical references: Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9: 2, 361. • Hoover Collection: no. 853. • Pfeiffer, Heinz. "Hallesche Dissertationen des frühen 18 Jahrhunderts zur Geologie", Zeitschrift für geologischen Wissenschaften, 8 (1980), no. 2, 171-9, 2 illus.
2. Latin & German, 1762-4.
Abbildungen der seltensten und schönsten Stucke des Hochfurstlichen Naturalienkabinet in Bayreuth ... Bayreuth, 1762-4.
4 parts. 2°: [4], 28 p., with a large allegorical engraved title vignette by A.L. Wirsing after M.F. Ledermuller and R.H. Richter, 16 large plates printed in color, and finished by hand (plates XIV/XV on a double-page leaf). The four pages of introduction may have been published as the prospectus, and not included with many copies, which explains why it is missing from many bibliographical descriptions. Page size: 417 x 290 mm.
Extremely rare. No more published. Wagner's Pictures of the Rarest and most Beautiful Pieces from the Princely Natural History Cabinet in Bayreuth is listed in only a few of the standard bibliographies. Only four sections were issued of this work that was envisioned to describe and illustrate all of the most interesting specimens contained in the Wunderkammer in Bayreuth. Printed in color and finished by hand, the plates show partly (I) a small American monkey, (VII) a South American frog, (XI) an American Armadillo, and (XII) a Mexican chameleon. According to the prospectus (which occupies the 4 pages at the beginning of the volume and is written in French and German), the work would consist of livraisons containing 4 plates each and would be strictly limited to the number of subscribers. However, probably due to Wagner's death in 1764, publication stopped. No copy has been examined to determine if this book has any mineralogical content.
Related work, 1840: In 1840, Friedrich Braun [1800-1864] published an account of the fossils contained in the Bayreuth collection in his Verzeichniss der in der Kreis-Naturalien-Sammlung zu Bayreuth befindlichen Petrefacten (Leipzig, 1840; 4°: viii, 118, [2] p., 22 plates).
Bibliographical references: Agassiz, Bibliographia Geologiæ, 1848-54: 4, 515 [giving wrong year of 1672]. • BL. • Boehmer, Bibliotheca Historiæ Naturalis, 1785-9: 5, 309. • Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9: 1, 261. • Leipziger gelehrte Zeitung: 1762, p. 628 & 1764, p. 825. • Ludwig, Nürnberger Naturgeschichtliche Malerei, 1998: pp. 130, 170, 339 & 350. • Modeer, Adolph, Bibliotheca Helminthologica seu enumeratio auctorum qui de vermibus. Erlangae, Jacob. Palmium, 1786. [7], 222 p. • Murray, Museums, 1904: 2, 105 [under Bayreuth]. • Nissen (ZBI): no. 4309 [no notice of the prospectus].
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