Books and Manuscripts · Lot 2490
[Alba amicorum]. Album amicorum
of CASPAR GOTTFRIED HAHN, mainly Jena and Leipsic, 1643-1650, 194 lvs. (incl. 112 blank), comprising 74 contributions incl. 1 MINIATURE, 7 gouaches of coats of arms heightened w. gold (1x mounted), 7 drawings (4x gouache and heightened w. gold, 1x mounted) and 1 portrait in red crayon, contemp. richly gilt calf, frontcover giltlettered "C.G.H.S. / 1643", a.e.g., obl. 12mo.
- Lot
- 2490
- Auction
- Auction 85, 23-27 Nov 2026
- Estimate
- €7,000 – €9,000
- Photos
- 5 photos
Condition
Bookplates of J.A. Six and E.A. van Beresteyn on the preliminary lvs. (w. manuscript annotations) and sm. ticket of "Familie-Archief van Beresteyn" on frontcover. Coat of arms of Hahn family mounted on upper pastedown; later erroneously numbered (no signs of missing lvs.); a few lvs. w. contemp. annotations; one leaf w. heraldic gouache repaired; hinges broken. Binding sl. worn along extremities; joints splitting at spine ends.
Notes
A very rich album amicorum belonging to Caspar Gottfried Hahn, a German theologian and member of the noble family Hahn. The album contains mainly entries by students from the University of Jena and Leipsic. This album amicorum with beautiful drawings is a typical example of the German alba amicorum tradition at its height. It includes entries by i.a. Christoph Philipp Richter (1601-1673) dated 1644, a German legal scholar; Gothofredus Cundisius, Niclaus Rhodius, Ludolphus Freydorff; Christophorus Weyse and Johannes Christophorus Fickerus. The miniature, painted in vibrant colours, shows four people at a round table playing backgammon (often associated with the cardinal sin sloth), underneath a quote from Terence's play Adelphoe: "Ita vita est Hominum, quasi cum ludas tesseris, Si illud quod maxime opus est iacta non cadit: illud quod cecidit forte, id arte ut corrigas." One entry w. a circular emblem was added in 1793. Provenance: Van Stockum 1925, no.266 (sale library J.W. Six van Vromade). SEE ILLUSTRATION PLATE LXIV.
Written bids, and bids by telephone or email, should be in our possession before Sunday 22 November 2026, 8.00 pm. We cannot guarantee (proper) execution of bids received later.