56 - Stosch, Ferdinand

Stosch, Ferdinand Sermons and Other Christian Reflections. 2 volumes. Magdeburg, Scheidhauer, 1798, and Bauer, 1800. 16 leaves (title page, dedication, preface, list of illustrations), 364 (2, errata, publisher’s notice), and 12 leaves (title page, dedication, preface, index), 383 (1, errata) pp. Contemporary calf binding with gold-stamped title and volume number on leather labels, rich gilt spine, gold-stamped ornamental filets on the covers and fore-edges, endpapers of multicolored ring-marbled paper, color-edged inside edges, and ribbon bookmarks (on the headband of Vol. 2 with a small missing spot, in places with a light edge, somewhat scuffed and rubbed). Rare first and only complete edition; our copy has a distinguished provenance. - VD18 11339837. - Rare; only two copies are listed in German institutions via the KVK (Erfurt University Library, Halle University Library). Not held by the StaBi or SUB in Göttingen. - Ferdinand Storsch (1750–1821) served as Royal Prussian Court Chaplain and was active, among other places, at Berlin Cathedral. - Provenance: On the reverse of the title pages is a stamp from the Royal Joachimsthal Gymnasium (dissolved in 1956) as part of a bequest from the Prussian Minister of Justice Friedrich Wilhelm von Thulemeier (1735–1811): “Gymnasio Reg: Joachim: Legate: Ab Illustr: Thulemeiero.” (Regarding the bequest: Köpke, F. C.: History of the Library of the Royal Joachimsthal Gymnasium … Berlin, 1831, pp. 22ff.) - The title pages are slightly browned at the edges; otherwise, this is a well-preserved, elegant set of volumes with contemporary colored papers of vivid hues as endpapers; the second volume is printed on mint-green handmade paper. Rare first and only edition of Stosch’s prayers; our copy has a distinguished provenance. Bound in contemporary calf with rich gold tooling and superb multicolored shell-marbled paper. - For references, see above. - Scarce; only two copies are listed in German institutions via the KVK (Erfurt University Library, Halle University Library). - Ferdinand Storsch (1750–1821) served as Royal Prussian Court Chaplain and worked, among other places, at Berlin Cathedral. - Provenance: The reverse side of the title pages bears the stamp of the Royal Joachimsthal Grammar School (dissolved in 1956) as a bequest from the Prussian Minister of Justice Friedrich Wilhelm von Thulemeier (1735–1811): 'Gymnasio Reg: Joachim: Legat: Ab Illustr: Thulemeiero'. - Title pages are somewhat browned at the margins; otherwise, this is a fine set of volumes with splendid contemporary decorative endpapers; the second volume is printed on mint-green mold-made paper.