Completed restorations
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Benedictus Figulus: Collection of spagyric (medicinal-alchemical) recipes, practices, and tracts (c. 1609).
Shelf mark: 8° Ms. chem. 25
Summary: Bendictus Figulus, studied theologian and priest, turned in the first and second decade of the 17th century increasingly to alchemy and published numerous alchemical and spagyric writings and text collections. The present volume contains a large number of autograph (handwritten) calligraphically designed copies by Benedictus Figulus of his own and other alchemo-medical and Paracelsian writings and prints.
Necessary work: Cleaning of the book block, filling of missing parts of the paper and fixing of loose leaves and layers. Shaping of the book block, restoration of the binding and reattachment of the book block to the new spine.
Restorationcosts: 1.485 Euro
Sponsorship taken over by: Frank-Roland Klaube
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz: Letters 1684-1715
Shelf mark:2° Ms. hist. litt. 4 [Leibniz
Summary: The University Library has about 35 handwritten letters of the important polymath Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. They originate from Leibniz's correspondence with Landgrave Ernst von Rheinfels-Rotenburg, the Kassel court preacher Friedrich Lucae and the Zeitz court counselor Christoph Enoch Buchta. The letters belong to the old holdings of the Landesbibliothek and, with the exception of seven pieces in urgent need of restoration, are in a conservationally acceptable condition corresponding to their age.
Necessary work of varying extent: care of tears (securing with fine strips of Japanese paper), unfolding of folded-over pieces of paper, surface cleaning of heavily soiled leaf edges, if necessary removal of older adhesive strips (partly over ink).
Restoration costs: 190 to 730 euros
Sponsorship taken over by: Karl-Hans Caprano
Sponsorship taken over by: Inner Wheel Club Kassel
Kulliyat-i Saadi (1517)
Shelf mark:Ms. orient. 24
Summary: Saadi of Shiraz (1210-1291/92) is one of the most important poets and mystics of Persia. The present manuscript is an incomplete transmission of the Kulliyat-i-Saadi, a collection of verse and prose excerpts from his works in Persian script. The manuscript is dated August 7, 1517.
Necessary work: Cleaning of paper and binding. Close or stabilize tears in the paper and defective page edges with Japanese paper. Reconnect separated double leaves. Re-staple book block and mount to spine. Protect illustrations with sheets of Japanese paper.
Restoration costs: 1.640 Euro
Sponsorship taken over by: Brigitte and Wolfgang Bremeier and friends
After the restoration
Ariodante and Ginevra / Fortunatus (before 1620)
Shelf mark: 8° Ms. theatr. 4
Summary: The volume contains two plays. 1. Ariodante and Ginevra: a tragicomedy based on an episode from the work Orlando furioso by Ludovico Ariosto. Confusion play about jealous men. 2. Fortunatus: a tragedy. Adaptation of a play by Hans Sachs.The scribe, who is apparently also the author of the plays, was a literary and linguistic person from the environment of the Kassel court - certainly he knew Italian, since the Aridoante is undoubtedly based on the original Italian version of Ariosto and not on a later translation version.Both plays were apparently tailored for a small ensemble (the number of acting persons is relatively limited), which suggests that they were conceived and written for performance at the Kassel court theater.
Necessary work: Binding restoration, paper restoration, binding to book block.
Restoration costs: 1.300 Euro
Sponsorship taken over by: Wolfram Bremeier and friends
Vincenzo Gabiani: I Gelosi, German version (1610-1620)
Shelf mark: 8° Ms. theatr. 3
Summary: Germanization of an Italian comedy written in 1545. Confusion play about the love of two lovers until the happy end.
Significance: Landgrave Moritz had Germany's first permanent playhouse, the Ottoneum, built in Kassel in 1606. The present play, written by a North Hessian based on an Italian model, is tailored to a small ensemble (the number of acting characters is relatively limited). This suggests that it was conceived and written for performance at the Kassel Court Theater.
Necessary work: Binding restoration, paper restoration, re-stitching and gluing down, binding to book block.
Restoration costs: 1.300 Euro
Sponsorship taken over by: Frank-Roland Klaube and friends
Fuchs, Reinicke: Ander Thyl des Buchs Schimpff un Ernst (1594)
Shelf mark: 4° F 87a[2
Summary: This 16th century epic tells how the title character repeatedly saves himself from punishment by telling tall tales and intrigues, and in the end is made an advisor to the king by his opponents. - Very rare edition
Necessary work: Detach the book block from the binding, clean the cut, detach the back glue, secure the remains of the binding, repair the leaves, reglue, detach the endpapers from the binding, secure them, repair them, repair the capitals and reuse them.
Restoration costs: 1.040 Euro
Sponsorship taken over by: Otto von Elsner
Hand Drawings of Landgrave Moritz of Hesse-Kassel
ca. 400 architectural drawings by Landgrave Moritz.
Shelf mark: 2° Ms. Hass. 107
Summary: The unique collection includes architectural drawings by Landgrave Moritz of Hesse-Kassel (1572-1632) in his own hand, as well as drawings by the hand of various master builders and some related documents, most of which deal with buildings in Hesse. More information.
Necessary work: Cleaning of the surface, removal of old glues, removal of glue residues, reduction of browning, folding out of creases and compressions, reinforcing with Japanese paper, gluing of cracks, filling of missing parts, partly with old rag paper or with tinted Japanese paper.
Restoration costs: between 50 and 100 Euro per sheet.
Sponsorship taken over by: Otto von Elsner / Circle of Friends / Spardabank Hessen
Cornelius Petrus: Medical Notes; Medical Manual and Plague and Urinary Tracts (16th century, 3rd quarter).
Shelf mark: 8° Ms. med. 1
Summary: This medical compilation manuscript from East Brabant was originally in the possession of Dr. Jacobus Mosanus, a physician and laboratory assistant from the closest circle of alchemists around Landgrave Moritz. In addition to plague and urinary tracts, it contains numerous recipes for both everyday ailments (including toothache, nosebleeds, loss of appetite) and serious illnesses (including heart disease, dropsy, and cancer).
Necessary works: Binding restoration, paper restoration, re-stitching and gluing, binding to the book block.
Restoration costs: 1.500 Euro
Sponsorship taken over by: State program for the preservation of written cultural heritage in Hesse.
Medical manual (around 1700)
Shelf mark: 8° Ms. med. 7
Summary: Unsystematically compiled recipes with detailed instructions for application and therapy of various diseases.
Necessary work: Binding restoration, paper restoration, new stitching, binding with the book block.
Restoration costs: 1.400 Euro
Sponsorship taken over by: State program for the preservation of written cultural heritage in Hesse.
