Der pommersche Kunstschrank (The Pomeranian Art Cabinet)

Berlin: Kommissions-Verlag bei Ernst Wasmuth, 1905. First edition. Hardcover. f to vg. Folio (16 1/2 x 12 1/2"). [6], 86pp (Text), liv (54) tissue-guarded leaves (Plates), as issued. Original gilt-stamped cloth, with gold lettering to spine and front cover. Top edge gilt. Marbled endpapers. Large vignette to title page. Dedication to Kaiser Wilhelm II. Decorative initial.

Illustrated with 54 mounted plates in photogravure (including one in full color), this remarkable work is devoted to the Pomeranian art cabinet, a historic piece of furniture that the Augsburg art dealer and diplomat Philipp Hainhofer had built for the Pomeranian Duke Philip (truncated) II at the beginning of the 17th century.

The cabinet was a luxurious, artfully crafted desk that looked like a miniaturized Wunderkammer (wonder chamber), a place where a collection of curiosities and rarities is exhibited.

The art cabinet itself was destroyed in 1945 during World War II, but many of the beautiful objects kept inside its numerous drawers remained intact and are still on display at the Berlin’s Kunstgewerbemuseum (Museum of Decorative Arts). Some of the objects displayed are: metal playing cards, carved ivory chess pieces, small paintings, apothecary bottles, small to large jars that fit into one another like Russian dolls, a heart-shaped silver place setting, toiletries such as an ivory comb, razor, shaving brush, etc...

Head and tail of spine frayed. Some soiling to both covers and spine. A 3" closed tear at lower front joint. Slight age-toning along paper margin. Text in German. Binding in overall fair to good-, interior in very good condition. (Inventory #: 43857)