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Museum Wormianum

The Dane Ole Worm (1588-1654) is known as the founder of classical studies in the Nordic countries and the creator of the first major Danish museum. His great collecting efforts – and his lifework – became especially known through the folio work Museum Wormianum, which was published posthumously in 1655. The book, beautifully illustrated with both woodcuts and engravings, describes the objects in Worm’s cabinet of curiosities. The collection was influenced by Worm's scientific interests and was primarily created for teaching purposes at the University of Copenhagen, where Worm was a professor of medicine. Most of the collection came from the mineral, plant and animal kingdoms, but the collection also featured antiques, artefacts and ethnographic items.

When the Museum Wormianum came out, the book quickly became a major work within older European museum literature, written in Latin and printed in Leiden and Amsterdam at the highly renowned Elsevier Publishing House. Frederik the Third bought the collection after Ole Worm's death, and the collection was then transferred to Rosenborg Castle, where many of the objects became part of the Royal cabinet of curiosities.

The Girl in the Fire

Another famous Dane is the painter Asger Jorn. A collaboration between him and his French/Polish friend Genia Katz Rajhmann resulted in the poetic work entitled The Girl in the Fire – a story about a girl who can only live in the fire. Jorn worked on both the translation, illustration, editing and financing of the book, which became his first illustrated book. The Girl in the Fire clearly shows the strong influence Miró, among others, had on Jorn in 1938 where the book was published. The book only came out in a limited edition and is rare today. The edition sold at this auction contains a dedication from Jorn to the Danish writer and poet Schade.

Illustrations Through the Centuries

The auction also offers a number of delicate art books and publications with graphics by Georges Rouault, Marc Chagall and Pablo Picasso. In the older department, we have works by Blaise Pascal, Thomas Bartholin, Anthony van Leeuwenhoek and a fine copy of Christian IV's richly illustrated bible from 1633 in contemporary binding.

Preview and Auction

The preview for the book auction will, as usual, take place in our offices at Baltikavej 10, Copenhagen, on Monday, 11 December from 10 am to 5 pm and Tuesday, 12 December from 10 am to 5 pm. The auction will begin to close online at 6 pm on Tuesday, 12 December.

View all the book lots here