TREW, Christoph Jacob (1695–1769)

The enlarged German edition of this very uncommon anatomical treatise by the renowned Nuremberger physician, Dr. Trew, discussing the anatomy of the foetus in relation to that of a grown man. It was first published in Latin in 1736, a copy of which also is at hand. This treatise is quite unusual among medical publications as illustrated of a double set of engraved plates, one of which is delicately coloured by hand. The plates are made by J. F. Schmidt. There are together 76 anatomical figures on five plates. Dr Trew exercised a very large and beneficial influence over the publication of botanical and medical books in Nuremberg and Augsburg. Most of these publications are superbly produced and illustrated by distinguished artists, among them the celebrated Georg Dionysius Ehret who made the magnificent painting for Trew’s own Plantae Selectae (1750-1773). Dr Trew also collected all sorts of natural objects: stones, minerals, shells, a herbarium, and also botanical drawings. It was Trew who bought Conrad Gesner’s (1516-1565) botanical drawings. He corresponded with scientists all over Europe and kept their letters, 19.000 of which were left to the university of Altdorf together with his library of 35.000 volumes (in 1809 taken over by the university of Erlangen). Among those books was the first edition of Harvey’s De motu cordis, later sold to dr. Waller and now in the Uppsala university library.

Collation: Pp (4), 156. With 10 folding engraved plates numbered tab. I–V , one hand-coloured set (I-V) and one plain (J. F. Schmidt fecit).

Binding: Contemporary half calf, five raised bands, gilt rules, sprinkled boards.

Provenance: D. v. Schulzenheim (1732–1823).