Johann Jacob Hofmann:
Lexicon universale, historiam sacram et profanam omnis aevi, omniumque gentium; chronologiam ad haec usque tempora; geographiam et veteris et novi orbis […] praetera animalium, plantarum, lapidum, gemmarum, nomina, natures, vires, explanans. Editio absolutissima [...]. 1-4.
Leiden, apud Jacob. Hackium, Cornel. Boutesteyn, Petr. Vander AA, & Jord. Luchtmans, 1698. Folio. 37 x 32,5 cms. [14] + 1072; + [2] + 900; + [2] + 994 (irregular pagination); + [2] + CXXVI + 762, 1-116 pp. + engraved title. Letterpress titles printed in red & black and with woodcut vignettes, first page of each volume with engraved historiated head-piece.
Four volumes, contemporary calf, slightly worn, scattered foxing and staining, mainly confined to margins, recurring dampstains to upper margins.
Provenance: Ownership inscription of J. Sahlgren dated 1699 in first volume, bookplates of Gustaf C:son Lewenhaupt replacing earlier (apparently substantially larger) bookplates which have been removed. Ownership inscription of Claes Annerstedt in vols. 2-4.
Second edition, the first appeared in 2 volumes in 1677. The first dictionary to be labelled ”Universal”. - - - Jacob Sahlgren (-1736) tog över ett av de ledande handelshusen i Göteborg efter sin faders död 1703. Han utökade verksamheten med sockerbruk och efterlämnade en stor förmögenhet. Hans bror var den berömda donatorn Niclas Sahlgren (1701-76). Claes Annerstedt (1839-1927) var chef för Uppsala universitetsbibliotek och ledamot av Svenska akademien.