Katalog toruńskiego księgarza Samuela Janssona Möllera z 1738 roku w zbiorach Biblioteki Katedralnej w Gnieźnie
Catalogue of the Toruń bookseller Samuel Jansson Möller from 1738 in the collection of the Cathedral Library in Gniezno

Summary/Abstract: The article presents the book range of Samuel Jansson Möller, a bookseller operating in Toruń in the first half of the 18th century. The basis for its presentation was a book catalogue from 1738, included in the collection of the Cathedral Library in Gniezno. Jansson Möller became involved with Toruń around 1725, when he took position in a thriving bookstore of Jan Christian Laurer, which, after his employer’s death and at the request of the widow, was run by Möller until his own death around 1751 The catalogue contains nearly 1600 items, more than half of which were published in the 17th century, 35% came from the first decades of the 18th century and the rest were 16th century prints, which proves that the bookseller merchandised used books as well as new publications. In many respects, the analysed catalogue demonstrated that Jansson’s activity reflected that of his predecessor and another Toruń bookseller of that period, Jan Fryderyk Hauenstein. Over 20% of the books in his catalogue were polonica, including many publications in Polish. Although the ruling and intellectual elites of the city at that time were mainly Protestants, Jansson also addressed his offer to Catholics, which shows that the Catholic community had to show interest in books to a comparable extent to the Protestant one.

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