Botanisches Handbuch für deutsche Liebhaber der Pflanzenkunde überhaupt - (Botanical Manual for German lovers of Plant Science in general, and for Gardening enthusiasts, Pharmacists and Economists in particular)
Bound With:
Handbuch zur Kenntnis des Linneischen Pflanzensystems und seiner Terminologie - (Handbook for knowledge of the Linnean plant system and its terminology)
Printing by Christian Keil (1797-1798)
Securely bound in original boards dressed with German polished paper. Internally, leaves are mostly clean with minimal foxing. Collated complete with two plates. - FIRST PART: xvi, 116 pages; SECOND PART: xviii, 475 pages; THIRD PART: [viii], 248 pages. - Two Botanical Plates engraved by Gapieux: (Tab. 1&2). - Early brown ink sigature inscription of Th. Braun. - FIRST EDITION - Rare.
Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Koch (Sudenburg, Magdeburg, May 30, 1759 – Magdeburg, March 8, 1831) was a German botanist, clergyman, evangelical, educator and naturalist.
He came from a family of merchants from Braunschweig, and his father died in 1761. He received school education only in 1771 at the Magdeburg Cathedral School, and from 1772 to 1775 he entered the Pädagogium of the Magdeburg monastery, (on the outskirts). In 1779, he graduated in theology from the University of Halle, and became a teacher at the Magdeburg Cathedral School.
In 1780, Gotthilf Sebastian Rötger places him as a teacher in the Pädagogium of the Magdeburg Nuns' Monastery, teaching the classics (Greek , Hebrew and Latin), sciences (physics, physiology, mathematics) and music.
In 1785 he was elected to the Pädagogium consistory as rector. In 1792 he accepted to be third preacher in the Church of St. John in Magdeburg, and in 1807 second preacher, and in 1810 he would also be preacher in the Magdeburg Cathedral.
In 1812 he was dean of the Diocese of Magdeburg. He was already a member of the Council of Magdeburg since 1808, and since 1814 of the Consistory, since 1816 Consistorial and School Inspector of the Ecclesiastical Province of Saxony, and since 1824 co-director of the Relief Institute.
He was very fond of working in the broad worlds of education and science, and in literature. He studied Botany, Music, Arithmetic, Chess, and wrote numerous sermons and lectures.
In 1829, the Faculty of Theology of the University of Halle awarded him an honorary doctorate in Theology.