Research projects of the J.R. Ritman Library
Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica
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The library's research projects are mainly undertaken by librarian Carlos Gilly, who specifically researches the Rosicrucian tradition. His efforts concentrate on library and archival research in order to complete the projected definitive bibliography of the early Rosicrucians. His research to date has already produced many articles, lectures, monographs, and (exhibition) catalogues, while the work on the Rosicrucian bibliography (six parts are planned) is in progress. Two of these monographs and catalogues, published by 'In de Pelikaan', are listed below.
Johann Valentin Andreae. Die Manifeste der Rosenkreuzerbruderschaft 1586-1986. Compiled by C. Gilly. 144 pp.
C. Gilly. Adam Haslmayr. Der erste Verkünder der Manifeste der Rosenkreuzer. 196 pp.
When he began his research on behalf of the Rosicrucian bibliography, the basic working material consisted of a number of existing bibliographies together listing some 230-240 titles (including 20 ghost editions). Since the inception of the project, more than 1300 titles relevant to the Rosicrucians have been collected, about a third of which in manuscript. Gilly's archival and library research has resulted in a vast archive on microfilm and microfiche, which is housed in Basel. Other offshoots of his research concern the description of more than 9000 titles from libraries of the Early Rosicrucians. For enquiries please contact Carlos Gilly at his e-mail address gilly@ubaclu.unibas.ch
Adam McLean researches for the library the English followers of the German mystic Jacob Böhme in the 17th century, notably John Pordage, Dionysius Andreas Freher and Jane Lead. To this end he has transcribed texts of Pordage and Freher (formerly available only in manuscript) and he has updated the Lead bibliography. He has also transcribed for the library the existing English translations of the first Rosicrucian manifesto, Fama fraternitatis. For enquiries please contact Adam McLean at the library's general e-mail address bph@dial.pipex.nl