Joseph Paul of Cobres

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Joseph Paul von Cobres in the uniform of a Knight of Malta (miniature portrait oil on ivory by Joseph Einsle)
Title page of the Deliciae Cobresianae (graphic by Joseph Franz von Göz)
Joseph Paul von Cobres' home and seat of the Cobres bank in Augsburg, Maximilianstrasse 51
Country house of Joseph Paul von Cobres in Göggingen, Mayor-Aurnhammer-Straße 33

Joseph Paul Edler von Cobres , born as Giuseppe Paolo Cobres (* between 1737 and 1749 probably in the Republic of Venice ; † December 26, 1823 in Göggingen ) was a German banker , private scholar and natural history collector in Augsburg from the Republic of Venice .

Life

Family relationships

On April 25, 1769, a Cobres, son of a merchant from Venice , whose first name was not mentioned, stayed in Munich . In that year Giuseppe Paolo Cobres, who later translated his first names into German, came to Augsburg and settled there as a banker. Neither the names of his parents nor their social background is known. However, they seem to have given their son a good education. On November 26, 1769, he married Maria Anna, widow of the merchant Joseph Maria Tonella, in Augsburg. She was a sister of the wealthy Augsburg bankers Joseph Anton Obwexer and Peter Paul Obwexer . At least one son comes from this marriage.

Cobres and his wife moved into the house "Zur Himmelsleiter", a rococo building at Maximilianstrasse 51, which is now the Roeck House, which was commissioned by his wife's first husband .

Banker and entrepreneur

Joseph Paul Cobres' company developed into one of the most important Catholic banking houses in Augsburg, alongside J. Obwexer seel. Sons, the company of his two brothers-in-law, and Carli & Compagnie. The companies, whose founders came from Veneto and South Tyrol and Northern Italy , often worked together.

The continental blockade against Great Britain brought heavy losses for the banking houses active in overseas trade , which led to bankruptcy for some . While other Augsburg banks were able to switch quickly and successfully to currency exchange and loan transactions, the Cobres, who cooperated closely with the Obwexer, who had been active in trading with Curaçao , did not succeed in averting bankruptcy. In 1793 Cobres had acquired a country house in Göggingen at today's Bürgermeister-Aurnhammer-Straße 33, which he lived in for a long time. He had to use the property as a pledge in 1820 and then cede it to the heirs of Peter Zacharias Cobres, apparently a relative. All that was left for him to retire to was a small Sölde , also in Göggingen .

Nobleman and dignitary

Cobres was already elevated to the rank of imperial knighthood on April 24, 1780 by Emperor Joseph II as Nobler von Cobres . The emperor issued the otherwise rare provision that Cobres' descendants, as long as they were devoted to the trade, were not allowed to make use of the civil status . With a diploma dated September 27, 1791, Cobres was accepted as a knight in the Order of Malta . Although he did not belong to the patriciate , he held numerous honorary positions in Augsburg and was a. a. Captain of the Augsburg city militia. Furthermore, on September 10, 1792, with the nickname Pliny VIII, he became a member of the Imperial Leopoldine-Carolinian Academy of Natural Scientists and was a member of the Society of Friends of Natural Sciences in Berlin , a member of the Natural Research Societies in Danzig and Halle, a member of the Mineralogical Society in Jena of the Wetterau Society for the Entire Natural History , Corresponding Member of the Patriotic Society of Doctors and Natural Scientists of Swabia, Member of the Academy of the Arts in Augsburg and holder of the Medal of Honor of the former Tyrolean Estates. In 1811 he became a corresponding member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences .

Private scholar and collector

Around 1770, the idealistic friend and patron of the sciences began to put together a collection of books and natural history exhibits. The foundation stone was formed by the natural history collections of the deceased Augsburg citizens Wolfgang Jakob Sulzer and Christoph Heinrich Wenig acquired by Cobres. Within ten years he built up a private library that is unique in Germany . Cobres used a large part of his fortune for the purchase of natural history literature and collection objects from various scientific fields. The library and the natural history cabinet were visited by many scholars of his time and used for research purposes. The autodidact Cobres also became a valued correspondence partner for some. In particular, the Augsburg naturalists Gottlieb Tobias Wilhelm , Jacob Hübner , Heinrich Gottlob Lang and Carl Christian Wilhelm Juch benefited from the library of the collection and were sponsored by Cobres.

In the years 1781/1782 Cobres published a two-volume catalog under the title "Deliciae Cobresianae".

As a result of financial problems, Cobres offered his library and collections to the Royal Bavarian Academy of Sciences in Munich for sale in 1807. The purchase failed because, according to a communication from Interior Minister Maximilian von Montgelas to the Academy President Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi , the Bavarian state had no financial means for the purchase. When Cobres was ready to sell individual items from his collections in 1811, he published a directory under the title "Brief overview of the natural history library and the natural history cabinet of Joseph Paul Edlen von Cobres". In order to buy at least part of the collections, Crown Prince Ludwig made a sum of 12,000 guilders available. Cobres tried in the following years to sell the main part of the library and the collections to the city of Augsburg. Although it was only asking for a fraction of the actual value, the sale failed in 1820 due to rejection by the royal government. Cobres eventually had to sell one-offs to make a living. The rest of his life's work was divided after his death and sold to various buyers.

Appreciations

Publications

(without claim of completeness)

  • Joseph Paul von Cobres: Deliciae Cobresianae. Collection of books on natural history . Vol. 1. Self-published by the author, Augsburg [1781/1782], pp. 1–470. Digitized
  • Joseph Paul von Cobres: Deliciae Cobresianae. Collection of books on natural history . Vol. 2. Self-published by the author, Augsburg [1781/1782], pp. 471–956. Digitized
  • Joseph Paul von Cobres: Brief overview of the natural history library and the natural history cabinet of Joseph Paul Edlen von Cobres, the Heil. Roman Empire and the Order of Malta, its Kaiserl. Royal Austrian Your Majesty Rath, the Kaiserl. Leopoldine-Carolinian Academy of Natural Scientists under the name Pliny VI, the natural research societies in Danzig, Berlin and Halle, the mineralogical societies in Jena, the Wetterau society for the whole of natural history, the patriotic society of physicians and natural scientists in Swabia; as well as the Academy of the Arts in Augsburg - real - ordinary - extraordinary or honorary member, owner of the honorary madal of the former estates of Tyrol, which will be released from free hand at the beginning of the next 1811 year . Self-published by the author, Augsburg 1810. Digitized

literature

  • Catalogus Librorum rariorum et exquisitorum Bibliothecae celebr. Domini Josi Pli Nobilis de Cobres etc etc qui parvo pretio, pecunia numerata venduntur per Wilhelmum Birett, St. Anna-Gasse Lit. D. No. 253 . Augsburg 1827. Digitized
  • The knight Joseph Paul von Cobres and his natural history collection . In: Reports of the Natural Science Association for Swabia, Vol. 8. Printed by Albr. Volkhart 1855. Digitized
  • Irmgard Bezzel: library guide. Bavarian State Library, Munich. History and holdings. On behalf of the General Directorate of the Bavarian State Libraries . Süddeutscher Verlag, Munich 1967.
  • Fassl, Peter: Denomination, Economy and Politics. From imperial city to industrial city, Augsburg 1750-1850. Treatises on the history of the city of Augsburg . Vol. 32. Verlag Jan Thorbecke GmbH, Sigmaringen 1988, ISBN 978-3-7995-6942-2 .
  • Johann Jacob Gradmann (Ed.): The learned Swabia or Lexicon of the Swabian writers who are now living . Self-published by the author, Ravensburg 1802. Digitized
  • Mark Häberlein / Michaela Schmölz-Häberlein: The heirs of the Welser. The Caribbean trade of the Augsburg company Obwexer in the age of revolutions. Publications of the Swabian Research Foundation at the Commission for Bavarian State History . Series 1. Studies on the history of Bavarian Swabia. Vol. 21. Wißner Verlag, Augsburg 1995, ISBN 978-3-928898-80-5 .
  • Gerd Ibler: Joseph Paul von Cobres (1746 - 1823) Imperial Knight, banker, private scholar, collector, natural scientist, friend and patron of the sciences and the arts . In: Reports of the Natural Science Association for Swabia . Bd. 119. Self-published by the Natural Science Association for Swabia, Augsburg 2015. Digitized
  • KE Graf zu Leiningen-Westerburg: German and Austrian library symbols. Bookplate. A handbook for collectors, book and art lovers . Julius Hoffmann Verlag, Stuttgart 1901. Digitized
  • Eberhard Pfeuffer: Fascinated by nature. Early Augsburg naturalists and their pictures . Wißner Verlag, Augsburg 2003, ISBN 978-3-89639-392-0 .
  • Ferdinand Seydel: The leader on the graves of the deceased in Augsburg and collection of all inscriptions of the churchyard of the Catholics in Augsburg . Verlag der A. Volkhart'schen Buchdruckerei, Augsburg 1839. Digitized
  • Paul von Stetten the Younger: Description of the imperial city of Augsburg, according to its current situation, constitution, action and the arts and trades belonging to such also its other peculiarities . Verlag Conrad Heinrich Stage, Augsburg 1788. Digitized
  • Paul von Stetten the Younger: Art, trade and handicraft history of the imperial city of Augsburg . Vol. 2. Conrad Heinrich Stage, Augsburg 1788. Digitized
  • Michaela Schmölz-Häberlein: “Full of fire for excellent effectiveness” - the Obwexer brothers, Johann Heinrich von Schüle and the trading city of Augsburg in the 18th century . In: Augsburg trading houses in the course of historical judgment. Colloquia Augustana . Vol. 3. Akademie Verlag, Berlin 1996, ISBN 3-05-002653-7 , S 130 et seq. Digitalisat
  • Georg Wilhelm Zapf: Augsburg library. Or a historical-critical literary directory of all writings that concern the city of Augsburg and its history . Vol. 2. Verlag Johann Melchior Lotter und Kompagnie, Augsburg 1795. Digitized
  • Wolfgang Zorn: Trade and industrial history of Bavarian Swabia 1648-1870. Economic, social and cultural history of Swabian entrepreneurship. Publications of the Swabian Research Foundation at the Commission for Bavarian State History. Series 1. Studies on the history of Bavarian Swabia. Vol. 6. Verlag der Schwäbische Forschungsgemeinschaft, Augsburg 1961.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Johann Jacob Gradmann (Ed.): The learned Swabia or Lexicon of the Swabian writers who are now living . Self-published by the author, Ravensburg 1802, p. 24 .
  2. ^ The knight Joseph Paul von Cobres and his natural history collection . In: Reports of the Natural Science Association for Swabia eV Band 8 . Printed by Albr. Volkhart, Augsburg 1855, p. 57 ff .
  3. ↑ a b c d e f Gerd Ibler: Joseph Paul von Cobres (1746 - 1823) Imperial Knight, banker, private scholar, collector, natural scientist, friend and patron of the sciences and the arts . In: Reports of the Natural Science Association for Swabia . tape 119 . Self-published by the Natural Science Association for Swabia, Augsburg 2015, p. 2 ff .
  4. ↑ The sources differ greatly with regard to the date of birth of Giuseppe Paolo Cobres. Gerd Ibler (2015), the most recent source, names January 10, 1746 as the date of birth, without, however, pointing out where he got this information from and without referring to the different information in the literature.
  5. ↑ Weekly Munich advertisements of May 3, 1769. No. 18. Vötter Verlag, 1769, accessed on July 26, 2017 .
  6. ↑ a b Michaela Schmölz-Häberlein: "Full of fiery urge for excellent effectiveness" - the Obwexer brothers, Johann Heinrich von Schüle and the trading town of Augsburg in the 18th century . In: Augsburg trading houses in the course of historical judgment . Colloquia Augustana. Vol. 3. Akademie Verlag, Berlin 1996, ISBN 3-05-002653-7 , pp. 130 ff .
  7. ^ Wolfgang Zorn: Trade and Industrial History of Bavarian Swabia. 1648-1870 . In: Economic, social and cultural history of Swabian entrepreneurship. Publications of the Swabian Research Foundation at the Commission for Bavarian State History. Studies on the history of Bavarian Swabia . tape 6 . Verlag der Schwäbische Forschungsgemeinschaft, Augsburg 1961, p. 287 .
  8. ↑ a b Michaela Schmölz-Häberlein: Cobres. In: Stadtlexikon Augsburg. 2013, accessed July 26, 2017 .
  9. ^ Wolfgang Zorn: Trade and Industrial History of Bavarian Swabia. 1648-1870 . In: Economic, social and cultural history of Swabian entrepreneurship. Publications of the Swabian Research Foundation at the Commission for Bavarian State History. Studies on the history of Bavarian Swabia . tape 6 . Verlag der Schwäbische Forschungsgemeinschaft, Augsburg 1961, p. 119 .
  10. ↑ Ferdinand Seydel: The leader on the graves of the deceased in Augsburg and collection of all inscriptions of the churchyard of the Catholics in Augsburg . Verlag der A. Volkhart'schen Buchdruckerei, Augsburg 1839, p. 46 .
  11. ↑ 67.24 Cobres, Joseph Paul, Wechsler zu Augsburg, knighthood as "Edler von Cobres, Knight", with the express determination ... (1780.04.24). In: General administrative archive. Aristocratic Archives (approx. 1500-1918). Imperial nobility archive (approx. 1500 - approx. 1806). General series (ca.1500 - ca.1806). 67 Clieuer-Codiga (1411-1792). Austrian State Archives, 1780, accessed on July 26, 2017 .
  12. ^ Wolfgang Zorn: Trade and Industrial History of Bavarian Swabia. 1648-1870 . In: Economic, social and cultural history of Swabian entrepreneurship. Publications of the Swabian Research Foundation at the Commission for Bavarian State History. Studies on the history of Bavarian Swabia . tape 6 . Verlag der Schwäbische Forschungsgemeinschaft, Augsburg 1961, p. 239 .
  13. ^ Johann Daniel Ferdinand Neigebaur : History of the Imperial Leopoldino-Carolinian German Academy of Natural Scientists during the second century of its existence. Friedrich Frommann, Jena 1860, p. 239
  14. ↑ Joseph Paul von Cobres: Brief overview of the natural history library and the natural history cabinet of Joseph Paul Edlen von Cobres, the Heil. Roman Empire and the Order of Malta, its Kaiserl. Royal Austrian Your Majesty Rath, the Kaiserl. Leopoldine-Carolinian Academy of Natural Scientists under the name Pliny VI, the natural research societies in Danzig, Berlin and Halle, the mineralogical societies in Jena, the Wetterau society for the whole of natural history, the patriotic society of physicians and natural scientists in Swabia; as well as the Academy of the Arts in Augsburg - real - ordinary - extraordinary or honorary member, owner of the honorary madal of the former estates of Tyrol, which will be released from free hand at the beginning of the next 1811 year . Self-published by the author, Augsburg 1810, p. Title page .
  15. ^ KE Graf zu Leiningen-Westerburg: German and Austrian library symbols. Bookplate. A handbook for collectors, book and art lovers . Julius Hoffmann Verlag, Stuttgart 1901, p. 274 f .
  16. ^ Wolfgang Zorn: Trade and Industrial History of Bavarian Swabia. 1648-1870 . In: Economic, social and cultural history of Swabian entrepreneurship. Publications of the Swabian Research Foundation at the Commission for Bavarian State History. Studies on the history of Bavarian Swabia . tape 6 . Verlag der Schwäbische Forschungsgemeinschaft, Augsburg 1961, p. 303 .
  17. ^ Paul von Stetten the Younger: Art, trade and handicraft history of the imperial city of Augsburg . tape 2 . Printed by Conrad Heinrich Stage, Augsburg 1788, p. 101 f .
  18. ↑ Allgemeine Zeitung of March 10, 1811. No. 69, p. 275. JG Cotta´sche Buchhandlung, 1811, accessed on July 26, 2017 .
  19. ↑ Allgemeine Zeitung of April 3, 1811. No. 93, p. 371. JG Cotta´sche Buchhandlung, 1811, accessed on June 26, 2017 .
  20. ^ Wolfgang Zorn: Trade and Industrial History of Bavarian Swabia. 1648-1870 . In: Economic, social and cultural history of Swabian entrepreneurship. Publications of the Swabian Research Foundation at the Commission for Bavarian State History. Studies on the history of Bavarian Swabia . tape 6 . Verlag der Schwäbische Forschungsgemeinschaft, Augsburg 1961, p. 293 .
personal data
SURNAME Cobres, Joseph Paul from
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Cobres, Joseph Paul Edler von (full name); Cobres, Giuseppe Paolo (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German banker, private scholar and natural history collector in Augsburg
DATE OF BIRTH between 1737 and 1749
PLACE OF BIRTH Republic of Venice
DATE OF DEATH December 26, 1823
Place of death Göggingen