Hebel Schatzkästlein 1859 Cotta Illustrated German Woodcut Antiquarian
 
Hebel Schatzkästlein 1859 Cotta Illustrated German Woodcut Antiquarian edition with 60 woodcuts
 
Title & Bibliographic Details
 
Full Title: Schatzkästlein des rheinischen Hausfreundes
Author: Johann Peter Hebel
Date: 1859
Publisher: G. Cotta’scher Verlag, Stuttgart & Augsburg
Printing: Cotta’sche Buchdruckerei, Stuttgart and Augsburg
Illustrations: 60 woodcut illustrations (Holzschnitte)
Language: German
 
Historical & Literary Context
 
This mid-19th century illustrated edition presents one of the most enduring works of German regional literature by Johann Peter Hebel, a key figure in early 19th-century storytelling and moral anecdotal writing.
 
Schatzkästlein des rheinischen Hausfreundes (“The Treasure Chest of the Rhenish House Friend”) is a celebrated collection of moral tales, rural anecdotes, and philosophical observations rooted in the cultural landscape of the Rhine region.
Hebel’s work occupies an important place in German literary history, bridging Enlightenment moral instruction with emerging Romantic interest in folklore, dialect, and regional identity.
 
Cotta’s illustrated editions of this work are particularly valued for their high production quality and extensive woodcut illustrations, which helped popularise Hebel’s stories throughout the German-speaking world.
 
Binding & Exterior Description
 
Quarter bound in leather with leather spine, corners, and inner board edges over textured cloth boards.
 
The binding is intact but heavily worn:
Significant loss of leather to corners 
Heavy rubbing and surface wear to spine 
Splitting along the outer joints of the spine 
Evidence of earlier repair work 
General edge and board rubbing throughout 
 
Despite wear, the structure remains complete and functional, presenting as a genuine working antiquarian copy.
 
Interior Condition
 
The text block is complete and secure.
Pages are lightly tanned with scattered foxing throughout, consistent with mid-19th century paper stock. The text remains fully legible.
 
Notable features:
Small circular sticker on front pastedown marked “2/3” in ink 
Remnants of a removed pen inscription on front free endpaper 
Evidence of former adhesive/tape removal on pastedowns and endpapers 
Occasional minor edge creases and very small edge tears 
 
Binding remains firm with only light gutter cracking at the front hinge area.
 
Illustrations
 
Contains 60 woodcut illustrations (Holzschnitte) throughout the text.
 
These are a defining feature of this Cotta edition and significantly enhance its visual and collector appeal when complete.
Illustrations present
No indication of plate loss reported
 
Physical Details
 
viii + 288 pages 
Approx. 15.1 x 12.2 x 1.5 cm 
Weight approx. 195g 
Small-format antiquarian volume