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Alphabetical catalogue of the Goess collection
First column:
- Author name (surname, first name), or
- first noun in the nominative case for collected and anonymous works
Second column:
- Title
- Numbering: Id op.
- References: S. … [=see]
- Format: 2°, 4°, 8°, fol.
- Number of volumes: 2 vol.
Third column:
- Place and year of publication
Fourth column:
- Reference number, without indication of format: no higher than 4.406
- The associated objects themselves bear the letter ‘G’ [Goess] as an identifier in front of the indication of format and reference and ‘GO’ as the collection abbreviation if they have been entered in the online catalogue
- Goess portrait catalogue (alphabetical card catalogue)
- Systematic card catalogue
Literature
Bibliography of medieval manuscripts in Austria by the Austrian Academy of Sciences
Use
Access to the rare book collections is by pre-arranged appointment only.
Contakt
History of the Goess library
The Goess library, a typical 18th century private nobleman’s library, can be traced back to Cardinal Johann Freihernn von Goess, Prince-Bishop of Gurk (1611–1696), hence its extensive canonical collection and valuable writings by Church fathers. The nephew of the prince-bishop, Johann Anton (1694–1764), was closely associated with the history of the state of Carinthia due to his role as state governor (1716 and 1739). He is presumed to have been yet another avid collector: as a lover of theatre and a patron of the troupes of travelling players who often made a stop in Klagenfurt on their way to Vienna from Italy, he acquired any literature available to him on this subject. In 1806, Count Peter Goess (1774–1846) bequeathed his family’s priceless collection of books to the research library, the predecessor to today’s university library.
The Goess collection contains manuscripts, incunabula, Aldines, Giunti prints, numerous Elzeviers, a complete set of publications by the Delphin publishing house, French, Spanish and Italian literature, an almost complete collection of French theatre literature, the works of Molière, Diderot, Voltaire, Racine and Corneille, as well as works by less renowned authors who nonetheless play an important part in the history of theatre, such as Marivaux, Destouches, Quinault and Regnard. In addition, it includes collections of superb copperplate engravings of architectural works (by Andrea Pozzo and Vitruvius), as well as Austrian works and legal historical literature.
All 7000 tomes are bound in the typical leather bindings of the period: they boast an abundance of gold embossing and tasteful back cover vignettes.
This makes the Goess collection one of the most valuable in today’s library.
Literature on the Goess library
- 1831: Heinrich HERMANN: Klagenfurt, wie es war und ist. Klagenfurt: Leon 1831. p. 221. The Carinthian historian Hermann gives 1802 as the year of endowment, all other witnesses give the year as 1806.
- 1858: Ignaz TOMASCHEK: Zur Geschichte der hierortigen k.k. Landesbibliothek.
In: „Carinthia I“. 48(1858), p. 85. - 1929: Max PIRKER: Die Bibliothek des Grafen Goess. In: „Kärnten. Landschaft, Volk, Kultur. Zeitschrift des Landesverbandes für Fremdenverkehr in Kärnten.“ Edited by J.F. Perkonig. . 1928,H.1., p. 2–4.
- 1947: Richard FUCHS: Französische Theaterliteratur in Kärnten. In: „Die Stimme Österreichs“. 1947, p.9.
