Catalogues of Private Libraries from the First Half of the 18th Century: Materials from Empress Elizabeth’s Confiscation Commission (1742–43)

Abstract

This article presents a catalogue of books from the private libraries of counts A. I. Osterman, M. G. Golovkin, B.-Ch. Minnich, and baron K. L. Mengden. These books were confiscated after the coup d’état (25 November 1741) as a part of their property and then were transferred to the Library of the Academy of Sciences in accordance with Empress Elizabeth’s order in 1742–43. On 1 December 1741, «The record Commission for Osterman’s and others’ movable property, villages and debt obligations» was established. One of its tasks was to allocate the books to different institutions such as the Collegium of Foreign Affairs and the Library of the Academy of Sciences. The rest of the books were sold. The religious books belonging to A. I. Osterman and M. G. Golovkin were given to the Church of the Resurrection in the grounds of Pokrov Palace in Moscow.