[1823 SWISS ALMANAC WITH WOODCUTS]. Nutzlicher Haus-Kalender oder der Richtige Bot, aus das Jahr Christi 1824

Argau, Switzerland: Jakob Diebold, 1823. Very Good. 4to. 48 pp. Pictorial wrappers, stitched as issued. Tables printed in black & red, lower page corners folded, some moderate edge wear, foxing and (mild) waterstaining. Well worn but generally very good, with a few small tears along edges. An extremely scarce 1824 provincial Swiss Almanac, well illustrated with curious woodcuts including an elaborate title-page border in the neo-classical style, back cover depiction of the slaughter of the Greek patriarch, a double-page fold-out plate of a castle in Baden (small dirt stain at top), and twelve emblematic woodcuts depicting astrological attributes (truncated) of each month. Owing to the fact that only one other copy seems to have survived, it is not surprising that we have been unable to locate reproductions of any of these woodcuts published elsewhere. The title-page woodcut appears to have been signed in the border the artist / engraved "Z. Morman." Several of the woodcut zodiac symbols are signed "Z."

Jakob Diebold, a bookbinder, took over the publication of this Haus-Kalender (a.k.a. the Swiss "Baden Kalendar") from Heinrich Joseph Keiser sometime after 1808, during which time he ran both the bindery and the Baldinger printing press. Sales of the almanac under Diebold greatly improved, largely due to the improving economic and intellectual conditions of Baden. This calendar contains a "Directory of school books, children's writings and writing materials, which are available from B.J. Diebold, book printers and bookbinders in Baden." The almanac includes a report on the New Year (i.e. 1824), a directory, and covers a range of topics including chronology, astronomy, astrology, and herbal medicine.

The ZB Zurich has scattered holdings of Diebold's publication, namely: 1811-1812; 1819-1821; 1824 (the present year), 1825-1826; 1831; 1837; 1846. The Landesmuseum has three unrelated issues (1817-1819). (Inventory #: 2966)