Elis Malmeström Linnaeus Collection
Books on and by Carl Linnaeus, from the 18th century until 1971. Some of the older material is illustrated with interesting plates.
About the collection
Elis Malmeström was a Bishop and Linnaeus scholar. His donation amounts to about five shelf metres and awaits cataloguing in Libris. The material has signatures and notes by Malmeström and other, previous owners.
Acquisition history
According to the donation document dated 26 July 1974, bishop Malmeström gave his Linnaeus collection to the Gothenburg University Library, with the explicit wish that it should be held together, and be marked with a specific collection bookplate. Parts of the collection were sold before the donation to the Humanities Library.
Access the collection
The collection is held in the closed stacks at the Humanities library. It is available for reading room use only.
Catalogue
The collection awaits cataloguing. The database post denotes the collection as a whole.
In Libris
In Supersök
Humanities library
Renströmsgatan 4
405 30 GOTHENBURG
Phone: 031-786 17 45
Text:
Kristina Sevo
Biography
Elis Malmeström (1895-1977) was born in Gothenburg. He studied at the Göteborgs högre latinläroverk (currently Hvitfeldtska) and had a firm idea of his future career already as a young man. Following his studies in theology in Uppsala, he took holy orders in 1920, at 25, and following further studies, he presented his doctoral thesis in 1927. His work brought him to many places in Sweden, including Strängnäs, Uppsala, Göteborg, Karlstad and Växjö, where he held a variety of positions. Eventually he was made bishop in Växjö. He is known as an author of psalms, including Gud, för dig är allting klart, set to music from 1691. In 1948 he was made a member of the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences in Gothenburg.
Linnaeus research
As a student, Malmeström found the Systema naturae by Linnaeus at the library, and this became the starting point for a lifelong interest in Carl Linnaeus. Malmeström's thesis concerned the religious views of Linnaeus. Malmeström also made several scientific contributions, both translations and studies in the history of science.
Malmeström was a man of many talents, and there are several in-depth descriptions of his studies, working life and other commitments in various fields.
A comprehensive article by Oloph Bexell on Elis Malmeström.
Read more
Anders Jarlert, Du Herrens tjänare. Minnesteckningar, 1981.
Anders Jarlert, Göteborgs stifts herdaminne 1620–1999. Vol 1., 2010.
Göteborgs stift 1885-1949. Biografisk matrikel över stiftets prästerskap, Knut Norborg, Meijels Bokindustri, Halmstad 1949 p. 29-30
Göteborgs stift i ord och bild, eds: teol. dr. Elis Malmeström, teol. dr. Gösta Nelson, kyrkoherde Anders Block, kyrkoadjunkt Folke Fehn, Idun Förlag, Stockholm 1950 p. 754
Oloph Bexell, "Elis Malmeström" in Svenskt biografiskt lexikon 24, 1984.
Sten Lindroth, "Linneforskning under tvåhundra år" i Kungl. Vetenskapssamhällets i Uppsala årsbok 1965–66.
Suggested research topics
- An overview of the collection's contents. What is represented here, and how does it mirror the time and context of the material?
- Bibliographical research.
- Linnaeus research and Linnaeana in Sweden and abroad.
Please contact us if you have any suggested research topics you would like to share!