The Library of Leufstabruk: An Eighteenth Century Portal of Cultural Transfer Between Sweden and the Dutch Republic
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Abstract
The library of Leufstabruk is an eighteenth century private library in Sweden that was built up by industrialist and entomologist Charles De Geer (1720-1778). Approximately 1500 contemporary titles from the library were purchased by mail-order from the booksellers Samuel (II) and Johannes Luchtmans in Leiden. Leufstabruk was, however, not only a place where Enlightenment literature was brought in, but also a centre of knowledge production. In this article, I will explore Leufstabruk as a portal for cultural transfer between Sweden and the Dutch Republic, and consider how this collection may serve as a frame to rethink the emergence of Sweden as a centre of knowledge creation in the eighteenth century