Bibliophile Peeter Tulviste - Rare (reference) books from the 19th century

Secular literature in Estonian was a long-standing area of interest for Peeter Tulviste. The selection presented in the exhibition focuses primarily on publications listed in the Red Book of Estonian Publications (ETPR-I and ETPR-II).

On the one hand, these books aimed to offer advice and support for more effective farming, and on the other hand, promote health and general well-being. It all became possible thanks to legislation abolishing serfdom. The exhibition showcases the legal texts Eestimaa Tallorahwa seadmised from 1816 and Lihwlandimaa Tallorahwa Seadus, Essimenne jaggo from 1820.

Many books aim to promote agriculture. The oldest is Nou ja abbi, kui waesus ja nälg käe on (1818) by Johann Wilhelm Ludwig, pastor of Püha church and councillor of Kuressaare. In the 1849 book Pöllumehhe ait. Öppetakse: Lojuste arstimist, Messilaste piddamist ja Wilja seemne leutamist by Carl Wilhelm Freundlich, sacristan of Muhu church, the language quality was much better. The stand contains three more books on farming, including the speeches held by Carl Robert Jakobson to the Pärnu Farmers’ Society. A horticultural guide from 1860, Kärneri-ramat, kust sees iggamees woib öppida, kuidas temma omma aia seest woib sada keiksuggust tarwilist aiarohto, pu wilja, ja poösade marjad, is also on display.

Medical advice is offered in a smallpox inoculation guide (1815) and Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald’s Kodutohter. Jakob Hurt’s Pildid isamaa sündinud asjus (1879), providing an overview of the history of Estonia, remains uncut to this day.

The exhibition also presents one of the earliest Estonian-language books on pedagogy: Õppetus koli-piddamisest ning laste kaswatamisest isseärranis koolmeistrite ja laste wannemate heaks, õppetuseks ning juhhatamiseks wäljaantud (1873). Pedagogy was an important theme for Tulviste, and he had dozens of books and journals on that subject.

Find out more about the exhibition here.