JC Ludeman - Astrologische Geheimen - 1787

J.C. Ludeman [F.L. Kersteman]
The Golden Mine of Doctor Ludeman; or, Flower Garden of Astrological Secrets; Touching the three-year Orange War, of 1785, 1786, and 1787: by way of Prophecies, written to Master Franciscus; To be made world-renowned by the Great Triumph.
Arnhem etc.: Moeleman etc., 1787
169+(3) pp; frontispiece (unsigned engraving by Jan Luyken)
New cover in cardboard with linen spine (20x16 cm); water stains (mostly at the edges)

The engraving by Jan Luyken was originally the title page of M. Vossius, Annales Hollandiae Zelandiaeque (Amsterdam 1680) and after modification reused in this book (see Pieter van Eeghen, The work of Jan and Casper Luyken; Amsterdam 1905)

The originally German astrologer and physician Johann Christoph Ludeman (1683-1757) was active in Amsterdam during the first half of the 18th century as a ‘marvelous’ healer and later as an astrologer. As with several other works by Ludeman, the author is F.L. Kersteman, who sat in the Rotterdam city workhouse due to fraud, where he earned his living by writing. What Kersteman and Ludeman shared besides an interest in astrology was the possession of a doctor’s diploma from the University of Harderwijk. Promotion could be obtained there very quickly if one had money to spare. (D.J.H. ter Horst, Mr. Franciscus Lievens Kersteman. A bio-bibliographical study; Amsterdam 1937)