Funds MSS. and documentaries

The file, sorted at the time either by an anonymous librarian, or by the possessor himself, is mostly composed of letters, telegrams and cards adhering to the solemn celebrations that the University of Genoa organised for 9.XII.1906 on the occasion of Professor Arturo Issel's 40th year of teaching.

• Edited by Oriana Cartaregia (1985)

  This dossier, ordered at that time or by an anonymous librarian, or by the owner himself, is mostly composed of letters, telegrams and tickets of adherence to the solemn celebrations that the University of Genoa organized for the 9.XII.1906 during the 40 years of teaching of Professor Arturo Issel.

  The adhesions are almost all directed at members of organizing committee and in particular at Professor Adolfo Francesco Rossello, Rector of the University in that period. The organizing committee, appointed on 5.VI.1906 was as follows: Pr. A. R. Rossello Honorary President Prof.. O. Penzig, Dean of the Faculty of Science, President owner; Prof.rs L. Cerrato, G. Loria, F. Marino-Zuco members; Prof.. G. Rovereto secretary.

  Since the Biblioteca Universitaria had the testamentary desire for a substantial bequest of books and manuscripts by Prof. Rossello [about the Rossello legacy see. “Accademie e Biblioteche di Italia”, a. 1930-1931, p. 188], we are inclined to think that the dossier Issel was part of this Rossello legacy also in consideration that there are nine Relazioni intorno agli Istituti scientifici della R. Università di Genova requested to individual professors by the Rector.

  As a part of the dossier, there are also some notes taken from a work written by Vincenzo Ariola [for info on V. Ariola see: Catalogo generale della libreria italiana , Milano, 1942, v. 1 suppl./A-H, p. 49 ].

  Since the documents have been known for years as "File Issel" we believe, given the absence of further clues about their provenance, it is appropriate to maintain this mention.

  During the re-organization of the dossier we respected the previous subdivision that called into prominence, with groupings by sector, the source of the adhesions to the Isselian celebrations. Telegrams, letters and documents were then placed in envelopes and numbered progressively.

• Arturo Issel (1842-1922)

  Arturo Issel (1842-1922) was an eminent scholar of natural sciences and in that role held the Chair of Geology at the University of Genova and laid the foundations for the construction of the Geological Museum. He was also an expert of prehistoric archeology and became President of the Società Ligure di Storia Patria in the years 1921-1922 [See. “Atti della Società Ligure di Storia Patria”, NS VIII (LXXXII) (1968), fasc. I, p. 14].

• Bibliografia:
  • Daniele Cianchi, Fascicolo Arturo Issel, in Biblioteca Universitaria di Genova : Fondi Storici. Parte I, Genova, Biblioteca Universitaria, 2015, p. 48-51
  • "Atti della Società Ligure di Storia Patria", N.S. VIII(LXXXII) (1968), fasc. I, p. 14
  • A. Cappellini, Dizionario biografico dei genovesi illustri e notabili , Genova , 1936, p. 97 (un errore nella data di morte confermato in Biographical notes upen botanists. Compiled by John Hendley Barnhart , Boston, 1965, v. 2, p. 234)
  • A. Pagliaini, Catalogo generale della libreria italiana dall'anno 1847 a tutto il 1899 . Milano, 1901-1905, per la sua produzione scientifica
  • per autori E-O; Ibidem, Catalogo generale della libreria italiana . Primo supplemento dal 1900 al 1910 , Milano, 1912-1914,
  • v. I-Z; "International Catalogue of scientific litterature H. Geology", London, 1903-1918.

  Interessante per inquadrare nel contesto degli studi paletnologia anche la figura di Arturo Issel il 'percorso tematico': La prima umanità in Liguria, a cura di Cristina Bartolini; in particolare all'interno del 'tema' C_Il pensiero laico e i personaggi della paletnologia in Liguria,  a cura di Giorgia Teso, si trova un approfondimento sullo studioso.