Adolf von Hüpsch

He was an indiscriminate collector of objects including those of natural history specimens, art, clothing, weaponry and antiquities.

Hüpsch was born Jean Guilleaume Fiacre, the son of a court official Gerard Honvlez (d. 1746) and Anna Maria Kesler in Vielsalm (now in Belgium).

He published various books on geophenomenology (1764), natural history of lower Germany (1781) and on ancient inscriptions in 1801.

He gradually enhanced his name and titles and called himself Johann Wilhelm Carl Adolph Freiherr von Hüpsch, Herr zu Lotzen, zu Krickelhausen und auf der Motte claiming a pedigree back to the Roman family of Aemilianus.

He filled his home with collections and his housekeeper Mechtild Happertz (1725 – 1805) gave tours of his cabinet to visitors.