Beschreibendes Verzeichniss des Richard Wagner-Museums in Wien: ein bibliographisches Gesammtbild der kulturgeschichtlichen Erscheinung Richard Wagner's von den Anfängen seines Wirkens bis zu seinem Todestage den 13. Februar 1883

Published in the late 19th century, this comprehensive bibliographic catalogue was compiled by Nikolaus Oesterlein, an ardent Wagnerite and the founder of the Richard Wagner-Museum in Vienna. Oesterlein dedicated his life to documenting the life and works of the composer, meticulously cataloguing every available score, text, and critical essay related to Richard Wagner. The volume serves as a scholarly attempt to preserve the cultural and historical impact of Wagner’s career up until the time of his death in 1883, reflecting the intense period of Wagnerian scholarship that followed the composer's passing.

Oesterlein’s design for the work was rooted in the 19th-century tradition of the exhaustive bibliographic register, aiming to provide future researchers with a definitive map of Wagner’s vast influence. The work is esteemed for its rigorous detail and remains a foundational text for musicologists examining the Wagner cult and the development of 19th-century German musical culture. While intended as an archive for the Vienna museum collection, it stands today as an essential reference for understanding the bibliographical landscape of Wagnerian study during the late Victorian era.