Luxdorph’s collection has a triple source value in terms of the history of art, the history of civilisation and the history of science. On this background, both reconstruction and the availability of the collection hold specific contemporary and general importance for the illustration of very old men and women, the development of research on ageing and the associated socio-cultural topics. Moreover, the collection represents an encyclopaedic interest, the passion to collect and the origin of science-orientated collections, as they became characteristic in 18th century Europe.