Manuscript document on paper. Chemistry or alchemy text (mentions multiple ingredients and includes alchemical symbols, and discusses the formula to make gold). Six folios. 27.5 x 18 cm
"Original early manuscript, in German, dealing with various topics in the fields of alchemy and chemistry including such topics as the Philosopher's Stone, universal solvents, elixirs, sublimation, mercury, alkalis, calcination, phosphorus, fermentation, sublimation of sulfur, transmutation (125r) , rare earths, etc., etc. There are a number of authors mentioned eg.; Lilius (Lull?), Joannes Loutemaritz, Johannes Lemberg, Bartoldus, Maister Wisanto, and others. Including chapters titled such as: ""Lapis Philos: est Aqua""; ""Fermemtum - Terra Aer Aqua""; ""Aristotelis Epistola ad REgem Alexandrum Missa"" (38 r; on philosopher's stone, tinctures of phosphor, etc.); ""Tractatus Wimandi von Roten Schilde"" (on sunlight, phosphor, fermentation, elixers); ""De Generali via de Invencione Artis"" (87r on calcination, sublimation, incineration, coagulation, tinctures, and so on); ""De Mercurii pprietate"" (90r; mentions ""Albertinus monarch Ratisbon"" on 93r); ""In quod anis Metallum"", etc. The text also deals with pharmaceutical, putrefaction, and rare earths.
The name of the author of the volume unfortunately, was crossed out on the first leaf where he states ""....begun by me...Anno 1563"" (""...angefangen von mir....Anno 1563""); done by a slightly later owner.
Fine copy of the fascinating collection of essay son alchemical and chemical subjects in the vernacular and clearly not just copied from a printed work but original commentary which bases itself on information from early and contemporary authorities. It is bound in its original, very handsome, decorated binding (dated 1562 on front cover) completely unsophisticated. A number of presumably blank leaves have been excised from the end of the volume but the manuscript is clearly complete."
Small Gothic hand, black-brown ink, c.46 lines per full page. Light age browning, couple of oil stains to first two ll. and last, a little marginal finger-soiling, lower outer corner of last leaf repaired (affecting couple of letters). A very well-preserved copy, disbound.
Full pdf available, https://dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/mu/islandora/object/mu%3A445258/datastre...
