Receuil de plusieurs preparations ...... French Alchemical Manuscript.
NP [ France ? ]: NP, ca. 1700. Hardcover. Folio ( 11 1/2 x 8 inches). Approx. 500 pages. Rigid vellum wrappers with overlapping folds at fore-edge. Neat hand-written title in black ink to spine and fore-edge flap. Housed in a custom made 20th Century custom made marbled-paper covered slip case. Two large (later?) drawings on vellum have been laid down in the manuscript: an allegorical figure of Alchemy triumphant and a drawing showing an athanor connected to symbols of the various operations of the great work, and a smaller drawing of an athanor also on vellum tipped in at the rear. There is a fold out chart of planetary, alchemical and other symbols at the front, two large decorative initials on separate pages in the middle of the work, and several smaller drawing in text. FRENCH LANGUAGE. A neatly-written manuscript, containing a large number of pieces on different aspects of the performance of the Great Work: the use of sympathetic astrology, hermetic water, liquid gold, the water of the Sages, the fixing of mercury, perfect and imperfect salts, freezing, calcination, etc. It includes atreatise on antimony and a discourse on the matter of philosophers, various writings on the great Elixir, etc. Authors include Arnauld de Villeneuve, the Theatrum Chemicum, John Pontanus, Raymond Lulle, Marie la Juive (Maria Prophetissa), Nicholas Flamel, Isaac le Hollandais, Jean de La Fontaine, Bernard de la Badie, Neptis, et al. A portion of the writings are by unknown or little-known authors, such as a long piece on the practice of the great work of the stone of the philosophers by "frère Philippe Rouillard cordelier piémontais." In addition to the obviously alchemical works there are a number of short recipes or methods for activities like softening iron and steel, colouring leathers, etc as well as recipes for marvelous ointments, a powder against the plague and remedies for other diseases and ailments. From the renowned alchemical collection of Gonzage de Marliave with his bookplate on the front pastedown. Loosely inserted two pages of owner's notes (in French) in an unidentified modern hand (possibly de Marliave?). A little superficial wear. Some light age greying to the latter pages, a few pages show very mild damp staining, some old repairs to margins. Overall VG+ antiquarian condition, an interesting and impressive work. Item #65920
Sold