Alchemical miscellany

Description

Title: Alchemical miscellany
Published / Created: [ca. 1550]
Publication Place: North Italy (Genoa?)
Abstract: Manuscript on paper of a miscellany of alchemical texts including corrupt copies (which are typical of the compiler) of traditional Latin alchemies with practical procedures and vernacular poems on alchemy. Compiled by one Johannes Baptista F., along with Mellon MSS 34 and 35.
Description: In Latin, Italian, and Spanish.
Script: Written by one, perhaps two, hands in mid-16th-century italic, sometimes of excellent, professional quality, but often ranging from fairly good to extremely bad and careless.
Extensive series of small ink drawings of alchemical vessels and equipment on the front flyleaves, mostly flasks and other glasswork on the left page, with similar equipment, as well as a "Bain-Marie" and a large furnace on the facing right page, each drawing labeled.
Binding: Original parchment over pasteboards with remains of thong ties; probably a home-made binding utilizing used parchment (show-through of writing and earlier folding visible) from a document; plain edges. Labeled in ink in the hand of the compiler on the backstrip: "Lapis philosophalis". Loose in cover and badly wormed.
Provenance: Denis Duveen; Mellon MS 14, acquired with the Duveen collection. Gift of Paul and Mary Mellon, 1965.
Extent: ff. 265 : ca. 205 x 150
Extent of Digitization: This object has been completely digitized.
Language: Latin

Repository: Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Call Number: Mellon MS 36
Related Resource Online: View a detailed description.
View a digital version in the Beinecke Library's Digital Images Online database

Genre: Early works to 1800
Manuscripts, Renaissance Italy 16th century
Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library
Material: paper ;
Resource Type: unspecified
Subject (Geographic): Connecticut
New Haven.
Subject (Topic): Alchemy
Drawing
Italian poetry
Manuscripts, Medieval
Subjects: Alchemy > Early works to 1800
Drawing > 16th century
Italian poetry > 16th century
Manuscripts, Medieval > Connecticut > New Haven
Italy > 16th century
Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library
Duveen, Denis I. > Ownership
Mellon, Paul > Ownership

Access: Public
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Citation: Alchemical Miscellany. General Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University.